Can't get rid of Polar Failed Error

[wholybee]

I think all the relevant files can be downloaded from the link below.

I thought I had everything working. I've successful routed a bunch of courses without issue. I have a set of polar files with wind speeds down to 0. I have adjusted the course angle, search angle, and time step. But no matter what I do I still get polar failed for this route.

What is the issue?


https://holybee-my.sharepoint.com/pe...05fa4d7996263c

[stelian]

I get a "no page found" when I click on your URL...

EDIT: Several minutes later: it works now...

[stelian]

From what I see in your configuration files, you're not using the latest beta of the plugin (the one from here https://github.com/rgleason/weather_routing_pi/releases ).

Please try it and report back (with the updated configuration files).

Thanks, Stelian.

[stelian]

In your boat XML file I see this:
CrossOverPercentage="-2147483648"

Obviously this is incorrect, go in "Edit boat" -> "Crossover..." and set the percent to something sensitive (even 0 is OK). After that, your routing will complete.

BTW: it looks like this plugin has the same issues regarding the saving of date/time in local format (mm/dd) as celestial_nav had. Since I'm in Europe, when I read wholybee's XML file I get August 12th instead of December 8th...

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by stelian

In your boat XML file I see this:
CrossOverPercentage="-2147483648"

Obviously this is incorrect, go in "Edit boat" -> "Crossover..." and set the percent to something sensitive (even 0 is OK). After that, your routing will complete.

BTW: it looks like this plugin has the same issues regarding the saving of date/time in local format (mm/dd) as celestial_nav had. Since I'm in Europe, when I read wholybee's XML file I get August 12th instead of December 8th...

I am trying to learn how to use this plugin, and one thing I don't understand and is not really covered in the manual is "CrossOver".
Could you provide a description ?

[stelian]

Originally Posted by NahanniV

I am trying to learn how to use this plugin, and one thing I don't understand and is not really covered in the manual is "CrossOver".
Could you provide a description ?

I'm not sure myself, but I think this has meaning when you have several polars, and you want to prioritize them. Rick or Sean would probably have a better answer.

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by stelian

I'm not sure myself, but I think this has meaning when you have several polars, and you want to prioritize them. Rick or Sean would probably have a better answer.

Thanks, Just found in another thread that it is not working on Windows.

[rgleason]

John,
Just saw this thread. For Windows the Crossover function is not showing (or possibly not working). When I am using it I see a flash image with a yellow line representing the crossover points for a change between polar files. (The boat.xml file now stores multiple polar files which can be defined for different sail sets (wind speeds), sea conditions, etc.) The routing program automatically selects the optimal polar file for the given predicted conditions. You will see the change of polar files in the weather routing as a black button that you can hover over for a message. See the documentation at the beginning for more description.

I think the problem with the crossover image not showing is a simple typically picky MSVC++ compiler requirement. Stelian has been very successful at nailing these down and fixing them in both CelNav and WR. My guess is it has something to do with showing an crossover image or chart.

When I get a chance I will try to pinpoint possible areas of the program that are the problem.

[rgleason]

John,
I thought you used Linux, but if you've downloaded the most current Windows version, it is very important to set the paths properly, and to copy the necessary files to the User directory (C:/programdata/opencpn/plugins/weather_routing and with the necessary Boat, Polar, --- see

https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=opencpnpencpn_user_manual:toolbar_bu ttonslugins:weather:weather_routing&s#five_confi gurations_that_will_compute

Then you must set the paths to those directories and make sure the paths are working properly.

I tried to write the step by step here too

https://github.com/rgleason/weather_routing_pi/releases

Once this is done, you should be able to do a routing.

Hopefully we will be able to release a version that does all this setup as an exe but I need some programming help.
I have finished the simplified configuration that just uses climatology for data, that Sean and I agreed upon.

The idea is to have the first efforts of the use result in a successful routing, so that by taking small steps and changing a few things they can learn.

[NahanniV]

Thanks,

I have been able to run the weather routing, but am trying to understand the details.

Originally Posted by rgleason

See the documentation at the beginning for more description.

I did not find anything describing how Crossover works.

Originally Posted by rgleason

I thought you used Linux,

I was using Linux on ARM, but it was too much hassle. I now have a Minix Z83-4 with Win10 64, much easier to use and maintain. I use it for everything. I do have an RPi3 aboard with OpenPlotter as a backup, but have never used it.

Originally Posted by rgleason

Hopefully we will be able to release a version that does all this setup as an exe but I need some programming help.

Is it just the installer that needs to be changed ?

Originally Posted by rgleason

I have finished the simplified configuration that just uses climatology for data, that Sean and I agreed upon.

When I try to "compute" a route with only climatology data OpenCpn crashes, same config works fine with Grib files loaded.

Originally Posted by rgleason

The idea is to have the first efforts of the use result in a successful routing, so that by taking small steps and changing a few things they can learn.

Good Idea, it was difficult to figure out how to get routes to complete.
I would also like to suggest that some of the more esoteric configuration parameters be moved to an Advanced tab or something, so that a new or simple user can understand which are the important configuration items and which are advanced configuration that normally do not need to be changed.

[rgleason]

I did not find anything describing how Crossover works.

Yes, I have not been able to "see" it yet.

Is it just the installer that needs to be changed ?

The XML files and POLAR files and probably the cmake files too to change the paths so they work out of the box. I have the xml files done and will be making a new release for that shortly.

When I try to "compute" a route with only climatology data OpenCpn crashes, same config works fine with Grib files loaded.

It should not do that. Would you please give me a screenshot blowup of your settings for grib and climatology? Thanks.
Are you using the Irma grib file and the downloaded configuratiions?

So it works with a routing right out of the box - Good Idea, it was difficult to figure out how to get routes to complete.
I would also like to suggest that some of the more esoteric configuration parameters be moved to an Advanced tab or something, so that a new or simple user can understand which are the important configuration items and which are advanced configuration that normally do not need to be changed. 08-12-2017 18:02

Were you having difficulty copying the directories to programdata/opencpn/plugins/weather_routing and then setting all the paths correctly?

Re Esoteric configuration settings moved to "Advanced",
This is a good way to simplify things, perhaps we can get Sean to make a few adjustments if needed.

Which ones seem esoteric?

Basically I think the active tabs are Basic and the unactive ones are "Advanced" at least that's how I've thought of it.

The settings on inactive tabs do not need to be changed or touched at all, generally. (Let me know if I am wrong about this, but basically the default settings should work fine.) If there is an inactive tab that requires user intervention to get a routing please let me know.

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by rgleason

It should not do that. Would you please give me a screenshot blowup of your settings for grib and climatology? Thanks.
Are you using the Irma grib file and the

The crash happens when there are no GRIB files. Just trying to do routing with climatology alone.

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Re Esoteric configuration settings moved to "Advanced",
This is a good way to simplify things, perhaps we can get Sean to make a few adjustments if needed.

Which ones seem esoteric?

Basically I think the active tabs are Basic and the unactive ones are "Advanced" at least that's how I've thought of it.

The settings on inactive tabs do not need to be changed or touched at all, generally. (Let me know if I am wrong about this, but basically the default settings should work fine.) If there is an inactive tab that requires user intervention to get a routing please let me know.

I think I am understanding most of this now, but here are some thoughts about what made it difficult to figure out.

1/ Configurations: seems like it would be clearer to call this Routes.
2/ To me everything in a Configuration (Route) is advanced besides Start Place and time and End Place. If I'm going to tweak something in the configuration (route) I would probably want to be able to copy that to other configurations (routes) or make it the default for new configurations (routes).
3/ I don't think many people will be running Configurations (Routes) for more than one boat, so a way to set the default boat would simplify things as well.
4/ Menu in main window:
-Again, I think Configuration should be Route.
-View - Settings - This seems to be for all Configurations (Routes) so different from the other items in the list which seem to be Configuration (Route) dependent. Perhaps rename Settings to Display&Computation settings and possibly move the other items to the Configuration (route) menu.
5/Some of the scales in the View->Plot do not make sense eg. AWA.
6/Where is the Exported .GPX file stored ? Should this not be selectable ?

[rgleason]

NahanniV;2534187

I think I am understanding most of this now, but here are some thoughts about what made it difficult to figure out.

Yes, we need this kind of in process feedback.

1. Configurations: seems like it would be clearer to call this Routes.

They are instructions or a "configuration". They are a group of configuration settings, which when computed, result in optimal Tracks or Routes. The optimal Track or Route that is created can be exported to Route Manager as a Track, after it has been created. Then it can be converted into a Route that goes into RM.

2. To me everything in a Configuration (Route) is advanced besides Start Place and time and End Place. If I'm going to tweak something in the configuration (route) I would probably want to be able to copy that to other configurations (routes) or make it the default for new configurations (routes).

To copy a configuration, highlight it and Pick "Configuration > New"
There are New, Edit, Delete, Reset, Export functions, now copy.

3 I don't think many people will be running Configurations (Routes) for more than one boat, so a way to set the default boat would simplify things as well.

The Configuration contains all that I believe.

Here is the weatherroutingconfiguration.xml top header and one configuration:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<OpenCPNWeatherRoutingConfiguration version="1.10" creator="Opencpn Weather Routing plugin">
<Position Name="Lizard-Pt-ENG" Latitude="49.99635" Longitude="-5.12052" />
<Position Name="Provincetown-MA" Latitude="42.08368" Longitude="-70.16199" />
<Position Name="La-Palma-Canaries" Latitude="28.67767" Longitude="-17.74672" />
<Position Name="St-Lucia" Latitude="13.99512" Longitude="-61.02742" />
<Configuration Start="Provincetown-MA" StartDate="6/15/2017" StartTime="12:00:00 AM" End="Lizard-Pt-ENG" dt="43200" Boat="C:\ProgramData\opencpn\plugins\weather_routi ng\Boat-Climatology.XML" Integrator="0" MaxDivertedCourse="90" MaxCourseAngle="180" MaxSearchAngle="120" MaxTrueWindKnots="100" MaxApparentWindKnots="100" MaxSwellMeters="20" MaxLatitude="90" TackingTime="0" WindVSCurrent="0" AvoidCycloneTracks="0" CycloneMonths="1" CycloneDays="0" UseGrib="0" ClimatologyType="4" AllowDataDeficient="0" WindStrength="1" DetectLand="1" DetectBoundary="0" Currents="1" InvertedRegions="0" Anchoring="0" FromDegree="0" ToDegree="180" ByDegrees="5" />

It records the Boat.xml file to use, in this case "boat-climatology.xml"
Inside that file are the multiple polar file names that are needed for boat performance.

4.Menu in main window:
-Again, I think Configuration should be Route.
-View - Settings - This seems to be for all Configurations (Routes) so different from the other items in the list which seem to be Configuration (Route) dependent. Perhaps rename Settings to Display&Computation settings and possibly move the other items to the Configuration (route) menu.

You are right about the difference of view-settings.

View - Settings Contains Global settings about HOW to compute and display.

View - Statics, Report, Plot, Cursor Position are all about the current displayed computed configuration. Telling you more.

Its worth thinking about. How about Global Settings? and keep the rest in the same place under Global Settings?

5.Some of the scales in the View->Plot do not make sense eg. AWA.

I still need to get my head around some of this, particularly with regard to cause and effect and what is going on with the boat and wind etc. This is going to take some work. There may be some better ways to show the important things to know.

6/Where is the Exported .GPX file stored ? Should this not be selectable ?

Config > Export then
Unhighlight the Configuration, then right click on the Track. Click properties. Change the Name. Then find it stored as a track in route manager.

Cursor over the track, In Right-click Track Properties you can then send it to a Route.

-----

I did not see if you are using the Irma files and Configurations.

[rgleason]

You need to give me all the info about the crash, so I can get it to happen.