Chart Downloader/Updater Plugin

[rgleason]

So to paraphrase Pavel we would very much like to have users who can read take a look at the documentation while using the plugin to let us know where we are unclear or getting byzantine.

Wiki
https://github.com/rgleason/chartdldr_pi/wiki

New User
https://github.com/rgleason/chartdld...w-OpenCPN-user

Existing User
https://github.com/rgleason/chartdld...g-OpenCPN-user

Update on "Where do I keep my Charts?" from Opencpn Wiki
https://github.com/rgleason/chartdld...keep-my-charts

[transmitterdan]

The section for existing users needs a fair bit of work. I'll work on it today.

[rgleason]

Dan, agreed. I'll try to get to it too, but I have some things that are imperative first.
Thanks for clever programming solutions.

[Gilletarom]

Hello Pavel, hello Transmitterdam, hello anyone,

I downloaded the 0.8 version of chartdownloader and I also updated the crowdin (French).

I confess to not having fully understood the role of new items that begin with "You have Chosen to update all chart catalogs.". I managed to see one (the first), but not the last two.

I have not spotted any abnormality during my tests.

Best regards. Gilletarom.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Gilletarom

Hello Pavel, hello Transmitterdam, hello anyone,

I downloaded the 0.8 version of chartdownloader and I also updated the crowdin (French).

I confess to not having fully understood the role of new items that begin with "You have Chosen to update all chart catalogs.". I managed to see one (the first), but not the last two.

I have not spotted any abnormality during my tests.

Best regards. Gilletarom.

You must have pressed the "Update All" button. This is a new feature. It downloads all the catalogs and then all the charts that are new or updated according to the preferences selection. The pop-up is a reminder of what is about to happen. On a slow internet connection with a lot of charts to be updated this can take quite a long time.

Go to the preferences page for the plugin and there you find 2 check boxes. If none of these are checked then the Update All button will only update chart catalogs. If New is checked then it will also download any new charts. If Updated is checked then it will also download any charts that are newer than the ones you have now.

[rgleason]

Dan,

Glad Gille asked and you wrote.
I think we need to put this on in the Wiki for emphasis.

Preferences page
2 check boxes.

1. If none of these are checked then the Update All button will only update chart catalogs.
2. New is checked then it will also download any new charts.
3. Updated is checked then it will also download any charts that are newer than the ones you have now.

[Gilletarom]

Hello Transmitterdam, hello Pavel

Transmitterdam thank you for the quick response.

For the first part of your answer, namely the role of the button "Update All", I understood himself. And my tests had confirmed my intuition.

For the second part, the problem is the "distance" between the preferences and the main screen is in question. Pavel said in one of last posts that he wanted to help fine writed. he added that this plugin will be operated by novice users and that should be taken into account. But this is not enough.

Once the plugin installed, once preferences are in place, users will rarely change them. And how many of them will remember the content of preferences?

In this plugin, preferences may become more important with each use. We must put the "Preferences" button in the main screen (as in the Grib plugin).

I have another point to make.
When using the button "Update", only the contents of the selected catalog is placed in the lower part of the screen.
When using the button "Update All", all catalogs are updated, but only the last catalog from the list is listed in the lower part of the screen. I expected that all the charts of all catalogs appear there.
Can you solve this or is it too difficult to program?

Yet another request:
Is it possible that the number of charts that appear in the bottom of the screen is displayed clearly on the bottom? Is it also possible that the number of charts "not update" and the number of charts "new" appear there?

Best regards. Gilletarom.

[rgleason]

I particularly like Gilles last suggestions or at least have and inteemediate popup screen that totals new and update numbers and perhaps has the preference checkboxes to after one hits update all. This intermediate screen occurs each time, small price to pay to do so big a thing!
Thanks Gille good points

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[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Gilletarom

Hello Transmitterdam, hello Pavel

Transmitterdam thank you for the quick response.

For the first part of your answer, namely the role of the button "Update All", I understood himself. And my tests had confirmed my intuition.

For the second part, the problem is the "distance" between the preferences and the main screen is in question. Pavel said in one of last posts that he wanted to help fine writed. he added that this plugin will be operated by novice users and that should be taken into account. But this is not enough.

Once the plugin installed, once preferences are in place, users will rarely change them. And how many of them will remember the content of preferences?

In this plugin, preferences may become more important with each use. We must put the "Preferences" button in the main screen (as in the Grib plugin).

I have another point to make.
When using the button "Update", only the contents of the selected catalog is placed in the lower part of the screen.
When using the button "Update All", all catalogs are updated, but only the last catalog from the list is listed in the lower part of the screen. I expected that all the charts of all catalogs appear there.
Can you solve this or is it too difficult to program?

Yet another request:
Is it possible that the number of charts that appear in the bottom of the screen is displayed clearly on the bottom? Is it also possible that the number of charts "not update" and the number of charts "new" appear there?

Best regards. Gilletarom.

In reality I don't think preferences will change very often. Once users have downloaded charts for the first time then they will mainly want to keep them up to date. This is the default setting of the plugin. New charts can be easily added merely by selecting them from the list of of charts using the mouse. One feature that is not well documented is the use of the right mouse button. When the mouse is over the list of charts the right mouse button will allow selecting all new or updated charts in the catalog with a single click. This does not depend on the preferences.

There are many users that will not want to use the New preferences at all. If you have a custom chart collection it is easy to keep that collection up to date with the plugin. Many users will have a set of charts that possibly come from multiple catalogs or a smaller subset of charts from one big catalog. This is easy to do now. To do that you point each catalog to the same chart directory. Download just the charts you want and leave the preferences to only Update charts but not New charts. The downloader will happily update these charts using Update All. But if you ever mistakenly turn on the New preference it will fill the directory with every chart from the catalogs. For this reason I debated whether the New preference should even exist.

It is not feasible at this time to list all charts of all catalogs in the lower window. There are several reasons. One reason is the number of charts could be quite large and would take a long time to display. There are other internal reasons that make it difficult.

Yes, it would be easy to add the total number of charts plus number of new and updated charts at the bottom. I will look at that this week. But it would only be for the catalog displayed and not for all catalogs.

[rgleason]

Oh dear we ask for to much. We will be clicking to update now.

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[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

Yes, it would be easy to add the total number of charts plus number of new and updated charts at the bottom. I will look at that this week. But it would only be for the catalog displayed and not for all catalogs.

I have this working. Is this what you would like to see?

[Wannabe-007]

Originally Posted by rgleason

So to paraphrase Pavel we would very much like to have users who can read take a look at the documentation while using the plugin to let us know where we are unclear or getting byzantine.

Wiki
https://github.com/rgleason/chartdldr_pi/wiki

New User
https://github.com/rgleason/chartdld...w-OpenCPN-user
...

Hmmm... well, I have decided to give this a crack... the first problem I struck has stumped me though...
"You will find the plugin available for download Plugin Downloads where you will find instructions for your OS"

Errr... this link takes me to the right place, but there is no chart downloader pluggin there.

[nohal]

This sometimes happens when you want to help with testing the plugins that were not yet released...
Read this thread for the download location.

[Wannabe-007]

This thread is four years old, and the links in the original post haven't been updated.

Rather than suggesting one could read this 254 posts thread, perhaps you could just offer the correct location.

...Im guessing it might be here:
opencpnplugins - Browse /chartdldr_pi at SourceForge.net

[Gilletarom]

Hello Transmitterdan,

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

I have this working. Is this what you would like to see?

1° Regarding the 3 items that we talked about earlier. Since you do not want to change the program, I suggest you change the items. the beginning of sentences 3 is now as follows:
"You have to update all chosen chart catalogs."
I propose to change this sentence and put this text:
"In accordance with your preferences, you have to update all chosen chart catalogs."

Perhaps, instead of "you have to update ..." you can also write "you want to update..."

2° For quantitative indications of the bottom of the screen, it's better than nothing.

Attention, on small screens (10 inch), it may be necessary to add a slider to the right so that it is possible to read the quantitative indications.

Best regards. Gilletarom.