Feature Requests

[Mattking2]

Dave

I work in Volunteer Marine Rescue in New South Wales Australia and a number of our radio bases use your software. Thank you for the effort you put in to this comprehensive tool. As we have many operators in Coast Stations using OpenCPN to plot incidents and direct responders or simply get chart information for boaters at sea, rather than navigate their own boat there are a few features that would really help organisations like us.

First, the ability to lock settings and turn off keystroke functions that can vary settings - editable only via an administrator's password
Second to have the measure function persist - like the route function. In this way we can get bearing and distance and retain the measure on the screen. We currently achieve this using the route function which is not so efficient as you need to end route
Third to have a "centre view" button in the waypoint properties box so as an operator created a waypoint from a reported lat and long they could go directly to that waypoint. We achieve this now by using the mouse to navigate to the reported position or from route and mark manager

Thank you

[rgleason]

MattKing2 - Please try using the plugin ODraw which has an EBL function which might be very useful, by Jon Gough. This functuon creates an EBL object which can be persistent. It may serve as your modified measure. It is very flexible.

[fgd3]

Right-click on the chart. Select "Center View" from the pop up menu. Enter the desired latitude and longitude. No need to create the waypoint first.

Fabbian

[bcn]

More ideas:

Being a shore station most probably you won't have any GPS position input (if there is GPS you can filter it out if required).

Right-click on position -> "move boat here" and you can read bearing and distance directly from the cursor.
More utilities from the Draw plug-in as Rick already pointed out in relation with EBL.

In case you find the standard boat icon disturbing you can create a custom one.

Hubert

[Hexalent]

I first want to state that I love OpenCPN, Its working great!

One thing extra I want to see is the possibility to start tracking when the speed reaches a certain threshold.
For instance automatically strat tracking when the speed is 1 knots.

[rgleason]

Hexalent You could post this to tracker. It would have a better chance there.

[jamhendriks]

Downloading routes from OpenCPN to Furuno GP32.

This is not possible with version 4.4.0.

Next sentences need to be sended:
$PFEC,GPwpl,.........
$PFEC,GPxfr,.........
Which is possible by editing OpenCPN.ini setting the parameter TalkerIdText=PFEC,
In this way, in version 4.4.0, the waypoints will be available in the Furuno GPS
(I doubt when this is changed the autopilot will accept NMEA sentences)

BUT

For the route to download you will have to send the command
$GPRTE,.............. to the GPS Furuno GP32
This is not possible in OpenCPN4.4.0.

Please add to the download output the $GPRTE,....... sentence.
Please check if the autopilot sentences are correct when the TalkerIDText is set to PFEC,
Please check if the TalkerIDText can be set to PFEC, in the setup dialog for a connection.

Regards
Jos

[restless.cd40]

Is the plugin for ships log going to be available in the Android version?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[bfloyd4445]

I have been trying to use opencpn for three years and have never been able to get it to work properly. The manual gives instructions and shows pictures that don't exsist in opencpn. I've spent three hours today trying to get the new version to see the installed charts without success. I've tried with android, three different pc's i own and managed to get one to sorta work for a couple of months two years ago untill a software upgrade then it wouldnt recognize the noaa charts. I love the concept and have been a great verbal supporter even though i can't get it to work. Can anyone please give me accurate instructions for installing charts in the new version. I don't mean downloading them and putting them into a directory and then pointing opencpn to them i mean instructions on getting opencpn to see them. I must be making a simple error but it has eluded me for three years. Also have tried different kinds of charts ecn rnc neither seem to work

[nohal]

Use the integrated Chart Downloader, it does all the download, unpacking and configuration for you. Can you also post a link to the part of the manual containing pictures of stuff that does not exist in the program so we can fix it?

Pavel

[cagney]

Originally Posted by bfloyd4445

......
I must be making a simple error but it has eluded me for three years. Also have tried different kinds of charts ecn rnc neither seem to work

Have you had a look at the opencpn log-file?
I'm fairly sure that the key to solving your problems are revealed in that file.
Press the Tool Bar Button that looks like a blue book with a "?". The dialog that pops up will contain info were you will find the log file on your system.

If you can't find the solution yourself by reading the log-file, please publish an excerpt, containing a full session where you try to load your charts, here in this forum.

/Thomas

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by cagney

Have you had a look at the opencpn log-file?
I'm fairly sure that the key to solving your problems are revealed in that file.
Press the Tool Bar Button that looks like a blue book with a "?". The dialog that pops up will contain info were you will find the log file on your system.

If you can't find the solution yourself by reading the log-file, please publish an excerpt, containing a full session where you try to load your charts, here in this forum.

/Thomas

Not sure what i was reading but the only issue evident to me was this: 5:16:52 PM: Warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
what ever that means

[RhythmDoctor]

Originally Posted by bfloyd4445

I have been trying to use opencpn for three years and have never been able to get it to work properly. The manual gives instructions and shows pictures that don't exsist in opencpn. I've spent three hours today trying to get the new version to see the installed charts without success. I've tried with android, three different pc's i own and managed to get one to sorta work for a couple of months two years ago untill a software upgrade then it wouldnt recognize the noaa charts. I love the concept and have been a great verbal supporter even though i can't get it to work. Can anyone please give me accurate instructions for installing charts in the new version. I don't mean downloading them and putting them into a directory and then pointing opencpn to them i mean instructions on getting opencpn to see them. I must be making a simple error but it has eluded me for three years. Also have tried different kinds of charts ecn rnc neither seem to work

In v4.2 and 4.4, there is a bug that causes the program to hang if you have OpenGL enabled and charts located anywhere other than the default folder. So my first advice is to only put charts in the default location, and don't try to point OpenCPN to any alternate locations.

My second advice is to vote for my bug report so this will get a higher priority to get fixed:

FS#2141 : OpenGL breaks when alternate chart directory is used

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2188601

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by nohal

Use the integrated Chart Downloader, it does all the download, unpacking and configuration for you. Can you also post a link to the part of the manual containing pictures of stuff that does not exist in the program so we can fix it?

Pavel

I've used the integrated loader and also done it manually. none worked
thanks for the suggestion

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by nohal

Use the integrated Chart Downloader, it does all the download, unpacking and configuration for you. Can you also post a link to the part of the manual containing pictures of stuff that does not exist in the program so we can fix it?

Pavel

I find it now i think it was in the old manual that i had installed. when i reinstalled the application the new manula seems to be dorrect except that it dosent work for me