Feature Requests

[bvimatelot]

This is a super enormous wish list isn't it? Are we in danger of making the dam thing too complicated??? Me - I'm very happy and thanks to all the kind souls who have built up this amazing program and the many who are so kind to Techno-Cretins like me when asking what, to them, are Computer 101 type questions! Safe sailing all and I'm looking forward to using OpenCpn as my primary source on my delivery from Seychelles to Australia (carrying steam-age back-up, of course!) TONY

[PjotrC]

Originally Posted by sailias

As it currently works, if you draft a route at a certain level, and it goes past the screen on your display you need to end the route, pan over, amend waypoint and continue on....then repeat.

I just noticed the same a couple of days ago, and started wondering, if this change of behaviour is intended or not ... . Actually, one does not need to end the route to continue, it is enough to press the mouse left button to set a waypoint at screen edge, then - without releasing it - drag the chart to the other edge - release MLB and continue planning. I even started liking this mode, as it encourages setting waypoints at reasonable distances.

[HappySeagull]

kaiviti,
thanks for the explanation.Sort of a double track,then,except that one side is the track,the other is the Pilot's chosen "channel edge",for lack of a better phrase.I guess with long vessels this is all the more important!and,as an aside,I wonder if long ships have gps stem and stern for this purpose?

Temporarily, you could make an icon for "Note"...You need only add a folder.See
Routes and Marks | Official OpenCPN Homepage
Greenfish icon editor,
http://greenfish.extra.hu/
or The Gimp or XnView etc can create or convert icons to the "xpm" format needed.

[HappySeagull]

Originally Posted by sailias

One feature that would be very nice is panning when you are creating routes. As it currently works, if you draft a route at a certain level, and it goes past the screen on your display you need to end the route, pan over, amend waypoint and continue on....then repeat.Planning a route of some 100 knautical miles it gets interesting if you are coastal cruising. Is this already implemented and Im just not getting it. Once I get some feedback, ya or nay, will enter it on flyspray.

Best regards

/ch

arrow keys work for me on xp.Just set the start and steer with em.

[HamishB]

Originally Posted by sailias

One feature that would be very nice is panning when you are creating routes. As it currently works, if you draft a route at a certain level, and it goes past the screen on your display you need to end the route, pan over, amend waypoint and continue on....then repeat.

In recent versions you could just pull the cursor over to the edge of the chart when creating a route and it would pan automagically, and it worked really well. I just tried this on 2.4.423 (linux) and it didn't work. (?!)

left-click drag seems to create a new waypoint and pan, while middle-click drag pans without creating a new waypoint but jumps you back to the last waypoint so you can't move off-screen.

hmph.

Hamish

[bdbcat]

Hamish....

hmph, indeed....

Wonder how that got broken?

Looking now
Dave

[bdbcat]

Hamish, et al...

OK, this slipped away in the course of fixing FS#347.

Fixed for next Beta.

Regression testing on a GUI based application is a nearly impossible task, but we love doing it anyway.

Thanks
Dave

[sailias]

I had to fall back to 2.4.443 as the latest code will not compile on 11.04 Ubuntu so just noticed it. Does it need to be added to flyspray or is it covered.

/ch

[bdbcat]

sailias....

Thanks for the note. Flyspray on this not needed. Beta soon with fix, I hope.

Thanks
Dave

[kaiviti]

Thanks HappySeagull for the help with the creation of icons. This will become well used.

I have attached a file that shows with graphics the use of PI's. I hope it will help explain things a bit better. There is also a lot you can read on the web. There is also a lot of navigation programmes that can be configured for the dimensions of the ship. The ships icon is then automatically adjusted to give a more realistic representation of where the bow and stern is.

In answer to your question of whether there is a GPS at the bow and stern, the answer is generally no. The course and speed of the ship is calculated from the GPS positions of a single receiver and the distance to the bow is known. The above feature of scaling the icons comes into play here, otherwise the pilot must be fully aware of this fact. Some pilots do use a second GPS and this is primarily for precise heading speed and position for when berthing ships alongside a wharf.

[HappySeagull]

kaiviti,
Good pdf
Thanks for your patience.I think you are onto something.Let me try this on:I do the same primitively when there's range marks available-mountain peaks,lights,islets.... to ensure that I am steering in wind and weather to stay on the charted course while approaching a danger but you can create your "range" from one object to suit waters where I would be lost without my two landmarks convenient ,visible,and dead ahead.
Because, without your PI or my "ranging",the only way to know what's happening to the ship is to continually be off-course and only then react-it's slower to see the error -a typical gps problem,despite a software's "prediction lines".So,like range marks,the PI gives early relevant lessons of helm to apply approaching -The watchkeepers being attuned and the steering compensated per sea conditions before getting to the spot ...And,with digital charts,in a pinch,the PI could be made to a mark made for the purpose,although a rock would keep the attention better,without the danger of sailing onto it that a range has been known to cause.
Am I getting it now?That does seem a handy thing!



Great pdf by the way.

[idpnd]

Hello, loving the new live tidal indicator, just can't get the curve to pop up by clicking on it - I guess it's larger than its predecessor, and the clickable area hasn't expanded to match its size. Opinions?

On an unrelated note, perhaps it could be considered to include a calculation of sunrise and sunset at location via opencpn - my handheld garmin does it, very useful to have!

Thanks for your attention

[HappySeagull]

ipnd,are you right clicking in the tide-bar?They seem to work ok,though if they are covering a feature on the CM93 charts(a light is a good example),they can be a little sticky Zooming in usually gives clearance.

[idpnd]

Thanks Seagull, I find in my case (linux) they only come up when clicking around the middle of the bar at certain zoom levels.

[HappySeagull]

Originally Posted by idpnd

Thanks Seagull, I find in my case (linux) they only come up when clicking around the middle of the bar at certain zoom levels.

..I notice the "clicking on the middle" thing too.(XP)Nowhere else will do,or I'll get the Rclik dialogue..

.