Ocpn-Draw and Boundary

[rgleason]

Very interesting, Gerhard. That's a big strength of developing on multiple platforms I guess, but it requires someone like you willing to share. ..So much to learn. Thanks.

[jongough]

Gerhard,
I have not looked at internationalisation at all in my code. Pavel provided the initial translation stuff a little while ago, but I have not looked at any of it. I have been trying to get the code working and learning enough to do that. If you have updated translations, or code that does this, can you please provide them as a pull request to my git store? Now that you have brought up the string stuff (wxT(, wxS( & _( ) I will try to be mindful of that.

The Mac fixups (this commit contained multiple changes) were for the forms that you had identified as having issues on your compiler. I have, hopefully, changed it to make your compiler happy. I am using wxWidgets 3.0.2 and am not having the issues that you are. I do not see any warning messages at compile or run time, so this is the first time I knew there was an issue.

I am using wxFormBuilder as it at least provides a standard window and does not require writing large amounts of code to get it working. Is there a better alternative?

Jon

Originally Posted by CarCode

Jon,

your commit "Fix up dialogs for Mac" in your patch 0485 is wrong. The few strings which have had the preced _(" before are not translatable anymore now since you have changed it to wxS(". Strings for translation MUST be preceded with _(". And this has nothing to do with Mac OS X but is a rule for any OS using Locale.

Be careful also using wxFormBuilder because it generates bad code sometimes. Especially the generated flags for sizers are wrong and therefore such code is asserted now in newer wxWidgets version. As thumb rules for sizer flags:
- don't use horizontal alignment flags together with wxWXPAND
- don't use vertical alignment flags together with wxWXPAND
- don't use horizontal alignment flags for horizontal sizers
- don't use vertical alignment flags for vertical sizers

Gerhard

[jongough]

Gerhard,
Going through the string stuff, I use strings (m_sTypeString) to describe the type of object being used, i.e. "Boundary Point", "EBL", "Boundary", etc. This string is then used to populate the head of the dialog boxes that are shown for properties. So the string is used for a comparison (if statement) as well as display, will this cause issues if I convert all references to "_(" from "wxT(" or "wxS(" ?

Jon

[jongough]

Hi,
I have just put up patch 0487 which contains changes to, hopefully, allow internationalisation to work better. It also contains some other fixes to better show column information in the properties dialogs.

Jon

[CarCode]

Originally Posted by jongough

Gerhard,
Going through the string stuff, I use strings (m_sTypeString) to describe the type of object being used, i.e. "Boundary Point", "EBL", "Boundary", etc. This string is then used to populate the head of the dialog boxes that are shown for properties. So the string is used for a comparison (if statement) as well as display, will this cause issues if I convert all references to "_(" from "wxT(" or "wxS(" ?

Jon

Yes, I have seen that and therefore have not translated these strings right now. If I have same spare time I wil see how to solve this.
The changes about the sizer flags results of the latest wxWidgets version 3.1.0 which I use. If not done there are asserts during runtime of the plugin when compiled as debug version. Compiling a wxWidgets program as release version does not show any asserts during runtime. This is part of the wxWidgets code and has nothing to do with the type of compiler a developer use.
Sure I can provide a pull request to your git. However my code is different in several ways because I compile plugins as part of the main OCPN code and not as standalone. Furthermore I use wxWidgets 3.1.0 instead of 3..0.2 which is needed here because the Mac version of wxWidgets is still in heavy development. Furthermore I have another concept for storing supplemental data files for plugins in the Mac OS X directory system.

Gerhard

[jongough]

Rick,
With patch 495 you now have the ability to display VRM's. They are implemented as part of the EBL, so now you just have to mark a check box on the EBL properties (or set the default on the OD properties) and a range ring will be drawn based on the start point.

The default colour is the same as for a 'Boundary Point' and it will draw 1 range ring. If you want to change that then you will need to get to the start point properties (double click the EBL and double click the first point), or if the first point is clearly visible, just go to its properties (right click the point and select properties) and you can change the number of rings, the colours but you cannot fill them at the moment).

Give it a go and see if it meets your needs.

Jon

[jongough]

Hi,
Patch 501 provides more information when moving the end point of an EBL/VRM and works under opengl correctly. Hopefully now most of the functionality wanted has been added.

Jon

[rgleason]

Dear Jon,

I am sorry I have not gotten to testing the plugin. I have downloaded both recent Ocpn4.1.718 and Opn_Draw and tested briefly (will do more tomorrow). It appears this plugin is getting better and better! I like the functions for the Boat point and the option which can be selected under properties. Thank you, they seem to work well and there are improvements and clearer language for selection.

I will continue testing, but wanted you to know that I was able to cause O to freeze up several times by doing this.
- Pick Boundary.
- Pick a point.
- Right click the mouse button (escape)

Rather than freeze up, I think the Boundary should disappear so you can start over.

Will try some more tomorrow! Looks very goood.

Should I get and install this patch? Patch 501 provides more information when moving the end point

Thanks.

[rgleason]

By the way I put most recent compile of Ocpn 4.1.718 and Ocp_Draw on Opencpn Beta File Thingie.

[jongough]

Rick,
I found a crash (on my system) when using right click to stop drawing. This is now fixed in patch 502.

Jon

[jongough]

Rick,
I seem to be having issues with OCPN 4.1.718 and getting lots of messages about invalid bitmaps, are you getting the same? If I open options and go to plugins under windows I don't get anything but lots of error messages about bitmaps. I don't think it is the OD plugin that is doing it.

I also seem to be having issues with the graphics and crashing particularly when using s63 charts. I may have done something wrong with the setup, but I am getting this on linux, windows 8.1 and win7 under virtualbox. But I cannot seem to narrow down what is causing it.

I am now going to have to take a break from doing this stuff for a few weeks, so I hope I have got everything done that was needed as I will not have a development environment to use.

Jon

Originally Posted by rgleason

Dear Jon,

I am sorry I have not gotten to testing the plugin. I have downloaded both recent Ocpn4.1.718 and Opn_Draw and tested briefly (will do more tomorrow). It appears this plugin is getting better and better! I like the functions for the Boat point and the option which can be selected under properties. Thank you, they seem to work well and there are improvements and clearer language for selection.

I will continue testing, but wanted you to know that I was able to cause O to freeze up several times by doing this.
- Pick Boundary.
- Pick a point.
- Right click the mouse button (escape)

Rather than freeze up, I think the Boundary should disappear so you can start over.

Will try some more tomorrow! Looks very goood.

Should I get and install this patch? Patch 501 provides more information when moving the end point

Thanks.

[rgleason]

Jon,
I've uploaded the new compiled #502 version
ocpn_draw_pi-0.4.502-ov4.1.718-win32
to the 4.1.718 Win PI directory on
Opencpn Beta File Thingie rguser rgpass
for those who want to try it using the most recent ocpn4.1.718
(also found in main directory on File Thingie).

Jon that fixed the problem, thank you!
I have just compiled and installed the new version and I don't seem to be getting the bitmaps etc under Options > Plugins that you are having. Would it make sense to completely remove O4.1.718 and git and recompile and install again? I will continue to use and advise if there are problems. I don't think it is the plugin as I have ocpn_draw installed now.

You deserve a break from development, the plugin has come a very long way and is looking very good. I hope you are traveling or sailing!

Best
Rick

[rgleason]

Second thought, maybe it is related to S_63?


PS:
I love the selections for Point A
Right Click on EBL... Pick a new start point.
and When the EBL start point A is not on the boat..
Right Click on EBL .. Center on moving boat or Center on Lat/Lon

Awesome.

Point B operations
Right click on EBL end point...Move EBL point

Seems very logical.

[jongough]

Rick,
Does the VRM work for you? Does the arrow on the EBL help at all? The icons need work next to make them a bit more acceptable, but that can wait a few weeks.

I will be away sailing and using, or trying to, the new plugin to see how usable it is in real life.

Jon

[rgleason]

Jon,
The new VRM works for me.

I was trying to conceive of a way to make it go into a mode where you could move the cursor in and out and the VRM ring would follow until you hit enter, and was going to suggest that once I had fully figured out how to get it started with a right click, so now here I am talking about it before I've thought it through.

I very much like the arrow on the EBL and have turned it on several times.

Regarding use on the seas.. for other reasons and uses I need to figure out how to do the equivalent of a right mouse click with a Tablet touch screen. How would we be able to get that menu to pop up so we could select a command?

I think once that is answered I would be able to use Ocpn_draw on a tablet. I have read that the Watcom stylus that comes with my SP3 has the equivalant of an "escape" or "right button" I have not tried it yet. That might be a solution.

Its great you will be sailing. I learned quite a bit about setting up and using the program this summer while on the boat.