Ocpn-Draw and Boundary

[rgleason]

Jon, thanks for the review of SignalK.
Is there some kind of POI object for Squiddio to use other than waypoints?
Furthermore does it make sense for Squiddio to use an ODraw object?
Would it become too slow because of the communication between plugins?
Would it require changes to Plugin API and opencpn.lib?

[jongough]

Hi,
I have looked through the specifications for SignalK (SK), but it is very light on and does not cater for objects with different characteristics than those already defined. Looking at the region object, it 'could' be used if it can be extended to cover all the information that is needed. Combining a Notes and a Region 'may' give enough information, but it would be fairly clumsy. I would have hoped that SK would have a more extensible structure to cater for non-NMEA data streams and information.

The security section of the documentation is not complete, so I am not sure how the message can be verified as coming from a particular location and that it has not been tampered with. SPAM messaging from unknown sources would have to be handled as would data corruption/modification after send but before retrieval. This is, of course, assuming that the messages would be coming from other sources apart from instruments/devices on the local 'network'.

The overview section mentions methods of interaction but these are not expanded anywhere, so I have no idea how it would hang together.

So, as I say, SK is in its very 'early' stages of development and to make sensible use of it would require far more definition. It may be OK for OCPN core to use the route and waypoint objects, but beyond that there is little to offer. Also, the implementation of SK would require quite a few changes to the messaging structure of OCPN, which I am sure would not be trivial to do.

So, OD could use SK, but not in its current format. Also, without changes to OCPN messaging to allow asynchronous message and guaranteed delivery, it would be difficult to to build.

Jon

PS. This is not meant to be a beat up of SK, just my opinion that it is not ready for use. May be OK for proof of concept work, but that is all.

[jongough]

Hi,
I have just put up patch 651 which removes internationalisation and validation of decimal numbers in OD for windows builds. Linux builds are not affected. This is the way that OCPN currently works. I have done a test using French under windows 7 and it seems to work OK.

Jon

[Gilletarom]

Hello Jongough,

Here is important information. It is possible that some defects encountered with the versions 648 and 650 OCPN draw are due to O 42.

See this post :
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2042914

It is possible that some of the defects, which I reported, are not due to "OCPN draw"..

Sorry Jongough. Very sorry. Gilletarom.

[Gilletarom]

hello Jongough,

Note that to perform the tests tonight, I made sure to completely uninstall the previous installation of O42 and all plugins before installing version opencpn_4.2.0_7da6c5c-correct-fault-dcmode which is in the Thingie.
I used the Major Version 0, Minor 4, 651 patch, ocpn_draw_pi-0.4.651-ov4.2-win32 which is also in Thingie.

I have not tried to use mode "Course Up" since my other tests showed that there was a bug in OpenCPN. So I tried everything in "North up".

First test:
I created an EBL fixed direction hanging on the boat. The launch my VDR file. The boat is moving and the line moves always staying in the same direction. So everything is Ok.

Second test:
I delete the first line EBL
I import a GPX file with EBL 3 lines:
- A fixed direction line (gray)
- A line fixed angle starboard (green), 0.20 Nm length and angle: 50 °,
- A line to fixed side larboard angle (red), length 0.20 Nm and -50 ° angle.
I have verified that the lines of the gpx file had really these properties.

Note that the three lines do not hang on to the boat.
It clings to the boat, it is necessary that the boat moves. Just for example, manually move the boat and 3 lines are to be attached to the boat.
see screen copy.

Third test:
With my three line test #2, having hang the 3 lines to the boat, I start reading the VDR file.
The boat ahead and the gray line below the boat normally, but immediately:
- The line EBL red portside disappears
- The green line EBL is to port and becomes very long.

See two screenshots showing the properties of both EBL which have been modified at length after stopping the VDR plugin.

Note that now, there is no problem with the OpenCPN Icons bar. This is good.

test n° 4:
I try also with an other VDR file. In this case, the problem is not the same. The EBL lines with fix angle are Ok, but the angle from thr boat and the red EBL line is not the same that the angle from the boat and the green line. But normaly, the two angle are 50°.

What difference betwen the two VDR files ?
- The one : When it run, the speed of the boat is not 0.
- The second file : When the it run, the speed of the boat is 0 and it stay 0 for a long moment before that the boat move.

[bdbcat]

Gilletarom, jon, etc....

You really should not be testing the OD PlugIn using a local build from the current github.(e.g. opencpn_4.2.0_7da6c5c-correct-fault-dcmode which is in the Thingie).

There is no fixed plan to introduce another Release of O42. The PlugIn must run correctly with O42 as released. There have already been many thousands of downloads and user installations of O42, so that must be the target. Testing with any other unreleased version of OCPN is potentially invalid and misleading.

Thanks
Dave

[jongough]

Gilletarom,
I have just put up patch 652 which should fix most of your issues with EBL's (I think, fingers crossed).

You have given me on VDR file, is it possible for me to have the other one so that I can complete the testing of both of your issues?

At the moment all the changes I am doing are designed to work with OCPN 4.2. So, unless there is a real show stopper, I will not be relying on any further changes to OCPN for OD to work. This is why I am not doing any further 'new' work on OD, rather I am trying to build a list that will be started when OD gets to production and has settled down a bit. The internationalisation of numbers and their validation falls into this category for windows users.

Thanks
Regards
Jon

[jongough]

Gilletarom,
Here is a windows installable for 652.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/g67c0hsutw...win32.exe?dl=0

Jon

[Gilletarom]

Hello Jongouh,

Well, this time no need to write pages. No of devastating screenshot.
- I un-installed completely and O42 of Thingie loaded and re-installed the official O42
- I've loaded your latest version 0.4.642
- I've done tests with two VDR files I had previously used.
- I tried with just a line EBL fixed angle.
- I imported the GPX file with the 2 lines fixed angle and fixed-line leadership.
- I used "North up" and "Course up"
- I have made numerous flip between "Nort up" and "Course up"

EVERYTHING IS FINE. NO PROBLEM !!!! Wouahhhhhhhh Congratulations.

fixed angle EBL follow rotate correctly with the boat. The fixed line management always keeps his fixed direction. And when I import the EBL by the GPX file, they cling directly to the boat.

That said, I see just a little "trick." When I stop the VDR, the boat turns gray. It's normal. Itis up to north. Normal.
But EBL fixed angle remain in the last position where it was before the VDR stops.
I cannot send you the second VDR file. it is too big, even I zip it.

[rgleason]

Thankyou Gilletarom for your through testing and validation of Ocpn_draw. I appreciate it very much.

[CarCode]

Originally Posted by Gilletarom

- I un-installed completely and O42 of Thingie loaded and re-installed the official O42

Hopefully Rick has learned now that it is ******** to spread his own compiled versions...

Gerhard

[Gilletarom]

I admit that it is time to end. I was beginning to lose confidence.

But I think that my tests have a positive side effect on crash OpenCPN. This afternoon, I saw a amazing crash. Hopefully Dave will get something. Unless there is a link with OCPN Draw. Wait and see.

I'm going to test the WatchDog. I already know that I have things to say but I needed a draw OCPN that works properly before speaking.

[Gilletarom]

Just a supplement. I know it is too late to add features to the NMSO Draw tools.

Today I used a line that had to function in my head materialize wind direction over the water. I needed to say that the wind came around the northeast, specifically since the 25th (and blowing to 205 °)

It is impossible at present to a fixed line of direction to give its heading. We can just give a length, which in my case is irrelevant or almost.

It will add this option later.

Gilletarom.

[Gilletarom]

Another idea for later.

It is possible to set up a custom folder icons that can be associated with OCPN Draw.
There is a stock of icons that were made available to users of OpenCPN downloadable here: User Icons | Official OpenCPN Homepage
Why not select a few of them and make the stock icons for points OCPN Draw.
It would be nice to automate this. And assign to OCPN Draw, its own icons.

[jongough]

Gerhard,
Until OCPN 4.2 was released Rick had to provide the most current version as the API OD was using was changing faster than the official beta versions. If he did not distribute his own versions it would not have been possible to test OD. Now that there is a release to work with there is no need, for the moment, to build newer versions. I have, I hope, stopped needing to change the API set to make OD work.

Of course, if after we make OD a production version, there are other 'new' tools or ways of using OD that require modifications to OCPN, then we will have to use customs builds again.

There is always a tricky moment when a new release is made, but users haven't upgraded to it but want test/try new functionality. It takes a few days/weeks for things to settle down to the new norm.

Jon

Originally Posted by CarCode

Hopefully Rick has learned now that it is ******** to spread his own compiled versions...

Gerhard