oeSENC Licence question

[baltika_no_9]

Hi
I've been using my oeSENC charts on my RPi now for a few months and have not had any difficulties, Since installing them I've updated them from version 2017-1 to 2017-8. I'm really pleased with them so thank you to all involved.

However I'd now appreciate some clarification please. I've been using OpenCPN v 4.6.x as part of OpenPlotter versions 0.10.x to 0.13.x and throughout those updates again I have never had a problem with the oeSENC chart licence. But I find that the development versions of OpenPlotter seem to induce a bad performance problem (not surprising, it's not a production release), the charts do not scroll smoothly etc and it makes the applications less than optimal so I decided to revert to my earlier build based on stable versions of OpenPlotter (v0.8.0) and OpenCPN v4.4.0. I updated OpenCPN to v 4.6.1 so I could use the oeSENC plugin (v1.2).

I loaded my oeSENC charts but when I come to use them I get the message that the "UserKey entered is not valid for this oeSENC chart set". I had thought that the key was generated to identify the hardware but that hasn't changed, it's the same RPi that the charts were registered for.

Do I need a new licence just because I've moved to a lower underlying version of software? The licence worked fine as I changed version in an upward direction.

I mention OpenPlotter here only to explain the reason for my reverting to an earlier software platform. It isn't material to my question.

Thanks.....Chris

[conachair]

If it is a different sd card then the fingerprint will be different, or if you copied a different image onto the card.

Also to back up the sd card, it might be better to use Windows win32 disk image copy program or linux dd command, the sd backup tool on raspian won't work, or didn't a while ago anyway.

For display speed the hardware video acceleration works pretty well, turn in on in the old raspi config tool and in Opencpn though it doesn't like raster charts like Google earth kap files, crashes easily viewing them.

[rooiedirk]

OpenPlotter does make some deep systemchanges that are effecting the fingerprint checkings of oeSENC
Since the latest OpenPlotter version (0.10 and newer) this has been changed to be compatible with oeSENC. So you should use OpenPlotter 010 or higher.

[baltika_no_9]

Originally Posted by conachair

If it is a different sd card then the fingerprint will be different, or if you copied a different image onto the card.

Also to back up the sd card, it might be better to use Windows win32 disk image copy program or linux dd command, the sd backup tool on raspian won't work, or didn't a while ago anyway.

For display speed the hardware video acceleration works pretty well, turn in on in the old raspi config tool and in Opencpn though it doesn't like raster charts like Google earth kap files, crashes easily viewing them.

During my various stages of updating OpenPlotter/OpenCPN I've used a number of different SD cards and the licence issue has never shown itself. I quite agree with your advice and always use either Win32DiskImager or Linux DD to copy them never anything else. I have images of every major evolution of my various builds which I restore onto different cards and I exercise that backup/restore process very frequently without any issues. During testing I was able to restore the same image to different cards and could use the oeSENC charts on any of them successfully.

I have tried to use openGL both the full h/w and the fake s/w KMS drivers but it has always ended in misery. I've tried allocating different amounts of memory to the GPU 64/128/256 but it all ends in crashes so I have abandoned that. I'd really like to find a configuration that does work however! Do you use the Full KMS? How much memory do you allocate? I use an RPi3.

[baltika_no_9]

Originally Posted by rooiedirk

OpenPlotter does make some deep systemchanges that are effecting the fingerprint checkings of oeSENC
Since the latest OpenPlotter version (0.10 and newer) this has been changed to be compatible with oeSENC. So you should use OpenPlotter 010 or higher.

I fear you may be right but the performance I've experienced in versions 0.10 through to 0.13 means I can't do that. I'll keep my working 0.13.1 image and will keep it updated in the hope that it reaches a point of stability but in the meantime I'll maybe need to buy a new licence for my 0.8 working build.

I am certain that the issue is one of excessive CPU consumption. When I zoom or pan in my 0.8 build I see OpenCPN using say 50% CPU (via "top"). In versions 0.10 onwards I see openCPN consuming 200% CPU during a similar operation with a process called compton consuming another 100% or so. Compton is associated with graphics and is high if I don't use openGL. If I do try openGL (until it crashes) the compton CPU consumption drops hugely but OpenCPN is still eating two full cores. Interestingly I see no compton process on my 0.8 build.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by baltika_no_9

During my various stages of updating OpenPlotter/OpenCPN I've used a number of different SD cards and the licence issue has never shown itself. I quite agree with your advice and always use either Win32DiskImager or Linux DD to copy them never anything else. I have images of every major evolution of my various builds which I restore onto different cards and I exercise that backup/restore process very frequently without any issues. During testing I was able to restore the same image to different cards and could use the oeSENC charts on any of them successfully.

I have tried to use openGL both the full h/w and the fake s/w KMS drivers but it has always ended in misery. I've tried allocating different amounts of memory to the GPU 64/128/256 but it all ends in crashes so I have abandoned that. I'd really like to find a configuration that does work however! Do you use the Full KMS? How much memory do you allocate? I use an RPi3.

Driver is this one, bottom of /boot/config.txt -
dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d
Memory is 64, default I think?
Crashes with extensive panning/zooming using raster charts but been fine with cm93 / Ocharts

Hto is worth installing, better than top, here's Ocpn not doing much, just displaying boat at anchor & AIS The Pi has been on constantly for days now.



And with a load of panning /zooming going on -

[conachair]

And a chart of the 4 cores using the TooGoodForWords node red, built into Raspbian, just found a CPU usage node.
https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-contrib-cpu

Just after 10:03:30 Opencpn was opened, then idle for a moment followed by some rapid panning / zooming then idle for another moment then Opencpn closed again.

[baltika_no_9]

duplicate

[baltika_no_9]

Thanks for the tip, I've installed htop. It shows OpenCPN/compton using just about everything in terms of CPU for a simple zoom. I tried to post a picture but failed. I shall read up on how to do it. I'm sure I used photobucket before but I now see that's not permitted. Ah.....try this

[conachair]

Hmm, sorry , can't help there - I just tried O with GL turned off then on again, quick glance didn't deem to make much difference.



I have vague memories of doing something with compton a while ago but can't remember exactly what, might have been as simole as updating the kernal - what raspbian are you on?

I'm on..

pi@openplotter:~ $ uname -a
Linux openplotter 4.9.35-v7+ #1014 SMP Fri Jun 30 14:47:43 BST 2017 armv7l GNU/Linux


PS, I like imgur.com for posting images, usually on the laptop either SSH or VNC into the Pi so use windows snip then copy & ctrl V into imgur, it creates the [IMG] link for you.

[baltika_no_9]

I've emailed the oeSENC folks via their website asking the question so will be interested to find the answer which I'll post here.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by baltika_no_9

I've emailed the oeSENC folks via their website asking the question so will be interested to find the answer which I'll post here.

Same people as Openplotter, really helpful , they reset my oeSENC so I could get the charts again with a new fingerprint when I was having SD card troubles a while ago.

[baltika_no_9]

Originally Posted by conachair

Hmm, sorry , can't help there - I just tried O with GL turned off then on again, quick glance didn't deem to make much difference.



I have vague memories of doing something with compton a while ago but can't remember exactly what, might have been as simole as updating the kernal - what raspbian are you on?

I'm on..

pi@openplotter:~ $ uname -a
Linux openplotter 4.9.35-v7+ #1014 SMP Fri Jun 30 14:47:43 BST 2017 armv7l GNU/Linux


PS, I like imgur.com for posting images, usually on the laptop either SSH or VNC into the Pi so use windows snip then copy & ctrl V into imgur, it creates the [IMG] link for you.

Same kernel version as yours.

Many thanks

[baltika_no_9]

I had a very prompt reply from the oeSENC people, I'm very impressed. I need to consume my backup licence if want to use the charts on my 0.8 build while retaining it on the 0.13 platform. I'll keep the later version updated with the hope of reaching a stable release but the 0.8 will remain pretty static. Frankly if I had to buy another licence it would be no big deal. In providing them they've done a fantastic job.