OpenCPN

[sinbad7]

Kermit.. As the charts downloaded and installed without problems with even Brazilian OS, I think perhaps your chart files may be corrupt? Have you tried downloading them again from a different source? When you install to OpenCPN you just mark the directory where the files are loaded and press 'Add selection.' Good luck!!

[bdbcat]

Hello folks...

Well, we are back into the Beta testing business.
I have posted a copy of opencpn Version 1.3.3 Beta to the following url.

opencpnbeta

The following updates may be tested:
1 Improve AIS Target Management
2. Support Windows COM Ports above COM9
3. Improve GPS and AIS shared port selection logic.
4. Correct Route Plan Speed limit.
5. Correct handling of named waypoint in route delete logic.
6. Correct radar range ring display.
7. Implement Route Export... Right click to Export, GPX-IN to import.
8. Corrected colour schemes on some BSB charts, allowing default RGB colours if present
9. Changed Mouse Wheel Zoom logic. Now zooms centered at cursor point.
10. Correct Route Properties to display times in Days/Hours/Minutes.
11. Highlight selected waypoint in Route Properties dialog.
----------Publish Beta 1.3.3 Build 715---------

Sourceforge CVS is updated as well.

Comments:
I'm not sure if I like the "Wheel Zoom to cursor co-ordinates" feature.
Comments solicited....

Thanks for your continued support.

Dave

[Viking Sailor]

Hi Dave,

I just tried the new wheel zoom logic. Sorry but I vote that we go back to the old zoom on center logic.

Thanks,

Paul

[cagney]

The wheel zoom logic makes my head spin.
As an option for people who wants it - yes.
I never rely understood the need, as a left-click and then zoom would achieve the original suggestion.
No 6 & 8 works just fine now .
The other points are OK as well, as far as I can see with a Linux system, and phiggins ais simulator.
You are keeping yourself quite busy, Dave.
Thomas

[MechMan]

Dave.. I'm really enjoying watching the blistering speed of development of OpenCPN. Thanks for your effort.

I think mouse zoom to the cursor position is just great and the way it should work. This is also the way modern CAD systems work. My only comment is that on the CAD systems I use you push the mouse away to zoom away. Maybe a switch?

[phiggins]

Dave,

OK I retested 1.3.2 with my simulator on XP and Vista using the shared port option and it works great. Glad to see we agree on the CPA/TCPA calculation, some other navigation programs don't.

[Rhoel_Asia]

WooHoo - one happy bunny here - routes save/load works a treat: I exported a route just dandy, then discovered I couldn't find the import buttons to bring it back in: Their display are hidden in the tools/etc/display GPX icons. Once that was turned on, import and export was a treat. The new time display is greatly easier.

Beta Bug:
I can crash the program though - Click on "create a route", then change your mind ('cos you hit the wrong button). So you "right click" -> "end route" to exit the operation. On Vista, it brings the program down. No Blue-screen-of-death or HDD implosions or the like .. quite disappointing really. Maybe a blodcurling scream sound effect will achieve the "OMG, I died" effect. :-D

In answer to my earlier suggestion about a feature for displaying a chart - forget it, its already there ... in Settings, select "show chart edges". Really like that approach/display - tells me where everything is, if I am going off chart onto another chart or void, what closer resolution is available etc. For me, turned on should be the default setting.

I really like this program.

Rhoel

[Kermit]

Goods news for me: the new version 1.3.3 working good with my charts.
Open cpn is going to the perfection.

[sinbad7]

Thank you Dave for the latest OpenCPN release.
The AIS function still have the following problems:

1. Far too many YELLOW ship icons without ship names (see following screendump from the English Channel)
2. Activated Queery boxes often repeats the contents of the last queery
3. YELLOW ship icons when queeried often displays Course:555 Speed:666
4. The AIS queeries are not stable and produces random results.
5. Still showing 'ghost' targets when zoomed out.
6. My wheel-zoom is not functioning any more (Vista)

The AIS problems above may not show up when receiving a small number of targets but should function correctly ALWAYS regardless of data volume. More attention must be paid to ensure this VERY important safety feature functions as it was intended.

[sinbad7]

[phiggins]

Dave,

Just tested V 1.3.2 on my XO computer running Ubuntu Intrepid. Works very well but I have one complaint that you may want to consider as an improvement. I have the same problem with SeaClear. Its very difficult on the XO's small screen to see the CPA. You draw a dotted red line at that point to show where the closest point will be. This is OK on a large screen but on the XO its verydifficult to see. Zooming doesn't help to see it much clearer.

The best navigation program I've tried that shows this the best is OZI Explorer. They draw two large dots and a thick yellow line at that point. I've attached a file showing a screen shot of how OZI does it.

[scotte]

I love the zoom at mouse position, but there are two things I think are needed to make it more intuitive:

1. The pointer needs to reset to exactly where you zoomed (i.e. middle of the screen). Otherwise, you still have to move the mouse around.
2. I think maybe this functionality only makes sense for zoom-in, not zoom-out.

Just a couple of things to try to make it more usable...

[sinbad7]

In comparison with Shipplotter AIS data,all with ship names:

[sinbad7]

To make the AIS feature of the Query box more intuitive, the text,particularly the MMSI and IMO numbers should be copyable in order to quickly look up ship vessel details from other sources. At the moment,the entire contents must be copied and not selectively.

1. As suggested here earlier,it would also be an advantage to have the vessels geo location listed in the query box.

2. Would it be possible to make both the BSB as well as S57 Enc charts load seamlessly when panning an area once having selected the chart type? At the moment,the program switches back to original (cm93) modus as soon as the limits of the BSB/S57 charts are reached,making it necessary to re-select each chart when their limits are reached.

[ChuckSK]

I'm with you Dave.

I do not like the wheel zoom to cursor coordinates. Zoom to center is more predictable.

With zoom to cursor, you have to chase the "point of interest" to the center of the screen with the mouse anyway.

Chuck