OpenCpn Install on Android Tablets Easier Now.

[ElGatoGordo]

I apologize since I first started the thread drift asking why you do this as opposed too contributing to the subject.

My intentions were pure, I have the desire to use just a tablet, as power is a serious concern for me also. Sinbad must have a very large energy system to not consider a laptop a large load when ran all day, every day, while underway.

My goal will be to compare OpenCPN on my laptop to MXmariner (I believe they are related yes?) On my nexus 7 to see how they compare. If the latter is not as useful, I will be studying up on rooting and Linux!

[bobofthenorth]

Originally Posted by armido

sinbad7,
........... foolish juvenile rant snipped ............

I asked the question. If you have a quarrel its with me, not Tore. Grow up. Its the internet. Thread drift happens and no matter who opened the thread YOU DON'T OWN IT.

And thank you Tore for your informative helpful answers.

[armido]

ElGatoGoro,

No worry. Your comments in this thread have value and raise valid questIons.

Using OpenCpn on a laptop AND a tablet has distinct advantages and your approach is comendable.

Creating routes involves inserting, appending and repositioning waypoints. Route and waypoint/mark properties need to be supplied. All of this can be accomplished in OpenCpn on a tablet, but can be done faster on a laptop or desktop computer.

In my last post you see xml files stored in ./opencpn, located in your /home directory if using linux can be copied to the corresponding directory in another OpenCpn installation on a different computer. I'll try this morning to see if the same thing can be done copying to my tablet.

My planning always takes place well in advance of a scheduled departure. I can create routes and supply details related to the routes, waypoints and marks while using power from an electrical outlet, in an air conditioned environment. I've got coffee and more often than not nearby grocer and food court. I'll be using my laptop and finish sooner than if I was doing my initial planning on the tablet. Then, provided my experiment this morning works - copying the xml files to the tablet, I'll be ready to go - using the tablet under way. If for some unforseen arcane reason copying the xml files do the tablet does not work, I'll use the export/import module gpx files.

Please note I have launched another thread related to gps connectivity via network options in OpenCpn. While seeing where I am at every moment in OpenCpn is unimportant to me, I recognize the importance to others and will do what I can to make this possible.

I am not a coder, electronics wizzard or genius in any sense of the meaning. I am a risk taker of sorts though, and undertake often time consuming potentially dead end challenges - like getting OpenCpn to work on android tablets. The project is at the moment successful to the extend OpenCpn is running on a tablet. But help is needed from people with far more experience and brain power than I have to realize the full potential of OpenCpn on an android tablet.

Thanks,
armido

[thatboatguy]

Apologies to Armido if this is off topic slightly but (and it's a big butt) for those of us new to Android and who run pc navigation already, the pocketcloud solution is the 10 minute setup free solution to the issue.

In the spirit of the thread, I will eventually load linux onto a tablet and get open cpn running with a usb gps and document all that too. The only problem right now is that my tablet has a one year warranty that I don't want to risk. ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

George

[armido]

George,

Does Pocket Cloud work offshore? I am not talking about coastal cruising within range of internet access.

Too bad about the warranty concern. Would appreciate all the input and experience available to take this as far as humanly possible.

Thanks for your participation.

armido

[Sailmonkey]

Armindo,

Thank you for this work, My question about this is more centered on the linux install within android rather than the Open CPN.
If linux will find and use a USB connection on a droid tablet I'm a happy camper.

[armido]

sailmonkey,

I'm working on it.

armido

[thatboatguy]

So long as there's a wifi network aboard it will work (or so I'm told). On Marquesa we ran a WRT54G with DDWRT burnt onto it. This was our "home" network and we used a Bullet M2HP to bring in wifi. Sometimes we used an alfa and an R36 for ships internet. I'll be re-joining a boat in Titusville and continuing to the Abacos mid month. The bullet and the router are already on their way to the boat via the owner but I'll do some testing with the R36 if I can find a little time. On the boat we will be setting up a 4g hotspot and I'll test with that as well.

One thing that may be a drawback is that the refresh rate is a little tardy. Ultimately I'd like to have linux on the tablet so that I can run backtrack (never for anything nefarious). This would also benefit from usb connectivity to connect an Alfa wifi adapter.

George

[thatboatguy]

Here's a hoot. Ask about using a BU-353 on Android at the Android forum and they say: Ask about that on Globalsat's forum. Ask about it there and they say: Ask on Android forum... heh heh I can plug mine into the powered usb port and the GPS itself lights up and gets a fix (flashing red) but so far I can't get the tablet to use the data. Linux however, does have built in drivers for the BU-353 so they are most likely present in the kernal... grrrr.

George

[armido]

George,

I believe the solution, at least in your case may be shareGPS downloadable from Google Play. Connecting from within linux in a chroot environment may also benefit from this app. But, it'll take some more research on my part. The most promising alternative may be bluetooth.

Tomorrow as the islanders always say. Soon, soon...

armido

[armido]

Just updated my tablet opencpn to version 3.1.1206. No apparent problems yet.

I believe Windows users will probably find their opencpn.conf and xml files in c:\Program\Files\opencpn Alternately I suppose they are in c:\users\... But since I don't use Windoz this is only a guess.

I mention this because copying the xml files from my laptop to the tablet works!

Do the heavy lifting with a computer drawing power from an a.c. outlet in the comfort of shoreside accomodations. Then simply copy your xml files to your home directory. /home/username/.opencpn Wala! Your routes, marks and their attributes appear automagically in your tablet opencpn.

armido

[thatboatguy]

Thanks, I'll investigate that. Unfortunately there's no Bluetooth built into my tablet either!

But... China post free shipping Android Tablet GPS 10 Inch resistance tablet pc Wifi 4GB 512MB Memory-in Tablet PCs from Computer & Networking on Aliexpress.com This is the basic tablet I have and it looks like this seller has worked out how to use a "gps antenna" which looks suspiciously like a USB GPS. I'll contact them and see what shakes loose.

George

[armido]

George,

Take a look at my instructions at opencpn.org. You'd be hard pressed to get linux, opencpn and charts onto your tablet with only 4 gigabytes. Does your tablet have a micro SD slot? You also need to have additional sufficient space for opencpn source when you are compiling the program, development files and such.

I recommend 8 gigabytes for the loop file system. I have used 77% of it, but charts are in /usr/share/opencpn - contained in the loop file system. But, I've got a lot of charts loaded I don't really need. Put the charts on a microSD in a slot and you may get by...

If anyone is planning to buy a tablet I recommend they consider a 32 gigabyte model with a microSD slot... If voyaging to distant lands you will find 3 or 4G and wireless to be a real plus. Buy a sim card and 2 to 4 gb of data your good to go.

armido

[thatboatguy]

I can run data sim in a usb device on this machine. Two sd slots that can access up to 32 gigs each. No problems there. I'm mostly fiddling now as I have the short term solution for this trip coming up which is the very handy pocketcloud. As I'm getting more and more in to paragliding I'm getting less and less into sailing so I'm also looking at ways to use the tablet in the air. But more than that, having access to weather information is even *more* important now and for stuff like signing up for Space-A military flights, finding house sitting gigs, filing mystery shop reports, and etc... etc... A full size laptop left in a rental car at a popular launch is just a target for thieves. I think tablet pcs are the future of computing. I watch movies on mine and read books and listen to music and use facebook and gmail. So much in such a small package.

If I can't get this one to work with usb blue tooth or usb gps I'll eventually get one that has built-ins.

George

[sailias]

Originally Posted by thatboatguy

Sometimes we used an alfa and an R36 for ships internet.

All the other stuff Im familiar with except these two items. Was wondering if you have the time to provide some more information.

Best and kind regards

/ch