OpenCpn Install on Android Tablets Easier Now.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by LeaseOnLife

Success! Thanks to the instructions.

On my Nexus-7 (2013) I was able to install Debian-Wheezy, XFCE, plus OpenCPN. TurboGPS feeds the Nexus GPS-data to OpenCPN.

Some initial thoughts:

• with a display resolution of 1920 x 1200 the opencpn buttons are tiny
• TurboGPS seems buggy, only sees satellites when another program accesses the GPS (I have google maps running in the background, then it works)

Something to play with coming winter ;-)

Dirk

Good on ya!
Only downside using OpenCPN on android tablets is the small screen size, especially anything smaller than 10".

Dirk, you can contact the developer of TurboGPS about your observation. Also, I wonder what kind of result you'd get running GPSTest instead of Google Maps in the background?

The way to compensate is to use the zoom feature in your VNC viewer, which is the + and - icons in akRDC. Risky doing otherwise because you can inadvertently hit the "delete" button, losing your work.

Want to move a waypoint or mark? Zoom in on the wpt. or mark, long press and drag to the new location.

If you have a desktop or laptop computer do your planning there. Then export the route(s) to .gpx file. Copy over to your tablet and import to OpenCPN. You can do everything on the tablet, just faster done on the computer.

If there are a sufficient number of success stories like LeaseOnLife's, maybe I'll put together a couple of how to vids on UTube.

[Wrong]

Dirk,

Just for the sake of experimentation, you may want to change the resolution setting in LinuxDeploy to see if the OpenCPN buttons change size.

Also, some VNC viewers offer this capability.

[mhasting2004]

Bit of an old thread but thought I'd post that I've made a larger toolbar and style set for use on my Xperia tablet and is posted in the optimising touch screen thread here on CF and also over on SA where the original developer that got Opencpn onto an Android tablet now resides.

While the process was not as easy as point and click it was doable. I would rate it more suitable for early adopters and those comfortable delving into the more techie side of s/w installs. If your more into plug and play maybe wait. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of great help for those that want to put the effort in and it does work.... just it ain't for the feint of heart or the impatient.

Active thread is now over on SA and details the trails I went thru to get it going (most of which were self imposed as I drifted a bit from the set instructions)

Current state of OpenCPN on Android tablet in my case is

installed on Sony Xperia tablet
functioning GPS
usable but not ideal UI
running natively within Linux shell.

Cheers.

Mark

AKA Tryflying on SA

[Wrong]

It's been a long time since I started this thread, and I realize in one respect I may have put the chicken before the egg.

Simply telling people they need to root their device in order to perform the other steps in my instructions is not enough. While I've been using linux since 'Redhat 5', when installing a program from source could consume days due to this and that missing dependency, many people have never used linux at all. Fortunately, using linux nowadays is every bit as easy to do as using Microsoft Windows or the Mac O.S..

There is a huge difference however for anyone needing to do more than very basic file operations on their android device running a varient of linux called 'android'. Between the different systems, users have more or less rights to access files for reading, copying, renaming, deleting, changing the files permissions and ownership. For example you may be prevented from reading another user's files because you don't have explicit permission to do so. There is only one user who can do everything, including the execution of commands capable of destroying the system. This user is known as the 'root user'.

When you purchase a new android device it is configured to permit very restricted access to files and system components. So much so that anyone accustomed to relative freedom experienced when using their Windows, Linux and even Mac computers when performing file operations will experience some level of exasperation.

In order to liberalize the limits set by manufacturers on users, android developers and enthusiasts have written programs designed to 'exploit' certain vulnerabilities in the android system. The objective is to give root powers to the user and owner of the device. This is why we say we are 'rooting a device'.

Once rooted, you can do just about anything you want with your android device, including install android applications that require root access (like file managers and Linux Deploy) and a second linux operating system.

It's all about liberalizing otherwise very restricted file permissions.

Before android applications requiring root access can actually access system files they request permission from the "SuperUser", another android app installed when the device is rooted. YOU ARE INITIALLY IN CONTROL of which applications will be granted or denied permission, and the SuperUser app functions accordingly from then on.

If you have a rooted device you can also install custom ROMs (android operating systems) like the one I have installed on my Xoom from Cyanogenmod. Many good reasons to do so, as illustrated here: CyanogenMod Has Integrated Superuser With Privacy Guard - XDA Forums

[Wrong]

Almost a year ago, due to reasons beyond my control discussion about OpenCPN on androids was shifted here: OpenCPN on android devices! - Cruising Anarchy - Sailing Anarchy Forums So, more recent developments and user experience may be found there, than here. Posting in either place is welcome.

Thanks.

[Wrong]

Updated instructions for getting OpenCPN onto your android device is found here: Building on Motorola Xoom | Official OpenCPN Homepage

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by Wrong

Updated instructions for getting OpenCPN onto your android device is found here: Building on Motorola Xoom | Official OpenCPN Homepage

NOTE: Lots of discussion and problem solving appear in my threads about installing and running OpenCPN in a linux chroot environment on android devices. Some of the older discussions involve cooperative efforts between people working toward getting built-in gps to work in OpenCPN. But, much of it is addressing problems people created for themselves by diverging from my instructions. PLEASE, IN ORDER TO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL INSTALLATION, ADHERE TO MY INSTRUCTIONS!

IT IS RECOMMENDED YOU COME TO THE THREADS IN SEARCH OF SOLUTIONS TO POTENTIAL PROBLEMS ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE FOLLOWED MY INSTRUCTIONS AND ENCOUNTERED SOME KIND OF PROBLEM. Otherwise you are likely to be uneccesarily despirited by the complexity of discussions in the thread.

However, please read posts beginning at #304 above, to here.

Thanks!

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by Wrong

NOTE: Lots of discussion and problem solving appear in my threads about installing and running OpenCPN in a linux chroot environment on android devices. Some of the older discussions involve cooperative efforts between people working toward getting built-in gps to work in OpenCPN. But, much of it is addressing problems people created for themselves by diverging from my instructions. PLEASE, IN ORDER TO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL INSTALLATION, ADHERE TO MY INSTRUCTIONS!

IT IS RECOMMENDED YOU COME TO THE THREADS IN SEARCH OF SOLUTIONS TO POTENTIAL PROBLEMS ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE FOLLOWED MY INSTRUCTIONS AND ENCOUNTERED SOME KIND OF PROBLEM. Otherwise you are likely to be uneccesarily despirited by the complexity of discussions in the thread.

However, please read posts beginning at #304 above, to here.

Thanks!

Instructions have been updated to include important information pertaining to 'SuperSu' and 'Linux Deploy'. Instructions are here Building on Motorola Xoom | Official OpenCPN Homepage

[seandepagnier]

I found a tablet for $49 and I am curious about if it is good for opencpn:

DigiLand 7" 8GB DL701Q - Best Buy

It has quad core and mali graphics so should run really well. There is a 10 inch screen version for $100.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

I found a tablet for $49 and I am curious about if it is good for opencpn:

DigiLand 7" 8GB DL701Q - Best Buy

It has quad core and mali graphics so should run really well. There is a 10 inch screen version for $100.

I notice both are GPS "capable". What precisely does this mean? There is probably no 'built-in gps'. So, you'd need to use a wireless, bluetooth or usb gps.

I recommend you research availability of rooting methods and user experience with this model at xda-developers before deciding to buy.

Hands down, I always encourage folks to choose 10" androids.

Plenty of very good, lightly used 10' tablets available for $100 or less online. 'adhuntr' searches all of Craigslist. Samsung, Motorola (Xoom) and other well known tablets with good reputations.

[Wrong]

One more important consideration. Custom ROMs are available for well known brands. Added features and capabilities as well as fairly regular security updates. Missing a driver you need not included with the OEM ROM? Good luck getting it in an OEM update. Developers of Custom ROMs however are in the position upon request to include the driver in a future update.

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by Wrong

I notice both are GPS "capable". What precisely does this mean? There is probably no 'built-in gps'. So, you'd need to use a wireless, bluetooth or usb gps.

I recommend you research availability of rooting methods and user experience with this model at xda-developers before deciding to buy.

Hands down, I always encourage folks to choose 10" androids.

Plenty of very good, lightly used 10' tablets available for $100 or less online. 'adhuntr' searches all of Craigslist. Samsung, Motorola (Xoom) and other well known tablets with good reputations.

The one I found for $49 seemed especially interesting because it has mali graphics which is known to work well and give hardware acceleration. They have a $99 10 inch version. I have no problem using a smaller screen this is more of a personal preference.

Maybe we can post a list of specific models for $100 or less tablets?

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

The one I found for $49 seemed especially interesting because it has mali graphics which is known to work well and give hardware acceleration. They have a $99 10 inch version. I have no problem using a smaller screen this is more of a personal preference.

Maybe we can post a list of specific models for $100 or less tablets?

Check out this site. http://forum.tegraowners.com/

Sounds like a good project for YOU.

GPS?

[Wrong]

In recent versions of OpenCPN, beginning around the time 3.3.1911 was released, a bug in the CMakeLists.txt file may have caused the following problem on some if not all arm devices when compiling OpenCPN with cmake.

Although route lines showed, in newly created routes or routes from imported .gpx files, waypoints, marks and the 'ownship' no longer displayed. If you experience or have experienced this problem, the fix is to replace your CMakeLists.txt with the file downloadable from here: CMakeListsO4 - Download - 4shared - Jim Huckleberry Rename the file to CMakeLists.txt and copy to /home/android/OpenCPN. This will overwrite the existing CMakeLists.txt file.

Also:

"The CMake patch should be applied if you see the lines about GLES in the cmake output.

"Found OpenGLESv2" or "Found OpenGLESv1"

If you don't see those lines, then all is well."

Then, compile and install as usual.

[Wrong]

Anyone who will, or who has followed my instructions here: Building on Motorola Xoom | Official OpenCPN Homepage that enables running OpenCPN on android devices in a linux chroot environment, can now download the most recent 'version 4' of OpenCPN for the armhf architecture. I've tested the binary to confirm it works in Debian Wheezy and Ubuntu Precise.

*Connect and remain connected to the internet. Download from:

opencpn_4.0.0-1_armhf - Download - 4shared - Jim Huckleberryy

*Use Linux Deploy to 'start' (mount the linux partitions) linux.

Then copy the OpenCPN binary from /sdcard/Download, or wherever it downloaded to on your device, to /data/local/linux/mnt/home/android/Downloads.

*Open the android terminal.

Type 'su', press <enter>

*Copy/paste the following steps into the terminal:

'/data/local/linux/bin/linuxdeploy shell' then press <enter>.
'cd /home/android/Downloads' then press <enter>

*Before installing the binary, run 'apt-get install wx2.8-i18n' to make sure this dependency is installed.

NOTE: Type 'df' and press <enter> You will see the filename for the OpenCPN binary which may have changed during the download. Change to whatever you see after 'df' just in case it is different than in the next step.

Copy/paste into the terminal;
'dpkg -i ./opencpn_4.0.0-1_armhf.deb' then press <enter>

OpenCPN should install with no errors and be ready for use after you have started the bVNC Free viewer and see the linux desktop. Start OpenCPN from the main menu/Education sub-menu.