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Netsurfer · 20-07-2010, 04:44

Hi,

just a few proposals ...

Naming of files for download
It would be a lot easier if the (setup) files for download (at least for Windows) could be named "OpenCPN_setup_latest_stable.exe" and "OpenCPN_setup_latest_beta.exe" instaed of "OpenCPN_210_Setup.exe" and "opencpn_22_setup.exe".
Additionally the admin could upload a copy with the version and build number like e.g. "OpenCPN_210_setup_624a.exe" and "OpenCPN_220_setup_beta_716.exe".
Using such a naming convention would make it possible to use always one download link without the need to change it all the time. Reduces the maintenance effort a lot.
Would be great if there were some volunteers who gather all these small pieces of useful informations here in the forum and put them in the wiki. So all these little pieces of a jigsaw may come together to one big picture.
As it is clear that from version 2.2.0 on OCPN supports modules, the manual (wiki) may pay tribute to this circumstance? Or authors (taifun/cagney) should have this in mind when setting up (new) pages and writing text.
As a proposal: There could be a page/chapter "Modules" with a subpage for each Modul.

That's it for the moment

. I am sure that there will be more to follow.

Thanks,

Gunther

HamishB · 23-07-2010, 00:10

1. please keep version numbers in file names. If nothing else not doing so makes "wget -c" create a corrupted download and leads to mass confusion. Also SF requires unique names so I'm not sure it could happen anyway. as the main SF page just gives you a big green button in the middle of the page that says "click here to download latest version now", I'm not so sure it's needed. adding the word "beta" into beta releases would of course be most welcome.

2. it's a wiki, so "sooner if you help..."

regards

Netsurfer · 23-07-2010, 00:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamishB

1. please keep version numbers in file names. If nothing else not doing so makes "wget -c" create a corrupted download and leads to mass confusion. Also SF requires unique names so I'm not sure it could happen anyway. as the main SF page just gives you a big green button in the middle of the page that says "click here to download latest version now", I'm not so sure it's needed. adding the word "beta" into beta releases would of course be most welcome.

In the end everything could stay as it actually is except that there would be an additional copy of the latest stable which is named "OpenCPN_setup_latest_stable.exe" - that's all. The big advantage would be to have ONE link to use (on the websites) without the need to change it (maybe in 20 different places) whenever there is a new version.
If you have another idea of how to achieve this ...?

Quote:

2. it's a wiki, so "sooner if you help..."

Sorry, but first of all isn't my English that good to write in the wiki and secondly, if you have a look at the link in my signature, I have enough work with the German one. So if there might be some other volunteers ...

.

Cheers

Gunther

HamishB · 23-07-2010, 01:04

- Source Forge doesn't let you rescind files once added. So you could only have one "latest". But it does give you something close with the "Download now!" button:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/opencpn/files/

- wiki help: well understood! :-)

one wolf · 13-05-2017, 08:40

OpenCPN is wonderful. I initially used it for planning and implementing cruising trips with my family several years ago when we chartered unfamiliar waters. Now my needs have changed - I use it for regular route/waypoint/track management back and forth with my Simrad NSS on my 23' CC. Simrad doesn't publish or support any useful charting software package to accompany their devices (if you can believe it). Garmin does have one, but it's junk and never updated. OpenCPN fits the bill, for me, and I am glad I learned to use it back in my cruising days.

I am anxious to find out if the 4.6 industry standard Import/Export capabilities work as advertised - will find out and report back as soon as I export to my Simrad.

As a long time user and yet never useful contributor :-( I have some suggestions purely for what they're worth - all related to the Route & Mark Manager

In the Route & Mark manager dialog box: add a button to "hide all" or "hide none". See image 1 below. This is a big usability issue for me. So many of my routes and tracks overlap each other I have to constantly hide some in order to select and edit others.
In the Route Properties dialog box: lots of room for usability improvements here:
1. Ability to select multiple routes and edit basic properties of all of them at once would be hugely useful. Color, line style, whether the waypoint names are shown or hidden. Doing all of these things route by route, waypoint by waypoint, is massively time consuming.
2. Alternatively (or also), ability to change the Route Property defaults. I don't want waypoint names shown on any of my routes ever. I don't care the names and they clutter my chart.
Waypoint Properties dialog box - similar to Route Properties.
- Double clicking a waypoint should open the Waypoint Properties box.
- Ability to select multiple waypoints in a route and apply property changes to all of them at once rather than having to select each one.
- Any time "enter" in the Waypoint Properties box is pressed, that should effectively be the same as using the mouse to select the "OK" button - which is highlighted as the default action for the enter button, but pressing enter doesn't do anything.

Just some thoughts from a long time and frequent user. Having to change 100 waypoints across 5 routes with basic properties - like what icon they use and whether to show the waypoint name or not, should take 5-6 clicks, not 400.

Thank you all for your volunteer efforts on this awesome tool.

rgleason · 13-05-2017, 13:59

Gunther, we do list the plugin modules in the User Manual, suggest you take a look. Many are newly updated documentation, a number of other plugins docs need work.