OpenCPN Use with Canadian BSB4 Charts

[captcod]

Hello to all from East Coast Canada! I am new to Cruisers Forum but hope some of you members can provide advice and insight. I have recently downloaded and set up Open CPN and then downloaded the add-on for the BSB4 chart format. I have been unable to get any of my recently purchased CHS BSB4 charts to display on Open CPN nor can I view any kind of index of the charts, I can just see the file names with the BSB and CAP extensions. Is there some set-up process or formatting that I'm missing?

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

[cagney]

Originally Posted by captcod

Hello to all from East Coast Canada! I am new to Cruisers Forum but hope some of you members can provide advice and insight. I have recently downloaded and set up Open CPN and then downloaded the add-on for the BSB4 chart format. I have been unable to get any of my recently purchased CHS BSB4 charts to display on Open CPN nor can I view any kind of index of the charts, I can just see the file names with the BSB and CAP extensions. Is there some set-up process or formatting that I'm missing?

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

Please read through Installing Charts | Official OpenCPN Homepage. Never point OpenCPN to individual charts. It must point to the folder containing the charts.

Thomas

[captcod]

Thanks Thomas.
I have installed the registered BSB4 charts into C:\Chartkit\BSB Chart and then with the OpenCPN toolbox I located this directory in the "Available Chart Directories" window and added only this directory to the "Active Chart Directories" and clicked OK. I then went to the plugins tab and ensured that the BSB4 1.0 Plug-in is there and "Enabled", then clicked OK. When I go back to the main screen I still cannot see any outline of these charts, just the black screen with the blue outline of North America.
Do you possibly have any other suggestions as to what I'm doing wrong? I have reloaded the charts from the SHC CD and re-setup OpenCPN also.

Thanks again,
Greg

[hoolie]

You have to include the folder where your BSB4 licence is stored. I had a similar problem and had to adjust the folder hierarchy to include a folder holding both the charts and the licence key. It's explained in the plug-in instructions but it takes a bit of fiddling to get the settings right.

[captcod]

Thanks I'll check out the plug-in instructions.

Greg

[jackdale]

Did you re-start OpenCPN? Try a computer re-start as well.

I have no problems at all. My CHS charts are in C:\Chartkit, which I believe is the default directory.

[mcm]

I cannot download the plug in for bsb 4 how do i get to download?

[mcm]

OK, got it installed in open cpn plug ins and enabled, c:\chartkit added to selection , also added the encryption ,,still not showing any charts ?

[mcm]

GOT IT.......

[tony lloyd]

i am having the same problems as capecod, exactly.

have Atlantic coast of Nova scotia South - Bay of Fundy 2011 (ATL06) which i registered and ran setup.exe.

have main directory
C:/ChartKit; properties -> 251 Files, 3 Folders, Size: 295,036,172 bytes, Readonly
ChartKit has 2 visible subdirectories;
(1) Encryption; properties -> 3 Files, 1 Folder, Size:508,081 bytes
(2) BSB4Chart; properties -> 251 Files, 1 Folder, Size 294,528,091 bytes

On dial-up downloaded plug-in file:
bsb4_win32_pi15_v10_pi.dll; properties -> 107,008 bytes

then placed file in C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins

In OpenCPN ToolBox selected PlugIns and Enabled bsb4_win32_pi15_v10_pi.dll
then in ToolBox select Charts and added C:\Chartkit to Active Chart Directories,
did NOT select Force Full Database Rebuild under Update Control: have charts for
CT, RI, MA, NH, ME installed and working.

Closed OpenCPN and restarted: no Canadian charts, only US charts: no outlines in
Canada only the black background with blue outline.

placed phone call to Canadian Chart support; they took my phone number 24 hours
ago but were unable to help and did not steer me to the plugin aspect.

When I first intalled these maps i got a warning that their may have been a
problem with running setup.exe.

We had a wild storm last week and working of a large scale paper chart cuts down
your 'safety' options. Any ideas on what to do?

[cagney]

To troubleshoot this, can you please publish the the last bit of your log file, that covers your attempts with the BSB 4 plugin. Check the time stamps.
Copy and paste into a word file, ending with .doc, and attach this file to a post here.
Instructions for how to find the log file is available here: Installing OpenCPN | Official OpenCPN Homepage

Thomas

[tony lloyd]

Found the file at C:\ProgramData\opencpn\opencpn.log
ProgramData is hidden on this machine.
Under Go Advance found Add Attachment (paper clip)
but do not see confirmation after i browsed to logfile on desktop. I think it was blocked??
Perhaps i should e-mail it to you?
Thanks

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by tony lloyd

i am having the same problems as capecod, exactly.



did NOT select Force Full Database Rebuild under Update Control:

I think you need to force the rebuild.

Jack

[canuck dennis]

Be sure the plug in is actually installed and in bold letters, you must click OK after you activate it, be sure to install the chart kit only and not all the sub directories individually, then do a forced data base build

[tony lloyd]

That was it - FORCE REBUILD.

marched through the states in order then started nova scotia south - i would guess the encryption file and the screen went blank, then it started marching through the maps and i knew we had it. Opened OpenCPN and there is even a large scale chart of the Gulf of St. Lawrence which i hadn't expected. Beautiful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

the chances of a gale go from 10 per cent in october to 20 to 30 per cent in november in the atlantic and having the inshore resolution may be a life saver. Thanks again,

tony lloyd
prince edward island