OpenCPN Version 1.3.5 Beta Technical

[idpnd]

The decimal point system actually differs between the angloamerican versus continental european systems. I assume most software will output values angloamerican style.

[Blongsea]

I use OpenCPN (c) 2000-2009 The OpenCPN Authors Version 1.3.4 and I am very happy and extremely impressed with this software. I can't thank the people behind this enough. Can I contribute in any way?

My suggestions are many never the less because I suppose even in the perfect world many things can be done differently and maybe better.

1) One suggestion I have is that since computer-screens get w-i-d-e-r and wider it seems a waste in a graphic mapping software to put info and "buttons" etc. at the TOP and thus making the all-important mapping area even more "letter-box" unnecessarily. My wish is that all non-mapping stuff is on the right (or left) side of the screen and can be moved left/right very easily.

2) another suggestion regarding a map course up orientation. I have used this option with other software and it is very good at times. But it has drawbacks like causing the map to wiggle back and forth nervously. My wish is for a "compass rose" that can be turned around (much like in Google earth) and thus allowing for a fixed manual "course up" without the wiggly action of a locked course up function in other software.

3) It is very hard to read and absorb the AIS information that seems to come and go quite hap hazardly. I wish it was possible to page through all captured AIS information collected since start up. That would be fantastic.

4) Is there any way of creating and maintaining a track library?

Cheers and many thanks from Blongsea

[scotte]

From a GPX import/export perspective there's actually no debate about this... The XML specification states that the decimal point "." is the only recognized character. See: XML Schema Part 2: Datatypes Second Edition

The GPX schema documents latitude and longitude as range-limited "decimal" types: http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/#type_latitudeType

Though that has nothing to do with how a program displays numbers to the user...

[oem]

Originally Posted by scotte

From a GPX import/export perspective there's actually no debate about this... The XML specification states that the decimal point "." is the only recognized character. See: XML Schema Part 2: Datatypes Second Edition

The GPX schema documents latitude and longitude as range-limited "decimal" types: GPX 1.1 Schema Documentation

Though that has nothing to do with how a program displays numbers to the user...

I didn't know, thanks a lot. Sometimes, though the documentation doesn't conform to practice. And I was sure the problem would be there, minor flaw, but inevitable.

But then I examined 10-15 of my GPX-files created by various programs and they all conformed to decimal_point='.' .

So I guess that's 'done'.

[Ptizef]

Originally Posted by Sarkis

Hello,
How can I change my config to set the decimal point to '.' and the thousands_separator to ',' on XP?

Thanks

I've done this way :
In the register , HKEY_CURRENT_USER /Control panel/International
change "decimal" and "Mydecimal" lines from "," to "." (right click and change )
same way for thousand_separator but mine was = blank and I kept it
I don't know if it"s the best way but it works
Jean Pierre

[Ptizef]

Has somebody tested tracks in real condition with 1216 ?
Simulating track with "move boat here" , I get a very curious result , different from previous versions .
-a small track is displayed for each boat's positions (see screen-shot)
-If I move the maps , only the first and the last positions are memorized .
-If a point of the track is outside the screen , it's no longer displayed .
-I can't access to the track menu before closing an re-opening opencpn .
Unfortunately , I can't test on boat at the moment
Jean Pierre

[bdbcat]

ptizef....

Odd indeed. How are your tracking parameters set? Toolbox->Etc....

I've been using it underway, adding points every 60 seconds. No problem.

Dave

[bdbcat]

Folks....

Thanks for the research on GPX. I suspected that GPX would always use dot. So does NMEA, I think.

So i guess we shall too.

I traced some of this code last night. Our problems with black screen come from saved Lat/Lons in config file, as well as the pre-existing chart database file, and the S52 Presentation library which has embedded floating point numbers with dots.

The issue is this: if you set a locale with comma for decimal, then all the runtime libraries are notified of this, so that all floating point number conversions expect a comma. Numbers with dot instead of comma lead to huge non-sense values. And there is no chart there, not even a WVS....

So, I've coded this for the next Beta:
1. Always use dot for numeric decimal for all platforms.
2. Add dropdown selection list for language under Toolbox->Language/Fonts tab. 229 choices Value is saved in config file. Requires restart of opencpn to take effect.
3. If selected language is "unavailable" or not set, revert to en_US default.
4. Report all this in log file.


Thanks for the feedback on this tricky issue.
Dave

[Ptizef]

Hi Dave
I'm very sorry to have disturbed you for that .
You are right , the tracking parameters were not good : distance interval selected with value = 0.00 !
Works fine now
Many thanks
Jean Pierre

[bdbcat]

Howdy....

Here is OpenCPN Version 1.3.5 Beta Build 1222

Changelog:
71. Correct and improve rendering of multi-part GRIB isobars
72. Correct short distance panning of some RNCs which use Mercator georef estimator.
73. Correct memory leaks in GRIB subsystem.
74. Improve chart database scanning and building rules.
75. Add more localized messages and languages.
76. Add support for QuickScat GRIBs.
----Release Beta 1222----

CVS HEAD Updated.

Notes:
Not too much functional change here, but a fair amount of internal cleanup and rebuild.

72, For BSB charts near Stockholm with only 3 REF points.
74. Chart database updates should work without excessive thrashing now for all chart types and platforms.
75. Now have .po /.mo files for Danish, German, Italian, and Polish. Translators should check out their submitted/merged .po files, update as needed, and send to me for incorporation in release.

I am hoping to release 1.3.6 near jan 1, 2010. I consider the feature list for this release complete, absent any specific requests from the group.

Thanks, and Good Luck
Dave

[scotte]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

Here is OpenCPN Version 1.3.5 Beta Build 1222

Thanks Dave for the ever continuing progress and development!!

[utinam]

Originally Posted by scotte

Thanks Dave for the ever continuing progress and development!!

Hi every one,

Yes, many thanks Dave for all the beautifull job you're doing.
For each new version, should I desinstall the old one before downloading the new one or is there an automatic uptodate button somewhere?

Thks
Regards

jGp

[GPS-Marco]

Hi Dave,

I'm testing latest beta 1222. I'd like to know if there is the possibility to solve the problems in post number #3 and number #4 (administrative privileges required by win installer and CM93 symbol for always dry rocks)

Moreover I've not followed all the posts about chart database building, but the time required to build the CM93 database is really (really) long (at least wrt older versions): any possibility to reduce it?

Let me thank you for your effort and wish you (and to all people on this forum) a merry Christmas.

Ciao, Marco.

[Sarkis]

Many thanks, Dave, for this great job!

Sarkis

[idpnd]

Wonderful work thanks.

Localisation people note that the CVS update didn't download the new .po file for my language for some reason - I had to get it manually.