OpenCPN Version 2.4 Beta Build 523

[Netsurfer]

Hi all ...

I am working on the German translation for the latest beta. Thereby I discovered some points concerning the Route Manage and Layers in particular.

The second to last button is labeled 'Toggle Names' but only when opened for the first time. After importing a layer it is changed to 'Show/Hide WPT names'. The other two buttons show the correct label on startup.

It is all about line 667 in routemanagerdialog.cpp (see also 'Toggle Chart' and 'Toggle Listing'

Furthermore the 'Import ...' and 'Export ...' buttons should be disbaled/ hidden on this layer.

Is it intended that all layers disappear on program exit?

Thanks

Gunther

[PjotrC]

Netsurfer...

Thanks for attentive reading!

Originally Posted by Netsurfer

The second to last button is labeled 'Toggle Names' but only when opened for the first time.

The buttons change labels according to the current shown/hidden state of the (selected) layer. At start-up time there is no layer selected, so the label is just a placeholder. True, when going again to a state of no-layer-selected, it might be nicer to return the label to the original (not really meaningful) text. When enabled, all labels are correct. When disabled - labels are guiding reminders only. The same holds for all three hide/show labels, but in the other two cases the initial (disabled) label text would be too long, so I dropped this fancy behaviour...

Furthermore the 'Import ...' and 'Export ...' buttons should be disbaled/ hidden on this layer.

The 'Import' (renamed to 'Import GPX' as opposed to 'Load new layer') and 'Export' might as well be disabled, but they belong to the dialog frame, and not to the layers tab. I tried very hard to disable them. Two methods of handling the events are still in the code (commented out). One works for Windows, the other for Linux... I did not manage to do it in a way satisfactorily working for all, sorry wxWidgets! Import and Export are not linked to specific tabs anyway, so I hope the users will get used to it.

Is it intended that all layers disappear on program exit?

Currently, yes. The very first idea was indeed to save/restore the layers and their state of visibility. Now, however, I prefer to have the layers as separated from everything else as possible. First reason is layer identification, which is vague. You just load what you find. The second reason is that I view the layers mechanism as a step towards backup, excluding from potential automatic backup all that is already in layers. Experience will show...

Thanks again,

Piotr

[Netsurfer]

Piotr ...

thanks for your reply and the detailed explanation.

Some thoughts about ...

The 'Import' (renamed to 'Import GPX' as opposed to 'Load new layer') and 'Export' might as well be disabled, but they belong to the dialog frame, and not to the layers tab.

This lead me to the question if it wouldn't be preferable to have the layer functionality being completely separated from the Route Manager?

IMHO the ability of overlays is one of the most wanted/ useful features ever.
So we might have another (general) overlay functionality (maybe as a plugin?) that possibly interferes/ collides with this one. Or at least is some kind of dual functionality.
Another question hereby would be if the layer functionality would be able to handle other inputs than solely GPX files? How about KAP files, images (jpg, gif, png, tiff) and text areas (in whatever format)?

Back to the actual situation ...

The very first idea was indeed to save/restore the layers and their state of visibility. Now, however, I prefer to have the layers as separated from everything else as possible. First reason is layer identification, which is vague. You just load what you find. The second reason is that I view the layers mechanism as a step towards backup, excluding from potential automatic backup all that is already in layers.

Hmmm ..., what irritates me (and possibly other users as well) is that all other items (files) such as routes, tracks and waypoints remain on program restart. Only the layers disappear ...
I guess they could be stored the same way as the rest?

The actual layer functionality is a perfect way to combine the different types (routes, tracks and waypoints) into just one single file (by exportings all) that then can be easily toggled (show/hide). Also it allows for vice versa by using 'List contents'.
So what I sorely miss is a function which allows to create a new layer from a route, track or waypoint. Or to add each of them to an existing layer(file).

Another question is if it would be possible to split the column 'No. of items' into three ones, divided by the type (route, track, waypoint)?

Next thing is the 'Properties' button. It is always disabled. If this is intended wouldn't it be better to completely remove it?

One problem I discovered with the Route Manager is the following:
When adding a new waypoint via the Route Manager the selected icon is not shown but correctly stored (when checking in the WPT's properties).

Also when using the 'List contents' button on the layers tab all items are added to their respective category - no matter if they are already present/ existing or not. Generally this is no big deal as one may remove them by clicking 'Unlist contents', but it is another irritating circumstance.
BTW: When adding the waypoint via the 'List contents' function then the icon is shown on the WPT tab.

Thanks,
Gunther

[PjotrC]

Netsurfer,

1. The current layer functionality was simple, easy and relatively fast to make ... I like these things ...:-)

2. Layers do not disappear, if used properly. The proper way is to place GPX files in /layers directory. 'Load new layer' button is for development and testing only (should even go away perhaps, together with 'Delete layer').

3. Lots of stuff is explained in a couple of threads on layers. To create a layer from route, track or waypoint you export it into /layers directory. That's it. No function needed.

4. No of items is for indication only... I expect users to be familiar with the contents, that should better be quite stable.

5. I will display some Properties for layers, or maybe delete the button, if I shall ever be able to rebuild OCPN ... I am at the edge of giving up... :-(

6. Double appearance of contents is perceived only... you probably have really double presence of identical objects: one layer and one regular. See proper usage at point 2 above. Export into /layers and delete the regular object. Then you will have one layer object only.

We should probably move into some focused thread with this not to swamp the beta testers...

Thanks for your questions!

Piotr

[Sail323]

Build 523 crashes on exit even though I deleted the config folder before installing (Windows XP, SP3). If I downgrade to any other version everything is fine.

John

[nohal]

Sail323,
anything in the log? Haven't seen this one yet, so suppose will not be easy to track down without more info.

Pavel

[bdbcat]

Pavel....

523 is known to crash on exit with certain Dutch ENCs open.
We need the log...

Dave

[bdbcat]

Folks, and Sinbad7 especially....

Lost toolbar:
Tore reports occasionally a lost toolbar, that is, the tool bar is shoved off to the right so that the grabber is inaccessible.

This is a bug. Can be reproduced by:
1. activating the Dashboard
2. dock Dashboard to left
3. increase dashboard size by dragging its right margin to the right.
4. Watch the toolbar antics.
5. Note that hiding the Dashboard leaves the toolbar out of place. It should be repositioned on dashboard close....

Expect a fix in the next Beta.....

Thanks
Dave

[Sail323]

523 only crashes on exit when I don't have a GPS connected. When I have a GPS connected I can't get it to crash. When I don't, it crashes every time.
I use VSPE and a virtual serial port.

[Sail323]

Here's a better example of crashes and clean exits. The sessions that end with:

PlugInManager: UnLoading PlugIn: C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins/grib_pi.dll
10:48:25:

are crashes.

[bdbcat]

Sail323...

Aha. I think this is the same as
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post693090

Fixed for the next Beta, coming soon.

Thanks
Dave

[Beausoleil]

I'm trying to build 523 on Ubuntu Natty amd64, and am having to fight the cmake bug where the gtk libraries are in the wrong directory.

cmake reports:

 -- Some or all of the gtk libraries were not found. (missing:  GTK2_GLIBCONFIG_INCLUDE_DIR)

Everything else is fine. Do I just override the variable pointing to the correct include directory?

BTW - with no GPS connected, opencpn beta 523 amd64 (binary download) crashes when clicking OK in setup...

Originally Posted by cagney

I have libbz2-dev installed and fixed the gtk issue the same way as in 2.4.506.

Still I get this when running cmake

-- *** Building opencpn  ***
-- Could NOT find Freetype (missing:  FREETYPE_LIBRARY) 
-- Some or all of the gtk libraries were not found. (missing:  GTK2_GLIBCONFIG_INCLUDE_DIR GTK2_GLIB_LIBRARY) 
CMake Error at /usr/local/share/cmake-2.8/Modules/FindPackageHandleStandardArgs.cmake:91 (MESSAGE):
  Could NOT find OpenGL (missing: OPENGL_gl_LIBRARY)
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /usr/local/share/cmake-2.8/Modules/FindPackageHandleStandardArgs.cmake:252 (_FPHSA_FAILURE_MESSAGE)
  /usr/local/share/cmake-2.8/Modules/FindOpenGL.cmake:153 (FIND_PACKAGE_HANDLE_STANDARD_ARGS)
  CMakeLists.txt:112 (FIND_PACKAGE)

Note that I'm on amd64.
I did not have time to dig into this at the time.....and haven't looked at it since. I had trouble running ddd as well with 2.4.506 as gdb could not find the correct paths.

Thomas

[jpiebrig]

Hi all,

I have a problem with 523. I have ubuntu Lucid 64 bits and Opencpn 64 bits.
When I open the toolbox and GPS tab, I set the GPS to "Network LIBGPS" and normaly GPSD data server is set automatically to "localhost". I push on "OK" and if I have nothing but the GPS on my USB ports, it is working (But if, for example, I have anything else in a USB port as a 3G key, it doesn't work, GPS is not recognized. It is an other problem...).

If later I have to do any other change and come back in the Toolbox, I can see in the GPS tab that the GPSD data server has been changed to "localhostlocalhost".
- Then If I accept the change I have done and push "OK", a few second later a window pops up with "Call to gps_open failed..." and if I want to go back to the Toolbox, Opencpn quite always crashes and I cannot open Opencpn any more, except if I go in the "opencpn.conf" and change manually "Source=LIBGPS:localhostlocalhost" for "localhost".
If it doesn' crash (only a few times) and I can re-open the Toolbox, the GPSD data server has been changed to "localhostlocalhostlocalhost"

- But if after I have made the change I need, and before pushing "OK", I go in the GPS tab and change GPSD data server from "localhostlocalhost" to "localhost", then all is OK and I don't get the pop up window after closing the Toolbox.

[sailias]

Build fine on 10.10 and install fine on the same. Not tested it much yet, but the build is clean with no amendments needed to correct for poorly placed libs in Ubuntu 32 bit system

[bdbcat]

jpiebrig....

Thanks for the report.
Two things going on here:

1. localhostlocalhostlocalhost......
I can see the source of this problem, easy fix, coming for next Beta. This is kinda fun... You can make as long a string as you like with repeated Toolbox, then Toolbox->Cancel

2. Toolbox crash.....
Discussed before. 2.4.523 crashes on Toolbox unless the NMEA source is fixed in place, and always available.

Please stand by for next Beta. If urgent, jp, I can give you a quick fix.....

Thanks
Dave