Problems with GPS and AIS Data in Ubuntu

[tebsin]

Sorry Thomas the script is the one for setting up GPS in the opencpn wiki

Install the gpsd and gpsd-clients packages
$ sudo apt-get install gpsd gpsd-clients
Go to Toolbox-->GPS and select "Network GPSD" as your "NMEA Data Source", unless you have a gpsd version in the 2.9.x series( Ubuntu 10.04 and other new distros). In this case choose Toolbox-->GPS --> "NMEA Data Source" -->"Network LIBGPS". Note that in this case you also have to use OpenCPN version greater than 2.1.0 Beta build 530.
On Ubuntu 9.10 and later, that is realy all you have to do. When you plug in your gps this will trigger gpsd to start.
If this this doesn't work for you, follow the instructions below.
Check first if gpsd is working:
$ ps aux | grep gpsd
nobody 12338 0.3 0.1 4124 1448 ? S<s 18:31 0:00 gpsd -F /var/run/gpsd.sock
you 12356 0.0 0.0 3036 800 pts/3 S+ 18:32 0:00 grep --color=tty -d skip gpsd
This or similar responses indicate that gpsd is running. If you only have something like the second line, ....it is not running.

Determine which device your GPS is on your linux system by checking the startup. Look for a line that says something about GPS and /dev/ttyUSB#
$ dmesg
Or even better, after connecting a gps mouse, BU-353, we look for a dmesg by running this command.
$ dmesg | grep tty
and get this response back.
[13616.095305] usb 2-3: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0

Add a script to start gpsd. I saved mine as startgps and set thet executeable attribute. Edit line 3 to match your device, ie /dev/ttyUSB0
#!/bin/sh
sudo killall gpsd
sudo gpsd -n -D 2 /dev/ttyUSB0
xgps -speedunits knots -l
Run the script:
$ ./startgps
I have tied this numerous time with no success
Thanks again
Steve

[cagney]

Steve
See the line

On Ubuntu 9.10 and later, that is really all you have to do.

Anything after this does not apply to you.No need for a script. This was only for earlier Ubuntus, where, due to a bug, gpsd didn't start automatically.

If xgps starts, gpsd is working, even if no data is visible.
I have seen this a few times, normally it is enough to pull the USB plug and connect again. Sometimes it helps to restart gpsd.

$sudo killall gpsd

followed by

$sudo /usr/sbin/gpsd -F /var/run/gpsd.sock -P /var/run/gpsd.pid

Then try again. Also, try different usb connectors.

I'm just trying to cover some simple things here. The questions Dave raises are still valid.

Thomas

[tebsin]

Thomas
I followed your procedures with still no luck, but I do have a couple of clues, when I start opencpn and set the NMEA data source to Network LIBGPS and open the Data stream window, randomly I get data, not all the time but just now and then, when i close the toolbox the data stops, If I open xgps again randomly I will get data but only for about 10 maybe 15 seconds and it says in data window under the main GPS circle '"class" "DEVICE","path""/dev/ttyUSB0.
I don't know if thats any help.
Thanks again
Steve

[cagney]

Steve
Until you get going with xgps, it's not an OpenCPN "problem" as such.
You have gpsd going, Gpsd recognizes that a device is connected to /dev/ttyUSB0, but can't read any data from the device, that is how I read your info.
Did you use this gps-mouse with windows?
Did you fiddle with the "setup program" that comes with Haicom HI 204iii on win? If so, first reset it to default.
Do you have the opportunity to test the gps mouse now, on another computer, another Ubuntu box?

Thomas

[tebsin]

Hi Thomas
I have come to the conclusion that it may well be a hardware problem, as I have done a fresh install of Ubuntu and Opencpn and the problem still exists.
Also you guys have guided me through the setup, with still no result, it worked perfectly on the same laptop using the same Usb GPS on XP and W7, I think I might do a complete format and reinstall one more time.
When I do get this thing happening I will post what was the cause here, thank you for your help anyway.
Rgards Steve

[tebsin]

Hi
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I can safely say that the problem is not my computer or the GPS mouse, I installed Ubuntu on a different laptop, Hp pesario, then I loaded CM93, Opencpn and the required libwxgtk2.8-0, I then borrowed a USB mouse from the boat next to me in the marina, I then ran terminal and inserted $sudo killall gpsd enter, and ten $sudo /usr/sbin/gpsd -F /var/run/gpsd.sock -P /var/run/gpsd.pid, rebooted then i opened Opencpn, toolbox and NMEA data source, and guess what, exactly the same window came up, libgps can not be loaded, gpsd host is localhost.
I then uninstalled Opencpn and rebooted and then ran xgps, and it runs perfectly, so I have to conclude that the problem is in Opencpn or I am not installing it properly, which I think is very unlikely.
Could I suggest that someone might like to replicate this by installing the latest version of Ubutu and Opencpn and see if they have the same issues as me.

Thanks Steve

[cagney]

I was thinking of uploading an alternative package to opencpn.org for you to test, unfortunately I'm not able to do so for the moment, due to some problems with the site. Meanwhile, we could perhaps exclude another possibility. If you first un-install opencpn and then install libgps-dev

sudo apt-get install libgps-dev

and then once again install opencpn and test.

Thomas

[tebsin]

Hi Thomas
Did as you requested but then Opencpn would not load, then I again ran "sudo apt-get install libgps-dev" then Opencpn opened ok, but came up with in the data source window with "could not load libgps, because Opencpn requires libgps3.0"
You work that one out, its well beyond me.
Thanks Thomas

[bdbcat]

tebsin....

Is this the EXACT wording on the message?

libgps API Version mismatch.
Opencpn found version 3.0, but requires at least version 3.1

Dave

[bdbcat]

Thomas....

Maybe you could hack around this clause in nmea.cpp, and upload something for tebsin to try.... I would, except my Wifi is net good right now....

            if((check_version.proto_major >= 3) && (check_version.proto_minor >= 1))
            {
                  m_fn_gps_stream(m_gps_data, WATCH_ENABLE, NULL);
                  TimerLIBGPS.Start(TIMER_LIBGPS_MSEC,wxTIMER_CONTINUOUS);
            }
            else
            {
                  wxString msg;
                  msg.Printf(_("libgps API Version mismatch.\nOpencpn found version %d.%d, but requires at least version 3.1"), check_version.proto_major, check_version.proto_minor);
                  wxMessageDialog md(this, msg, _("OpenCPN Message"), wxICON_ERROR );
                  md.ShowModal();

                  m_fn_gps_close(m_gps_data);
                  m_gps_data = NULL;

                  return;
            }

Patch it be simply:

          {
                  m_fn_gps_stream(m_gps_data, WATCH_ENABLE, NULL);
                  TimerLIBGPS.Start(TIMER_LIBGPS_MSEC,wxTIMER_CONTINUOUS);
            }

Might not work, but it might. I think this may be another latent pickiness in libgps...

Thanks
Dave

[tebsin]

I am 90% sure that was what came up on the NMEA DATA source, I tried reproducing it with out any success.
Thank Again for your kind help
Steve

[cagney]

Dave & Steve
After some fiddling with my netbook and a rarely used website here is a link to download the package Dave suggested. Note to I was forced to stick a .doc extension on the .deb package. Just delete this extension.

Thomas

[tebsin]

Do I just install this as normal ? do I need the "libwxgtk2.8-0" installed as well ?
Regards Steve

[cagney]

Originally Posted by tebsin

Do I just install this as normal ? do I need the "libwxgtk2.8-0" installed as well ?
Regards Steve

Affirmative on both. Just a normal package, with the same dependencies as before.
Thomas

[tebsin]

Hi Thomas
Installed as instructed, Intially it came up with Data in the NMEA source window on Network LIBGPS for about 10 sec, then the data froze, but it seems to be working ok on /dev/ttyUSB1 with AIS data on /dev/tty/USB0, I don't think it is working as intended but at least it is working, XGPS opened ok, but will only show AIS data only. If I disconnect AIS reboot, the GPS source is still USB1, If i rebuild the gps client base as in terminal, it tries to connect to USB0 but disconnects and reconnects on USB1, I tried swapping over the USB leads to no avail, very strange.

Thanks heaps to you guys for helping me.
Steve