Reading Object Query TXTDSC information?

[jim326]

When I do an Object Query on an item on a chart, the last line in the object listing is frequently TXTDSC: <filename>.TXT.

For example see this shot of an Object Query dialog:



The filename, in this case US3SC10F.TXT matches to a NOAA-supplied file in the same directory as the chart being displayed, like this one:

US3SC10F.TXT

To read the information about the object, I have to browse to the directory and open the file with a text editor, then read the contents of the file, in this case it says:

Area is open to unrestricted surface navigation but all vessels are cautioned neither to anchor (except as shown) dredge, trawl, lay cables, bottom, nor conduct any other similar type of operation because of residual danger from mines on the bottom.

This process is very slow and tedious. Am I missing something in having to do it this way? Is there an easier way? If not, what do I need to do to request a feature in the next version that either provides a hyperlink to the file, or that actually reads the file and puts the information from the file in the object dialog?

Thanks,

Jim

[nohal]

Jim...
You can create a feature request at http://willkamp.com/opencpn/flyspray/

Pavel

[jim326]

Thanks for that link! So I see from a search of that site that this feature was already requested way back in 2013. I guess it's not very high priority...

Oh well, at least it's possible to GET the information without that feature, even if it's not EASY.

Thanks,

Jim

[aboon]

Did anything come of this feature request? Access to the txt files associated with caution areas, anchorage areas, etc is important. Can the request be re-activated?


Andrew

[nohal]

No, nobody has implemented direct access to the chart attachments from inside OpenCPN yet, you still have to open them manually.

Pavel

[mrm]

Originally Posted by nohal

No, nobody has implemented direct access to the chart attachments from inside OpenCPN yet, you still have to open them manually.

Pavel

Pavel, what do you think about a 'workaround' implementation of such direct access support, working by converting TXTDSC <FILENAME> message to one containing an URL of the form: TXTDSC file:///<FULL_PATH_TO_DIRECTORY>/<FILENAME> ?


Clicking this link would point the local browser to the file and open it.



Marius

[nohal]

Originally Posted by mrm

Pavel, what do you think about a 'workaround' implementation of such direct access support, working by converting TXTDSC <FILENAME> message to one containing an URL of the form: TXTDSC file:///<FULL_PATH_TO_DIRECTORY>/<FILENAME> ?


Clicking this link would point the local browser to the file and open it.



Marius

Marius...
Yes, something like that has to be done to implement it, either with wxLaunchDefaultBrowser() on all platforms or invoking "xdg-open" on Linux, "open" on macOS and whatever there is on Windows to open the default application associated with the mime type and is not completely broken.
It will be a couple of lines of code, just nobody was attracted enough to do it so far.

Pavel

[AISEAG]

Originally Posted by mrm

Pavel, what do you think about a 'workaround' implementation of such direct access support, working by converting TXTDSC <FILENAME> message to one containing an URL of the form: TXTDSC file:///<FULL_PATH_TO_DIRECTORY>/<FILENAME> ?


Clicking this link would point the local browser to the file and open it.



Marius

Hello Marius,

The best to do with your suggestion is to store it into Tracker/Flyspray and ask people to vote for it

Serge

[rooiedirk]

Please double check, but I think it is implemented already for the oeSenc plugin. If I am correct it is likely easy to copy into O itself.