SENC file create makes OpenCPN almost unusable

[pcmm]

I've got OpenCPN 3.2.2 installed with ENC charts downloaded from NOAA , I've forced a rebuild of the database but anytime I try to do anything with the charts: scroll around zoom in/out I constantly get a "OenCPN S57 Senc File Create...c:\.... " message. It makes OpenCPn virtually unusable. I've googled around and found nothing on this topic. But I've installed the on a few PC's now and always have this same issue. How do I resolve it??

See image below

[cagney]

Originally Posted by pcmm

I've got OpenCPN 3.2.2 installed with ENC charts downloaded from NOAA , I've forced a rebuild of the database but anytime I try to do anything with the charts: scroll around zoom in/out I constantly get a "OenCPN S57 Senc File Create...c:\.... " message. It makes OpenCPn virtually unusable. I've googled around and found nothing on this topic. But I've installed the on a few PC's now and always have this same issue. How do I resolve it??

See image below

Please read the manual. Start here Installing Charts | Official OpenCPN Homepage.

[pcmm]

Thank you, Thats the first thing I did...Doesn't help. I tried the clicking on the green rectangle. That starts the process for the 1 sport I am currently on. As soon as I either scroll or Zoom out it constantly goes through that SENC file create process

Is there not a way to force this process ahead of time for all loaded charts?

Thoughts?

[mattkab]

Run OpenCPN with this command line flag:

opencpn -unit_test_1

Depending on the platform and charts it can take quite a long time, so don't do it when you're in a hurry.

[pcmm]

ran that command, it seems to have created the SENC files but no difference. when I zoom in and out or scroll around the same SENC file dialogue still comes up slowing down the application. Is OpenCPN not compatible with NOAA S57 ENC files?

[mattkab]

Originally Posted by pcmm

ran that command, it seems to have created the SENC files but no difference. when I zoom in and out or scroll around the same SENC file dialogue still comes up slowing down the application. Is OpenCPN not compatible with NOAA S57 ENC files?

Really? I did this yesterday and after it finished I didn't see any dialogs.

What platform are you running?

[pcmm]

Matt, I'm on Windows 7 pro sp1 (64-bit) fully updated running on a Core i7 with 8GB of RAM. but I can replicate the behaviour on a variety of platforms I've tried to install on. There must be some step in the instructions thats missing.

I've done the install (plan vanilla) point to the folder that has all my charts unzipped into ( the charts are the ENC all regions download from Chart Downloader for NOAA ENC® )

then I followed the instruction in the manual... Still not really all that usable the SENC file creation just slows the product down soo much. The old Seaclear chart plotter that I used 15 years ago handled these charts much better.

[bcn]

You are on 3.2.2, correct?

The comments are supposing 3.3.x.x...

Lot of stuff changed since then, especially with SENC creation.
Perhaps you might try a parallel install - or directly the latest beta..

[pcmm]

I'm now on 3.3.2410 and the behaviour is the same. The charts in the chesapeake take so long as each time you scroll or drag or zoom it does that SENC thing. maybe my expectations are out of line. Is it supposed to constantly do t his SENC file behaviour?

Oh and now that I have updated to this beta the charts have no detail any longer!

[bdbcat]

pcmm...

We need to see your log file to make any sense of this.

I assure you, in a good installation, OCPN makes SENCs once on demand, and not again unless the chart is manually updated from NOAA. NOAA S7s are working fine for many, many other users on OCPN 3.3.2410.

So there is a system or operator problem on your installation.

Logfile will tell us a lot

Thanks
Dave

[wdkester]

I'm on an older W7 system. I did find the senc prossesing to be slow in the Chesapeake area compared to Florida; however, I didn't see any chart detail problem (check Options>Charts>Vector Chart Display) and I didn't see any repetitious senc processing.

It's clearly a matter of taste, but I don't like ENC charts. I guess I have spent too much time looking at the paper ones. The one good thing that I can say is if you are running with "course up" all the text stays readable.

[transmitterdan]

Exactly what path are your charts stored in?

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

Exactly what path are your charts stored in?

c:\charts... same as defined in OpenCPN

[bcn]

As Dave already said:

please attach the log file - rename it to .doc in order to be able to upload it.
On a standard W7 system you will find it at C:\ProgramData\opencpn

[jstevens]

Possibly this is what PCMM is experiencing.
http://youtu.be/YTkVuTnsVWo

In this capture video I perform a full database rebuild, then I start to zoom in on the entrance to Norfolk harbor. OpenCPN runs the SENC function on every zoom in. Then as I page down through the harbor the SENC function executes again. However, on my i7/Win 8.1 system this takes only a few seconds. Once I have paged through the harbor as far as the start of the Virginia Cut/Deep Creek junction I can then go back and zoom in/out and page through the same area with no SENC function.

I don't normally use ENC charts in OpenCPN so I don't know how often this might happen when underway. This may only be apparent when paging through a chart region for planning purposes.

John