squiddio plugin

[rgleason]

Then once it is turned on it is impossible to turn off.

I didn't crash for some reason. I just turned it on, added the API etc, and then turned it off, but if others are experiencing crashes, please make sure that you can repeat the problem, writing down the exact steps. Then make a Tracker report here after registering for Tracker and I have no doubt Mauro will fix it. Make it a ug report, instead of Feature Request, with the steps taken to crash. Thanks!

Your Feature Requests and UI improvements should also go in here. They are all good suggestions. You can also discuss and add comments to items in Tracker.

Keep it one issue/item per task. Thanks.

I see you've been posting to Tracker. ...actually those are all earlier.....

[Franziska]

Hi rgleason,

first a huge thanks to you and the whole OpenCPN team for all the efforts you put in to create this amazing app.

Small comment on Tracker/Flyscreen though. I used it once and it took me a while to figure it out.

I am a computer savy user but not coding or knowledgeable about software development.

I understand the need for tracker, but I think many users here will not be computer savy enough or willing to go into the extend of registration and trying to figure tracker out.

I believe you would get a lot more detailed usable input from many knowledgeable people here if there were two threads here where they could just poke their comments in.

One for feature request & one for bugs.

I am pretty sure that for a developer its a lot easier to have it structured, but I feel that some might shy away from using tracker.

[rgleason]

I just had an idea, why wouldn't Layers be a good place to put POI and Sqiddio info?

Layers can be turned on and off.
You can have multiple layers.
Perhaps there is a layer used for creation of offline POI, until they are uploaded?

https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...nager:layers&s[]=layers

They might be the perfect place to have Squiddio POI.

Question: Would a Plugin like Squiddio have access to the functions needed?

[rgleason]

Mauro, see Pavels posts about this
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2597150

[rgleason]

Please refer to Gilletarom and Coupdimistral's posts

Gilletarom

2. I had an idea, there a few days.
If we look, for example, chartdownloader plugin, it introduces a new tab in the "Charts / Data" "options". It is the same for the plugin "S63".
There should be something identical with sQuiddio the road manager, tracks, waypoints and layers.
Indeed, we find ourselves very quickly with a "substantial" amount of additional waypoint. There are in addition to our own waypoint. It quickly becomes completely inaccessible.
It would have sQuiddio adds a tab in the route, tracks, waypoint and layers manager. A tab reserved for waypoints sQuiddio.
Is this possible?
Memory, unless I am mistaken, it is Sethdart designed this manager. You should ask him what he thinks about the feasibility of this idea?
Best regards. Gilletarom.

Coupdimistral

Gilletarom
I agree that the current approach of using waypoints is sub-optimal and your suggestion of a management tab is probably a good one. However, in light of Rgleason's comment on the possible introduction of a POI object, I am a little wary of doing a lot of substantial work on the current version... I looks like it would most likely be throw-away work.

Below these is my comment about having a POI object.
"I am thinking the use of Waypoints might someday soon become a POI object so waypoints are actually waypoints. .. might be easier to manage."

See this comment by Erkkisdt that sums up the real reason

"the waypoint approach is dictating that all info needs to go to waypoints's details section. The info so far is fine. When entering new places the web form has a section labeled details. I have been putting in there verbal notes and links to web sites. When opening the link from waypoit, the info appears below images without any title/description.
Erkki"

Coupdamistral
"got it. I added a feature request in Flyspray. It only affects the backend, not the plugin itself, so we don't need to create a new version.
Mauro "

---The Waypoint format limits what squiddio can provide.

Also see this long string of posts on the subject from Beta Text/Technical Thread

[rgleason]

Mauro added
FS#2352 - Add "Hide/Show all sQuiddio destinations" toggle button in preferences dialog box

Freddie added
FS#2348 - squiddo icons on dedicated layer

[rgleason]

For a suggestion by Jon Gough to use OD text points for POI.
They sound very useful and the code is available in ODraw and they work in layers
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/....php?p=2597231

[rgleason]

See item 1 in this post for the reasons to improve the squiddio poi and why we are considering a different form, database, layer, whatever.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/....php?p=2597583
Users coming from AC find squiddio lacking in the information provided. They want a more specific form that the waypoint object does not provide. Call it a squiddio object which needs to have different imformation for different things.

[rgleason]

Apparently squiddio uses PugiXML v1.2 Parser to store the data on your computer.
https://pugixml.org/docs/quickstart.html
Here is the Github Repository https://github.com/zeux/pugixml
I haven't figured out where the file is stored or what it is called, but it appears that the squiddio waypoints that show up in RouteManager > Waypoint Tab are somehow coming through Pugixml and being interlaced on the display of the waypoints. (This is likely to be an incorrect assumption.)

But the point is, squiddio already has a good way to store data on your machine, the problem is extricating it from the bounds of the waypoint format by finding a more flexible way of presenting the data, such that more sophisticated squiddio forms can be used.

Pugixml is an xml parser and would probably support additional squiddio formats, but at present it must use just the Waypoint format.

[jongough]

Hi Rick,
For OD 1.5 I have added a 'CreateTextPoint' API call that will allow another plugin to create a TextPoint directly. I will extend this to a JSON message as well, but one step at a time. I can add quite a bit more functionality if needed. TextPoints are supposed to be used to provide extra information on locations and have displayable text that can be always shown, shown on rollover, or not shown at all. This would allow the squido POI to be shown as icons on the charts and by passing your mouse over them get the extra information associated with them. It would also be possible to put them in layers, just need another or an extended API to allow this.

If there is a desire to use TextPoints rather than Waypoints (TextPoints are a specialisation of the OD Point and OD Point used waypoints as the starting point, but generalised them and separated them from the mainline code) then more work can be put into meeting the requirements.

OD 1.5 also allows the import of CSV files to define Boundaries and BoundaryPoints. It could be easily extended to TextPoints. Also, OD uses XML files the same way as OCPN to store its information and does allow import and export of XML files from the Manager dialog.

Just some thoughts
Jon

Originally Posted by rgleason

For a suggestion by Jon Gough to use OD text points for POI.
They sound very useful and the code is available in ODraw and they work in layers
Beta Test / Technical - Page 143 - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

[rgleason]

Jon, this is great information, and I like the features you give, I think it is appropriate to Mauro to discuss or contact you about this opportunity and I hope he will see your note below.

[SCarns]

Greetings!

I'm pretty new to OpenCPN. I just discovered your 11/27/17 blog post on SquiddIO regarding downloading KAPs. This is great. I "was" a polar navy user for years and two of the features I loved about it were that it integrated with Active Captain and it directly downloaded/installed images. Luckily, as I've migrated away from PN, OpenCPN has become my new go-to for all things navigation and Squidd.io is here to fill in the anchorage void!

I love the "community" aspect of Squidd.io a lot and I hope it continues to grow. This feature of downloading KAPs for use in OCPN also terrific and I wasn't aware of it until it the topic came up here on CruisersForum in another topic. I discovered how easy it is to insert these images into OCPN.

If I can feature request, I'd ask for a plug-in "Preference" feature to identify the directory where I keep my Squidd.io KAP files (Same one referenced in "Charts") and have the options to choose scale(s) of the sizes I use (I find I use 10,11,12,13,16,17,18 the most, so check boxes identifying my prefs could work). Then, in the Squidd.io "Waypoint Properties", along with the "link" to the website, perhaps there could a button to directly download the KAPs in my default sizes into my referenced directory. Once done, all would be needed would be to force OCPN to rescan the directory and BOOM! Done! Cut out the middle man of me having to download and move files around.

One thing I did discover is that you don't download what you see on the map displayed on the site, but the image is referenced to the SquiddIO item, which is fine. I discovered this by "moving" the map and not getting the image I wanted. So it seems, for me to get more images, I simply need to visit and identify additional POI. Great! I can do that!

Thanks for all you've done. I'm so happy I discovered OCPN & SquiddIO!

[coupdemistral]

@Nereus32
great feedback on the KAP file download in squidd.io. While there are other means of getting KAP files from satellite images, I thought downloading it from the squiddio destination page would make it much more convenient. Glad you found it useful.

Your feature requests are all quite sensible and duly noted (i.e. added to flyspray soon), though some of them may be easier to implement than others.

[Ring A Ding]

I began using OpenCPN and Squidd when Polar Navy announced that after May 2018 they could no longer integrate AC. I have entered new marinas into Squidd and don't mind entering the data. However I really need the data to be as comprehensive and organized as AC. I also don't like that the waypoints are easily moved around the chart but that is a minor thing. Good Luck with your app.

[jongough]

Hi,
I have a beta version of Squiddio that can use either waypoints or OD Text Points. I have cloned the Squiddio repository and am changing this verision (if other changes are made I can merge them). If you want to try out this beta it is available for building in "https://github.com/jongough/squiddio_pi/tree/odraw", you will also need to build OD 1.5.35 available in "https://github.com/jongough/ocpn_draw_pi/tree/master_1.5". This will need OCPN 4.99.0 as that is the version of the ocpn_plugin.h file I have used.


You can change dynamically between OCPN Waypoints and OD Text Points using the toolbar Squiddio icon. As far as I know it works exactly the same, but does allow the use of Text Point rollover popups. At the moment layers are not used, but I could add this if it was really wanted. This is a trail to see if users want/like the capability.


Being beta it would be really helpful if it does get tested by real users as I develop and run on linux and don't have a mac and only have windows VM's, so real world testing is a bit difficult.



Regards
Jon