Weather Routing

[rgleason]

Sean's Plugins Thread notice for update
weather_routing_pi-1.1-ov3.3.1824-i-win32.exe
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1618511

[seandepagnier]

Are there any serious concerns preventing release of the plugin in the current state?

Should we include many polar files as well?

[rgleason]

Sean this is an excellent question. It would be very nice if everyone were to give the plugin a final full test of all the features that are working. I will try to do so tonight and let you know what I find.

I do think it would be nice to release a full set of sample polars. Is there anything I can do to help with that?

[rgleason]

I believe that Weather_routing is ready for release. I have checked the file reading and writing of boat_configuration.xm. and boat_polar.csv files as well as routing with isochrones in many conditions, grib, climatology, grib and climatology, constraints, boat_configuration_settings etc and in the majority of situations it seems to work well.

I have one request as a part of release. That the plugin be released with default settings that will allow the user to hit Configuration > Compute or ALT+C and a route will be computed with isochrones and no other settings required.

This should be a "Default" setting, which when the user gets stuck, they can hit Configuration > "Reset to Defaults" and the program reverts to the these defaults and a polar can be run almost infallibly. This is essential for users to feel comfortable learning, exploring options and investigating various settings. They need a reliable "home" to go back to where routing will work.

I believe I sent some polars on the disk which might be useful. If you need some help with this let me know. I don't know how you will distribute or make them available, or integrate the selection of them with the plugin, but they are not really very large in MB. Perhaps just distribute with the plugin somehow?

So yes, at this point I think the plugin can be released and distributed to work with our beta Opencpn. I just think that a "Configuration > Reset to defaults" choice that works very easily with Alt+C "compute" would be an excellent addition, which would save lots of questions and give newbies a fighting chance at mastering this sophisticated plugin by being able to go back to a "default" setting that "Works".

PS: I particularly like the ability of the plugin to open and start Climatology if it has been installed and activated, but not opened when the user has forgotten to do so for some reason. Weather_routing does enjoy (and play) with the companionship of some major data plugins (climatology and grib).

[AISEAG]

Hi,

I have been playing around with this pluging several times, seems to be OK for the service.

I have post some minor User Interface features in Tracker/Flyspray.

; This is a very good job, thanks to Sean, Rick and many more.

Serge

[AISEAG]

Hi Sean,

Is there any restriction (limits) for the Polar Calculation (LOA,...) ?

Can we share the list of reasons for getting a "failled" status when calculing a route ?


Serge

[seandepagnier]

I believe possible reasons include:

The boat xml file cannot be loaded

There is no more grib data available at the needed time, climatology is not allowed, and data deficient is not being used "grib failed"

Avoiding cyclone tracks is selected and climatology does not have cyclone data "climatology failed"

Grib data is not used, and climatology doesn't allow for wind data (currents only etc)
"no data"

The map is full and no more propagations exist. The last update did not change the map. This can be because it is surrounded by land, or the valid data runs out in all valid directions. "failed"

The start or end locations do not exist anymore (maybe they were deleted or non-existent ones are specified for the route)

If you can find any other way to make it fail let me know.

[rgleason]

boat xml cannot be loaded and may be malformed or older version.

too strict cyclone constraints are selected which do not permit a routing.

the route does not make it to the destination for various reasons, isobars will show but the route will not reach the destination.

Sometimes "detect land" checked will cause longer calculation times and complications with complex landmasses and start and/or destinations that are embedded in the shoreline areas, and possible failure.

[rgleason]

Also a bad "Start" or "Destination" weatherrouting location waypoint can cause failure. Replacement with a new weatherrouting location waypoint solves the problem.

If using only grib file with no climatology, and the start time is not set properly there will be a failure.

If using only grib files that are too short to allow the routing to complete there will be a failure. Use longer grib files or add the use of Climatology data.

[rgleason]

FS#1448 : For Beginners: Initial Setup (when no other files exist) will run Routes & Isochrones easily. Provide a "Reset to Default" button which will run routes without fail. This so that new users have an easy beginning point from which to explore features.

FS#1117 : Files: Fix saving and loading Polar.csv and Boat_configuration.xml
I intend to close this unless others think it is not working.

FS#1400 : Compute ...shows "Failed" -Better failure messages needed.
I believe Sean is in the process of elaborating on the failure messages.

FS#1470 : UI : splitting of the Boat pathname for getting an easier view of the name of the boat Make the Boat Pathname so that it shows the entire path or "...name of the boat"

FS#1138 : WR Positions: Add nearby WP to WR Positions - "Use Waypoints for start / end" Ability to use existing normal waypoints.

[rgleason]

New update to Weather_routing
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1628316

--Requires a new Configuration. Trying to compute old configs crashes opencpn

[rgleason]

Another Polar tool VR planning
VRTool route planning tool

[rgleason]

Please note. Wx-Rte does not work with the most current climatology
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1643218

Note that at the moment Weather_Routing will not recognize this new Climatology data, there is a popup note from Weather_Routing.

You will need to download the immediate previous version from Opencpn Beta File Thingie if you are using windows, or go to sourceforge OpencpnPlugins and download the Linux files for that earlier plugin, in order for Wx-Rte to work withs Climatology.

Chris thankyou for asking and I am sorry for any inconvenience. I believe Sean will update Wx-Rte as soon as he sees this note. We hope you will become an active user and supporter and will post your experiences and discoveries, and help us improve the Manuals for these plugins!

Rick

[rgleason]

Until Sean updates weather_routing_pi to work with the most current version of Climatology, I suggest you use the previous version which does work. You can find it at Opencpn Beta File Thingie rguser rgpass under Earlier PI folder

climatology_pi-0.13-ov3.2.2-c-win32.exe

[rgleason]

3.3.2302 Win PI/ weather_routing_pi-1.2-ov3.3.2330-win32.exe

now works with

3.2.2 Win PI/ climatology_pi-1.0-ov3.2.2-f-db-new-win32.exe

Opencpn Beta File Thingie rguser rgpass


Thank you Sean and Pavel