INavX charts disappeared...

[chouliha]

We have recently noticed that all of our purchased charts of the South Pacific have been removed from our iPads. Thankfully we are not using these as our primary source if electronic navigation. A mail sent to them to ask what has happened has never been answered.

So 2 iPads with Inavx charts are without purchased charts.

Have you experienced this issue?

Chuck
Jacaranda
Tahiti

[rtoner]

I saw a pop up while connected to wifi that there was known issue and that they are working on it.

[rtoner]

I saw a pop up while connected to wifi that there was known issue and that they are working on it.

[chouliha]

After repeated emails and finally a call to Fugawi in Canada I have all my charts restored. Grrrrrrr

A software change caused all the purchased charts to be hidden.

Even if you do not have a current account via iNAVX try shutting down the iPad or computer and restarting. Then go into the inavx and login with email and password. Thus should cause all the purchased charts to reappear.

If you are having further issues the try calling Fugawi in Toronto at 416-926-9300

Good Luck

Chuck
Jacaranda
Tahiti

[Allatsea]

I've just come across this issue today with iNavX version 5.04 on my iPad.

Apparently, on startup, iNavX attempts to connect to X-Traverse to verify ownership of the purchased charts, check for upgrades or.... who knows why?

If it cannot connect, your purchased charts are hidden from the charts list!
It's not that they are not there, they've been made inaccessible!

So, you could be miles from anywhere, start up iNavX, and if you don't have mobile or Wifi communications - you don't have your purchased charts!

Maybe you had communications when you started up iNavX, so your charts were made accessible - all good, until you next shut down iNavX.
Then, maybe days, miles later you start up iNavX again, but there's no mobile or WiFi communications - now your charts are gone!

I find it staggering that this modus operandi was intentionally built into the software.

Note that this issue may only be in iNavX iPad version 5.04

I suggest users test to be sure they won't fall for this gotcha.
Try this:
1) Make sure iNavX is not currently running - if so, shut it down.
2) In Settings, turn off WiFi and set Aeroplane mode ON. In other words, make sure internet access is unavailable.
3) Start up iNavX - still got your Navionics charts?

hope so....if not, maybe call X-Traverse....

regards to all

[chouliha]

According to the tech support that i spoke to about this issue it was a software bug that caused this issue. The phone rep repeatedly apologized about this issue. Being in the software industry in my previous life i can relate.

Why do you think this was done intentionally?

Chuck
Jacaranda
Tahiti

[ur2slo]

That's funny, my compass, clock and azimuth and elevation of known stars have been updated ..automatically! wow amazing?


This one thread shows the wonders of internet navigation....& youtube generation.............


Question Stupidity

[Allatsea]

Originally Posted by chouliha

According to the tech support that i spoke to about this issue it was a software bug that caused this issue. The phone rep repeatedly apologized about this issue. Being in the software industry in my previous life i can relate.

Why do you think this was done intentionally?

Chuck
Jacaranda
Tahiti

Hi Chuck,

I was a software and hardware developer (for more than 40 years) as well. I believe I can recognise well written, structured code and application behaviour based on sound principles.

With respect to intentionality, I mean that the attempt of the application to connect to X-Traverse on every start up is intentional.

I don't know what the intent of the behaviour is, but any automatic action such as upgrading charts, or code could have disastrous results (such as the app being inoperable, no charts, etc). It's not possible to write totally bug free code.

Often, the safety of many users is solely dependent on a single navigation application - the soundness of this approach is for other threads.
For this reason alone, any action that risks loss of the navigation asset should be initiated by the user, it should not be automatic.

The resulting behaviour when the connection attempt is unsuccessful is almost certainly due to bugs and not intentional.

Overall, I think the iNavX app is excellent, I have used it for several years.
Although recently, I have had doubts about the calibre of the development team. These doubts, of course, may be totally unfounded.

Hope this answers your question.

regards,
Allan

[chouliha]

Hi Allan
Thanks for the explanation.

Luckily we were not underway when we discovered this problem. But the Navonics team never answered my emails and I ended up calling them in Canada. I probably would have not been so easy on the issue if I had been trying to navigate the tuamotus and all of a sudden all my charts disappeared.

Regards

Chuck
Jacaranda
Tahiti

[Allatsea]

Hi Chuck,

Given your background, you would probably agree with me that, since the behavior resulting from a failure to connect is very repeatable, it would have been apparent even in the most rudimentary pre-release testing.

This is one reason for doubting the calibre of the development team.

Incidentally, I have found that if you login from the app and never logout your charts are never hidden - even when connection attempts fail. A useful manifestation of a problem with the code

regards,
Allan

[hpeer]

Ive worked with Fugawi for years and find them to have among the best tech support I've seen. Just my experience.

I know they are having some issues at the moment. I was trying to download explorer quilted charts and got an error message. My emails were answered promptly with an explanation and a temporary workaround. Supposedly there will be a new iPhone/iPad application release before Christmas.

None the less, I don't trust much of anything. I carry a spare CP, charts on a laptop, laptop has Fugawi (Windows) and Open CPN (UNIX), Open CPN on a thumb drive to work on my wife's computer, charts on iPhone/iPad, paper charts, handheld battery operated GPS receivers, GPS on AIS, main VHF, on both handheld VHFs.

I have a sextant but haven't learned to use it.

[J Clark H356]

I've notice a slow start on my IPad when I am on the boat and have INavX connected to the AIS wifi. Seems like it would be locked up. I would switch the IPad wifi to my Verizon myfi, then it would connect up and the charts show up. After connecting I shift back to my AIS wifi setting. Now I understand what was going on. Could be bad if you were offshore and out of internet connectivity. This needs to be fixed.

[Allatsea]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Ive worked with Fugawi for years and find them to have among the best tech support I've seen. Just my experience.

I know they are having some issues at the moment. I was trying to download explorer quilted charts and got an error message. My emails were answered promptly with an explanation and a temporary workaround. Supposedly there will be a new iPhone/iPad application release before Christmas.

None the less, I don't trust much of anything. I carry a spare CP, charts on a laptop, laptop has Fugawi (Windows) and Open CPN (UNIX), Open CPN on a thumb drive to work on my wife's computer, charts on iPhone/iPad, paper charts, handheld battery operated GPS receivers, GPS on AIS, main VHF, on both handheld VHFs.

I have a sextant but haven't learned to use it.

Good thinking 99...

[Allatsea]

Originally Posted by J Clark H356

I've notice a slow start on my IPad when I am on the boat and have INavX connected to the AIS wifi. Seems like it would be locked up.
After I upgraded to 5.04, I noticed it taking a long time to start up. Just sat there on the opening picture displaying a progress indicator for a couple of minutes. I realise now it was attempting to connect to x-traverse, but since it was eventually successful, I didn't lose my charts.
It was when the connect attempt failed that I lost my charts

I would switch the IPad wifi to my Verizon myfi, then it would connect up and the charts show up. After connecting I shift back to my AIS wifi setting. Now I understand what was going on. Could be bad if you were offshore and out of internet connectivity. This needs to be fixed.
Absolutely, but meanwhile I have found that if you login to x-traverse from iNavX and never log out, your charts are never hidden, even when connect attempts have failed.

regards,
Allan