The XO Computer for Navigation

[agkirk]

Paul, I am struggling with getting the three programs running as activities via the icons. I got the XO icons you supplied running but they hang on a pane with the name of the app in the center. I suspect this is because of the way I elected to run the apps off of the SD card and not the XO FLASH memory. Is there a way to edit the .xo activity files/scripts to have a path name to my SD card? If not, where should I place the executables i.e. which directory?

Thanks,

Alan

[agkirk]

Paul, After looking with the Log Viewer I see that SeaClear doesn't get launched because WINE can't find program file C:SeaCLear/SeaClear.exe. How do I correct this? I suspect the same is true of the other programs.

Alan

[phiggins]

AgKirk,

Yes do this:

cd /home/olpc/Activities/SeaClear.activity
vi SeaClearActivity.py
I
Now scroll down to the line that says:
os.system('wine "C:\Program Files\SeaClear\SeaClear_2.exe" ')
and change it to whatever command you enter to start SeaClear.
then
esc
ZZ

Do the same for the MapCal and JTides.

Paul

[agkirk]

Paul, Thanks That was what I needed. All activities working now. Next question; when I try to set up the wine com1 using your previous tip, I get " ln: creating symbolic link 'com1': File exist". SeaClear still asks for me to set Communications port 1. What am I doing wrong?

[phiggins]

agkirk,

Great.

That message is just saying its already been linked. Nothing to do unless you want to link the com1 port to another ttyUSBx, if so, then enter: unlink com1 and then issue the ln -s /dev/ttyUSBx com1
again.

Paul

[agkirk]

Paul, What is the impact of the SeaClear Comm 1 not found msg when I start SeaClear? I have not tried a GPS into the USB ports on the XO. Is the USBx(0) the first port used?
Thanks

Alan

[phiggins]

It just means you don't have a USB to serial cable plugged in. If you plug one in, even if there is no GPS connected to it, the message will go away.

[phiggins]

Regarding my last statement, you would also have to have the comport in SeaClear set to the port that you specified in ln command. In other words if you had entered:
cd ~/.wine/dosdevices
ln -s /dev/ttyUSB0 com1
then you would have to in SeaClear: Tools..Preferences...Comm tab and the set PC Port to Com1

Paul

[agkirk]

Paul, All seems to be working well. Thought there was a problem with the SeaClear activity because when I selected the SeaClear icon and it opened from the home pane I would have to STOP the resulting pane to get SeaClear to run. A reboot of the XO seemks to have fixed that. Is there a map index that associates the NOAA chart number to a picture of the US?

Thanks,

Alan

[phiggins]

agkirk,
I don't think NOAA has a BSB chart of the entire USA. If you go to their site: Office of Coast Survey - NOAA Raster Navigational Charts and take their Graphical selection path it shows all the charts areas and there doesn't seem to be one for the entire USA but SeaClear does come with a USA.WCI map.

As for the problem loading, I found that when I used the method that Opera uses it works much faster so I have attached those. Of course you will have to remove the old activities (./xo-get.py remove SeaClear) and then install the new ones (./xo-get.py install /media/XXXXX/SeaClear-3.xo ) and also go back in and modify the startup command in the SeaClearActivity.py to point to your SD drive. If you use these the dummy activity, the one with the activity icon, will be completely blank.

Regarding your question about the ttyUSBx, the x will start with 0 for the first USB/Serial cable you plug in, then increment if you plug in another say if also plugged in one for AIS input. You can see all the ttyUSBx devices by entering:
ls -l /dev | grep ttyUSB

Paul

[agkirk]

Thanks, FYI I have been using the Midnight Commander utility with success in manipulating files and some editing. Also, have you seen any more on editing the position of icons on the lower frame leg? I have seen the question asked but never answered in XO forums. I noticed when I put your icons into play they were positioned ahead of the OPERA activity icon, so I thought there might be some additional knowledge about this.

[tyrntlzrdking]

I just bought a OLPC XO on eBay for $200. plus $15.00 shipping.
I have no experience with Linux, so I will follow this thread for help.

[phiggins]

I've wrote a very simple AIS Simulator program written in python to test SeaClear ( guess it would work for any Navigation program that receives NMEA sentences and understands AIS messages). It also tests the GPS interface. The program sends NMEA RMC and AIS messages to simulate ship traffic in the Peugout sound area of Washington state. Your ship is represented as a ferry going back and forth in the straits. It allows you to test out the CPA/TCPA of the navigation program. I have both a Linux version and a Windows version (I hope to combine them into one program later).
The Linux version requires 3 files two of which are too big to post here.
- my program - 1KB
- my AIS/RMC file - 1500KB
- Chart 18440_1.KAP - 5011KB

The Windows versions requires the same 3 files plus you need:
- Python installed (I used V2.5)
- a virtual com port program to simulate to 2 comm ports (I used ComEmulDrv3)
- Pyserial

If you would like either or both program send me a personal message with your email address an I'll send you a zipped file with the the 3 files and instructions.

[agkirk]

Paul, Installed your latest -3 activity icon files and they do load faster and my problems with the opening of SeaClear went away. Still have the 'fur-ball' on the home circle, but OPERA has the same problem. I did note that the position of the icons in the frame is now right of the OPERA icon. There was something in the -2 activity install that caused the icons to appear to the left of the OPERA icon. Perhaps magic! Thanks

[agkirk]

If this thread goes away, I'm in blue water. I had to go back to page 5 and refresh my memory on how to install an activity. Sure glad you are doing such a great job on the install instructions.