AIS Data in GE Plugin . . .

[mileskb]

I've been following these forums for awhile and only registered today because this is the first time I haven't found my answer in search.

It's a bit embarrassing but here goes...

I have been using OpenCPN for about a year I guess. Love it. I have the Google Earth plug-in which is really great for me for planning.

I picked up a Netbook recently and wanted to add Google Earth just like I have it on my main machine and here's where I'm hitting a brick wall.

On my main machine... GE shows AIS data. It's getting it from the Internet from Marine Traffic. I just start OpenCPN and when I want to look at the AIS data, I just click on GE and there it is. For the life of me, I can't figure out how I set it up to do this. I've searched and searched...

Just to be clear... here is a link to a screen shot of what I see on my main PC and what I would like to see on my netbook.

Here's a screenshot of my PC
ais | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

What did I do to accomplish this???

Thanks in advance

[HappySeagull]

COOL!,Miles!I want to do this!Can you give any more clues?
-I think I am using the same AIS site in Google Earth but it doesn't show in the plugin for me.
-Confirm which AIS site linked to GE?
-What version of GE?
-A close up screenshot of what's checked in the GE sidebar?(looks like you have google pix(?) too or something else besides the AIS site.)

-what the setup is for the GE plugin?...what's checked,what's not..
thanks!

[HappySeagull]

...hey!it's working!more research needed....

[sinbad7]

For a long time I've had AIS targets on my OCPN page,BUT how on earth did you manage to get AIS on the Google Earth plug-in? and why?

Tore

[mileskb]

Guys, c'mon.. read my post. I DON'T KNOW HOW I DID IT... I want to do it on my netbook and I can't figure out how. I FORGOT what I did.

I think it had to do with saving a .kml someplace and setting a setting in GE to network someplace, but I can't find anything... The GE plugin only the only thing that is checked is follow chart viewport.

I do remember I found the instructions online. I assumed it was in these forums as that is where I get most of the information on OpenCPN. But I can't find how I did it.

As far as why??... just because I can. I wouldn't use it for Navigation or safety, but it's handy info to have on another platform.

I figured it as common knowledge until now

[mileskb]

Ok, I confirmed it's a Google Earth thing, whatever I'm doing. If I open Google Earth, without opening OpenCPN... my Google Earth has the MarineTraffic logo in the upper left. and I see AIS data no matter where I zoom to. Cool.. but FRUSTRATING... HOW DID I DO IT??!!!???!!?! ARRGGGGGHHHH (feeling pretty stupid at the moment)

[HappySeagull]

not common knowledge yet...
You'll have to get the marine traffic link into your google earth,that's for sure.It's here.
MarineTraffic vessels on Google Earth, in Real-Time

You can SAVE this file and then....
I recall that you have to browse to and load it with google earth.Then,It'll show up in GoogleEarth under MyPlaces...and so on...
IT TAKES AWHILE TO LOAD because it seems to load every ship in it's database.
The refresh rate is not great ..not as good as vtslite(siitech) which also displays age of data too but...

In OpenCPN GEPlugin ,my settings are nothing much checked except "follow chart viewport" but following the boat should work for what it's worth,I think.
I'm not sure if these are the concrete settings -it never showed up before-too many possibilities and seagulls get confused!

Edit and postscript;I have GE settings as "silently accept unrecognized data" per some other tweak?or this.Can't recall(sigh)GE is set as DIRECT X,not open GL-again,don't remember if important.
It's all here http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...gin-55797.html

where the folks that know are hangin...

[HappySeagull]

well,that's synchronicity,ain't it...we're cross posting.

[HappySeagull]

Originally Posted by sinbad7

For a long time I've had AIS targets on my OCPN page,BUT how on earth did you manage to get AIS on the Google Earth plug-in? and why?

Tore

Great!how did you do that...what's the network address (if that's what it is)

I'm doing it because I see now it's possible and because I can (for free!)

[mileskb]

LOL... I'm glad I refreshed before I posted.. The comment about "sidebar" got me digging deeper. But here are some off-the-cuff directions..

1. Go to MarineTraffic.com and DOWNLOAD the .kml file on this page..
MarineTraffic vessels on Google Earth, in Real-Time . DO NOT just click on it, do a right-click and save the file on your pc.

2. In Google earth, open the sidebar and add a network link.

3. Browse to the file you saved and open it.

As stated above, you'll have to wait a few moments for it to kick in.

4. Now my Google Earth plugin within OpenCPN has stopped working, so I rebooted.

5. Opened up OpenCPN, clicked the GE in the toolbar... took a few seconds to load and there was the AIS data

whew... glad we got that worked out.

[HappySeagull]

ahaahha...except I"M not sure how why it works now and didn't before!
Hey,but you showed it works!thanks mileskb!

[r.fairman]

Just a reminder AIS Decoder will take any live or internet ais data you have and display it in GE and GE Plugin AIS decoder looks very complex but comes with a pre written ini file to set up the AIS live display in GE. My live AIS data comes from a modified handheld marine vhf As a commercial member i cannot tell you how From my experience any settings or displays you have in GE are retained for display in GE Plugin This includes routes and or tracks you have preloaded into GE. This is not really surprising as i think the plug in is basically running your version of GE in a plugin window plus lots of other clever things.

Richard

[revivo]

ShipPloter conected a googleEarht

[HappySeagull]

Originally Posted by r.fairman

Just a reminder AIS Decoder will take any live or internet ais data you have and display it in GE and GE Plugin AIS decoder looks very complex but comes with a pre written ini file to set up the AIS live display in GE. My live AIS data comes from a modified handheld marine vhf As a commercial member i cannot tell you how From my experience any settings or displays you have in GE are retained for display in GE Plugin This includes routes and or tracks you have preloaded into GE. This is not really surprising as i think the plug in is basically running your version of GE in a plugin window plus lots of other clever things.

Richard

Thanks for that tip,Richard!I have AIS decoder kicking around somewhere from a recent attempt to convert an old VHF.(Unfortunately,this hasn't got a chip that I can identify the discriminator output on)...I will check AIS decoder out perinternet AIS...
Not sure where or how I'll ever use this

[sinbad7]

A far quicker way to access the MarineTraffic AIS data is to use their script and set up your own web page which you can access via the 'Additional information' box without even leaving the OpenCPN website. See attached example.

Your own AIS page: AIS MARINE TRAFFIC

Tore