Charts Types

[meuritt]

I'm new to chartplotters in general, except some experience with Garmins Mapsource on this same laptop. I sail in SF Bay, my main interest in learning OpenCPN is to supplement my navigating class, this is an easier program for trip planing than mapsource for the class.

I have a hokey puck gps set up and working within OpenCPN.

I read in the OpenCPN instruction that I can download two types of charts, so I did and both apparently reside happily on my hard drive, in the same parent directory.

I can access one type and plan my local cruise just fine. I do not know, but suspect it is the nonvector since I can't turn on and off various information.

How do I switch between the raster and vector charts? Is it useful to do so?

In the upper right corner is small icons that look like they could be a switch between true and magnetic, is this the case, does it work with both types of charts.

not totally helpless, I did finally discover how the tide and current worked, nicely done feature

thank you
Mike

[fgd3]

Originally Posted by meuritt

How do I switch between the raster and vector charts? Is it useful to do so?

There is a row of buttons along the bottom of the OpenCPN screen. Each button represents a chart that is available in the current viewport. The green ones are vector charts. The blue ones are raster charts. Depending on whether or not chart quilting is on, the colors may differ. To switch between raster and vector charts, simply select a chart of the other type by clicking on its button.

Originally Posted by meuritt

In the upper right corner is small icons that look like they could be a switch between true and magnetic, is this the case, does it work with both types of charts.

No. I think what you're looking at simply shows heading and GPS status and signal strength. It's not clickable.

Fabbian