Create Route from Waypoint Names

[bobgarrett]

Is it possible in OpenCPN to create a route using the Waypoint names rather than their positions? For example I have a list of buoys and want to create a route by selecting their names - maybe I don't actually know where all the buoys are, this is typical in a yacht race.

[rgleason]

This is not possible in OpenCPN.
You could make a tracker feature request

[Canne]

+1 for this feature in the Route Manager.

Meanwhile, like in the DashT Race Mark race course definition maybe the following workaround is convenient: get a list of all marks from the organizer (Solent waypoints 2020.gpx), make a copy of it for editing, keeping but your race's buoys (Solent waypoints 2020 My Race1 WPs.gpx). Import it in the Layers-tab of the Route Manager, tick all boxes to make buoys visible on the chart. Draw the route from one mark to another, starting with a right click.

Not exactly what you want but learning the actual position of the buoys would not hurt...

[bobgarrett]

While I know where many if the buoys are and our club provides a file that can be imported to OpenCPN with over 100 buoys in the Solent and some changing name each year as sponsors change knowing where they all are is impossible.

[CaptTom]

I've been known to edit a GPX file in a text editor, then import it. I could see taking a list of waypoints, changing the "wpt" tag to "rtept," then adjusting the header information to make it a route.

I agree being able to do this right in OpenCPN would be a LOT easier.

[Canne]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

<snip>I've been known to edit a GPX file in a text editor, then import it.</snip>

I've been doing exactly the same, but directly in the navobj.xml file. Use "Layers" then Export to convert the club's GPX file to OpenCPN XML. I copy only the announced mark names "1A", "1B" etc. not paying attention to sponsor names nor lat/lon - they will come along. CaptTom method above transforms those waypoint XMLs into a route XML. When you start OpenCPN you have the race as a route, no clicks. Works but not practical. I have created features requests in Tracker #2718 (regatta) and #2719 (offshore) - please up-vote and/or suggest further features.

[Antipole]

I have a solution using the Javascript plugin v0.3+ for creating race routes from a selected list of waypoints - as I understand the requirements. The plugin user guide includes this application as one of the demonstration scripts.
In brief here, the script

1. allows the user to specify a regular expression pattern by which to select those waypoints which are race marks.
2. allows the user to select the course marks in order adding them to the course. You can indicate whether they are to be left to port or starboard
3. It then creates the route in OpenCPN and displays the course, such as in this example where the race marks all start with the digit 5 followed by a letter and a descriptive name:

0 Line
1 194° 0.2nm 5M Gleads to port
2 147° 0.4nm 5N Mary Rose to starboard
3 250° 1.4nm 5F North Sturbridge to starboard
4 340° 1.0nm 5E Darling Associates to starboard
5 096° 1.4nm 5M Gleads to port
6 014° 0.2nm 5M Line to finish


You can modify the script to meet your preferred requirements.

[Ptizef]

Instead of making a new tracker feature request, better vote for the existing ones
There are at least two
A quite old one #FS416 which is dedicated to that request
A younger one #FS2648 which include that request

[rgleason]

Originally Posted by Ptizef

Instead of making a new tracker feature request, better vote for the existing ones There are at least two
A quite old one #FS416 which is dedicated to that request
A younger one #FS2648 which include that request

#FS416 RM Create Route - Use waypoints in the route manager 6 votes

#FS2648 Routes: Improve insertion of waypoint and allow reordering of waypoints 2 votes

Some of these are a little different. Why not vote for them all and wrap them together?
I have linked them together now in tracker. We could add the votes together to get this to vetted. I will count just one of my votes.


But perhaps Antipole has a good answer?