drawing a segment

[Giorgio_it]

I'm using OpenCPN 5.2.4 to solve some exercises and I need almost always draw segments to calculate boat position, to evaluate current and so on.
The closest tool I'm using is EBL as part of OCPNdraw plugin but the starting point is always boat position. Instead I would need the possibility to choose starting point too.

Is there any other tool that allow to draw a segment in these ways:
1) giving start and end point coordinates
2) giving start point coordinates, length and angle

I know that Route tool woks almost in 1) but I have to trace route first then change coordinates. And I'd prefer that segments and routes looks different.

[Rasbats]

Giorgio...

How about ... right-click on the EBL and 'Pick a new start point'?

Mike

[Giorgio_it]

Useful hint I missed that I will use. Thanks.

But moving point can be done manually only, no way to input latitude and longitude.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Giorgio_it

Useful hint I missed that I will use. Thanks.

But moving point can be done manually only, no way to input latitude and longitude.

If you know your starting lon/lat and your ending lon/lat, drop marks (anywhere near) and then update their position using Properties. Then use Route or EBL to connect the two (or more) points.

[Giorgio_it]

Originally Posted by wingssail

If you know your starting lon/lat and your ending lon/lat, drop marks (anywhere near)

first step repeated twice for both points

and then update their position using Properties.

second step repeated twice for both points

Then use Route or EBL to connect the two (or more) points.

third step


After Mike suggestion I did but this need 3 steps in place of one. And I have to move manually start and end points of EBL as close as possible to mark points. This can lead to errors, that can be not so big if the segment is "long" but can be relatively big if the segment is "short", mainly in angle.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Giorgio_it

...And I have to move manually start and end points of EBL as close as possible to mark points. This can lead to errors, that can be not so big if the segment is "long" but can be relatively big if the segment is "short", mainly in angle.

If you use "Create Route" instead of EBL, (in standard OpenCPN), when you left click close to the dropped mark, you should get a prompt to "Use Nearby Waypoint?" which will be exactly on the mark.

As for having to do extra steps, I don't think that is required. As you drop marks for the starting point and the ending point, notice that the lon/lat of the curser is displayed on the bottom of the screen in OpenCPN. You can move the curser to the coordinates you want, then drop the mark. It's difficult to get the cursor in the exact point (within 4 decimal points , for example) but you can get extremely close with some practice. If you want perfect, then update thelon/lat in properties after dropping it.

[Giorgio_it]

Originally Posted by wingssail

If you use "Create Route" instead of EBL, (in standard OpenCPN), when you left click close to the dropped mark, you should get a prompt to "Use Nearby Waypoint?" which will be exactly on the mark.

As I wrote in first message I'd prefer not mix route an segments. I use segments to find fix from buildings, lighthouse and other "marks" on the coast.
And it would be useful to have "Use Nearby Waypoint?" options to draw segments too.

As for having to do extra steps, I don't think that is required. As you drop marks for the starting point and the ending point, notice that the lon/lat of the curser is displayed on the bottom of the screen in OpenCPN. You can move the curser to the coordinates you want, then drop the mark. It's difficult to get the cursor in the exact point (within 4 decimal points , for example) but you can get extremely close with some practice.

Here also "Use Nearby Waypoint?" could be useful.

If you want perfect, then update thelon/lat in properties after dropping it.

That's exactly what I call extra steps. Not a big problem but it could be avoided if input coordinates will be available.


Anyway all this hints don't answer to my request 2)

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Giorgio_it

...I'd prefer not mix route an segments. I use segments to find fix from buildings, lighthouse and other "marks" on the coast...Anyway all this hints don't answer to my request 2)

Giorgio, Myself and others have provided hints to help you work around a limitation of an OpenCPN plug in which does not do exactly what you want it to.

Frankly, I think the methods available are pretty suitable.

But the bottom line is that I am not one of O's developers and the development team, which is excellent in my opinion, or the plug-in developers, are not really sitting on the edge of their chairs waiting leap into action and start coding on requests to make the software exactly suit one user's preference.

Especially one which sounds an awfully lot like. "I don't like how it works and I would like to see it changed, and I don't want to hear any hints or ideas because they don't precisely match my original suggestion."

There are, however, two ways which people can make suggestions.

Go to the forum "OpenCPN" (it's one of the forums listed at the tab "forums" at the top of this page). In there you will find a thread for "Feature Requests" and another thread on the use of "Flyspray" which is a formal request system where requests or bugs are tracked and developed. I am not sure which is the most useful, or even if flyspray is active at this moment, but it's a place to start.

You will have more luck getting your feature added if many other users support your request. If it is just you, and there are work arounds, you might not see it very soon.