First Principles For A New User

[rgleason]

Do we know exactly what OS and Hardware? What a rocky start that was!

I like that "OpenCPN 5.4 Toolbar menu is too small."


https://www.perplexity.ai/search/Ope...Tu2mTx0AzintdQ


Here is Edge ChatGpt "Copilot"

"OpenCPN 5.4 Toolbar menu is too small."

Copilot

To address the issue of the small toolbar menu in OpenCPN 5.4, you can try the following steps:

• Screen Resolution Settings:
  • Go to Tools > Preferences > Application > Interface > Screen resolution (for OpenCPN 5) or Tools > Preferences > General > Interface > Screen resolution (for OpenCPN 4).
  • Adjust the screen resolution settings to a suitable value that works well with your display. This may help improve the visibility of icons and text in the toolbar.
• Font Settings:
  • Navigate to Options > User Interface > Fonts.
  • In the dropdown menu, select ChartTexts.
  • Choose an appropriate font face and template size for the text displayed on vector charts. The weight and final size of the displayed texts will depend on the charts you are using.
• Additional Configuration (Advanced):
  • If the above steps do not fully resolve the issue, you can try modifying the configuration file:
    • Locate the qt.conf file in your Anaconda3 installation folder (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\Anaconda3_64).
    • Add the following line to the file:[Platforms] WindowsArguments = dpiawareness=0
    • Save the changes and restart OpenCPN.

Remember that adjusting the screen resolution and font settings can significantly impact the overall display, so find a balance that suits your preferences and readability. If you encounter any further issues, consider checking the OpenCPN community forums for additional solutions or updates123.




======================


And here is the brief manual section on User Interface



https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...user_interface

[Stranizza]

My two cents to this tread, I start using OpenCpn from the very begin and through the years I upgrade the versions ecc..
i am not a high computer skill man, but I am curios and I like to connect the dots. I never had any particular problem to install it and to use it, and we use it a lot , we sail more than 50000 miles, 5 Atlantic crossing and two years in Patagonia, using the various OpenCpn versions with the famous CM93 .
What I am thinking is the many people today suffer of YouTube syndrome, a couple of double click and they think they know everything. The shortcut never pays off, like everything else need a bit of study and dedication .
I saw many criticism regarding the friendly use of OpenCpn , but did this people had never used a normal plotting MFD ? where you can use only a couple of thing friendly, for the other need to be a nuclear engineer.
Without speaking of the cost, for a standard plotter with all the device around we are talking about 6/8000 euro, with our system is zero cost, plus the opportunity to exchange charts with other sailing people, plus the many different chart's format can be upload.
Last but not the least the latest installation of a Marpa Radar , buying only the antenna for a cheap price.
Overall I want to thanks all the OpenCpn community for this great opportunity and for all the hard works they put in .
Sorry about my English but I am not a native speaker, hope people will understand the message.
GW Angelo

[Southernsunfish]

Thank you all for your replies and assistence. My operating system is Ubuntu linux ver 22 something. The openCPN package was sourced from the Ubuntu software installer.

The initial display mode and menu size are what was set in the software as installed. I removed and reinstalled the system multiple times over the last year to try and get it working but gave up because I didn't have the time to RTFM. The last two times we chartered in Croatia we used Navionics not because it was powerful but because it worked effortlessly on our ipads and iphones.

However Navionics is owned by Garmin and the product is slowly being corrupted with American marketing practices (software as a service - you pay every year) and getting more and more expensive or as we say "not a good value proposition". That is what has finally made me invest the time in trying to learn openCPN.

I now have some appreciation of OpenCPN and I am impressed by its power. I have loaded by own home made Australian raster charts and discovered the wonderful RNC Catalogue feature. I have bought the Australian vector charts and loaded them. I bought New Zealand s63 permits and have tried multiple times to load theNZ s63 charts with no success but I have the NZ RNCs working. I will delete the whole installation again and try and make the s63 system work by itself.

I understand the temptation as a developer or experienced user to blame the new and inexperienced user for their own problems, however such an attitude may not help OpenCPN achieve the acceptance it deserves.

For example not being in the EU, I know nothing about having four display modes "dusk, night, dawn and day, etc." still less about EU display rules. So while it may mean something in Europe (1 billion people) to the rest of the world (7 billion people) it's meaningless. Furthermore if there are four modes, good interface design indicates that they should be selected from a drop down list.

By the way, does openCPN have the facility (without radar) of showing a dynamic line on the chart from the vessel to a fixed point? Taking a few transits is the fastest way to verify your system and GPS integrity in coastal navigation.

[rgleason]

@Southernsunfish
We are delighted that you are finding some success with OpenCPN, however we are we would really like to understand what went astray with your endeavors and earlier installs. It is still a mystery to us and we would like to get to the bottom it.

Thank you for the OS information. Others may have some questions for you.


@Southersunfish I have been working on this first page of the User Manual Basic which is addressed to New Users. I would appreciate it if you would take a look at this page as it has developed, to see if things are in the right order and make sense to you. Please feel free to comment here. Thanks.
https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...n:manual_basic


I have gotten permits for NZ, loaded and update those charts and found it to be somewhat technical, and had to start over once or twice, so I am impressed at what you have done.


I can suggest a very useful tool built with great care by Jon Gough called Ocpn_Draw Plugin which will assist you in many ways with very useful drawing tools.
Here is one of the Plugin Lists in the wiki Manual
Under the "Safety" category, you will find Ocpn_Draw

Points are very similar to Waypoints and mark locations on the chart. Paths join two or more points together and draw a line between them. Currently these Points exist:

• Boundary Point (BP)
• Text Point (TP)
• Electronic Bearing Line (EBL) Point
• Dead Reckoning (DR) Point
• Guard Zone (GZ) Point

These Points are used to construct special types of Paths:

• Boundary (B)
• Electronic Bearing Line (EBL)
• Dead Reckoning (DR)
• Guard Zone (GZ)
• Parallel Index Line (PIL)

[bcn]

Originally Posted by Southernsunfish

For example not being in the EU, I know nothing about having four display modes "dusk, night, dawn and day, etc." still less about EU display rules. So while it may mean something in Europe (1 billion people) to the rest of the world (7 billion people) it's meaningless. Furthermore if there are four modes, good interface design indicates that they should be selected from a drop down list.

The ECDIS standard is a global one, governed by the IHO. Compulsory for commercial vessels worldwide.
The S-57 (ENC) portrayal standards are from there as well. The one OpenCPN adheres to and which you see implemented at your canvas.
"Display Categories" like Base, Standard are defined there, and OpenCPN follows them.

[Southernsunfish]

Thank you RGLeason and Bcn.


Regarding the display start up user interface, I completely deleted opencpn from my system and reinstalled it.


My apologies for wasting your time - it does start with a daylight display and readable ,


I am now trying to install S63 charts for New Zealand with no success. I have discovered the locations for the chart tile permit (Permit.txt) its on the Linz website under "system and subscriptions".


Everything tests successfuly and the chart permits load - the only trouble is I dont know where they are or how the s63 directory structure is supposed to be configured. when I go to import the charts, it asks me for the directory ENC_ROOT or something and I can't see it and I dont have any more time today to research it or try and understand what is happening.


Regarding the basic user manual page while it is no doubt comprehensive, However I respectfully suggest that there is a psychology issue here....


That is that you are presenting a potential new user with a long list - 26 items, that you want her to study BEFORE she gets results. This is way too much, especially for a non technical user. They will walk away from the software because the learning curve you have provided is much too steep.


1. They want to install the system as simply as possible.


2. They want to see a chart on thescreen.


3. They want to connect a GPS and see their boats position right now.


...and that is ALL they need to do initially: display their own vessel on a chart in real time, nothing more.


If they like what they see then natural curiousity will lead them to want to learn more.

[sailor1026]

I sympathize with @sunfish and @mvweebles. I used the link to instructions from @rgleason in post 26 of this thread (https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...ic:get_started), followed the Installation Guide instructions (which links to a page titled “Installation Instructions” instead of “Installation Guide”) to download the current MacOS version (5.8.4-0), and installed it on MacOS Sonoma 14.3.1. It starts and shows the crude global chart. Good so far.

But then the instructions for downloading the high-res global chart (GSHHG) run into difficulties because I want to put the charts in a location where I have other charts. OK, there’s a link back on the Installation Instructions page to Report Bugs using Tracker (https://opencpn.org/flyspray/). But the bugs page seems to be view-only and doesn’t have an obvious way to submit bugs.

I will pause at this point. I have time to work through the installation docs and process if that would help the project (send me a PM).
-Terry

[Southernsunfish]

I have just spent another two hours on trying to convince myself I know enough to be able to trust openCPN enough to take it on board. Sadly I failed again.


I bought Austalian vector charts and a chart permit for the NZ S63 charts from O -charts.


Despite following the O -chart instructions to the letter, deleting the program and starting from a fresh intall,I cannot get the NZ S63 charts to display. I have created finger print files, user permits , install permits. I have imported the S63tiles then imported the charts and ,,,,nothing, even after full database rebuilds. The permit.txt file comes from LINZ.



Opencpn created its own directory for s63 charts, I originally made my own and copied everything to both directories but nothing happens.


You need a what database architects call a schema that describes the structure of openCPN databases because without that you cannot even discover what is missing.



Because I cant get it to work for NZ S63 charts I must forget it for use with any charts because I cannott trust the software.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by Southernsunfish

...... and a chart permit for the NZ S63 charts from O -charts.


Because I cant get it to work for NZ S63 charts I must forget it for use with any charts because I cannott trust the software.

Just took me less than 10 minutes to download NZ charts from inside Opencpn, the charts are free, and they worked straight away.

Free, no permit required.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by barcoMeCasa

Free, no permit required.

Though for ENCs looks like you need to purchase a S63 user permit on Ocharts then go on https://www.encservice.linz.govt.nz/registration to get the cell permits & download.
Says 3 - 5 days typically.

[Southernsunfish]

Mystery solved. What appears to happen when you install the S63 plugin, openCPN creates a directory called "/opencpn/S63" and that is where you put the contents of the S63 download from the reseller. The "import cells" and "import charts" functions create the necessary S63 directory structure inside the "/opencpn/S63" directory.


For all other charts, openCPN appears to create a directory called "/charts" and puts sub directories in it containing the Australian vector charts /charts/S57oeSenc-AU/"


I just continued adding sub directories with my own home made raster charts. I have no idea where the NZRNC charts are stored.

[MWGDVC]

The occasion of this thread has caused me to think a bit about my experience with OpenCPN.
In 2018 I looked at this program as a potential navigational tool. I found it to be slow, clunky, and counter-intuitive to use. At that time I discounted it as being unfit for purpose given my and my crew’s level of technical expertise. At that time I purchased a Navionics subscription with the assurances of being able to keep downloaded charts in the event of my subscription expiration. We found the interaction with the software to be fairly easy to understand, and I am sure I never used all of the features this software contained. Subsequent events with Navionics/ Garmin (and other navigation program suppliers), and the discontinuation of paper charts by NOAA and ACE in the US have forced me to have to reconsider OpenCPN.
After some significant time invested I have made some progress toward learning to use OpenCPN.
Firstly, my attitude toward computers, and machines in general, is that they should serve my needs and wants, not the other way around. I suspect I am not alone in this viewpoint, though I suspect few involved in the development of OpenCPN are aware this attitude exists.
It is not my intent to attack the developers personally, and I appreciate the efforts they have volunteered to undertake. This criticism is due to the fact that the forum’s OpenCPN section is an echo chamber of like minded individuals, mostly praising each other, and delighting in solving problems within the software.
My impression is that OpenCPN was developed by talented software people who happen to sail, not sailors who needed a better way to present navigational information.
Many, I suspect, tried OpenCPN, and abandoned it without a word, as did I. You have no way of knowing how often this occurs, as those disillusioned potential users have no reason to enter the forum’s OpenCPN echo chamber.
I would like for OpenCPN to succeed, hence my correspondence here. My purpose is not to denigrate your efforts, but to provide a little outside perspective as a frustrated prospective user.
It is outside my skill set to tell you how to accomplish this, but I can describe the experience I wish I had.
Download program, basic large scale map appears.
Select Language.
Select region.
Draw a box to encompass area more detailed charts are desired.
More detailed charts are downloaded.
Plug in GPS antenna.
Chart plotter shows location on displayed map.


At this point the user has a functional tool, capable of doing what we first learned to do on paper charts; find your location.
This initial success for the user would lead, in some cases, to the user pursuing additional functions to fit their individual desires.
Every other, more advanced function would be a separate plug in or plug in package.


For a joke to be funny, there must be an element of truth in it, so here goes:
A software developer decides he wants to serve his country, so he joins the military. In basic training, he goes to the rifle range, fires a shot at the target. The range officer calls out “miss”, the recruit fires again, again the range officer calls out “miss”. At this time the perplexed former software developer puts his finger over the muzzle, fires a shot, and blows the end of his finger off. The software developer then tells the range officer “It’s working at my end, the problem must be at the other end.”

[bcn]

Originally Posted by MWGDVC

It is outside my skill set to tell you how to accomplish this, but I can describe the experience I wish I had.
Download program, basic large scale map appears.
Select Language.
Select region.
Draw a box to encompass area more detailed charts are desired.
More detailed charts are downloaded.
Plug in GPS antenna.
Chart plotter shows location on displayed map.


At this point the user has a functional tool, capable of doing what we first learned to do on paper charts; find your location.
This initial success for the user would lead, in some cases, to the user pursuing additional functions to fit their individual desires.
Every other, more advanced function would be a separate plug in or plug in package.

Please consider:
- there is no homogenous system environment, hardware and software wise. Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, macOS fron 10.x on, all kind of Linux (some 32bit, some Intel, some ARM), Android 7 thru 14)


- there are no chart sources with worldwide coverage for OpenCPN for free


On that base, how shall a system or the system designer guess, which GNSS receiver is sitting where or where the data are coming from? Serial, USB, Ethernet, WiFi, CAN (=NMEA2000), built-in? All this are options when a user is commisioning a system. Not a walled garden.

"There should be a base chart present, where one selects the part of the world one wants to cruise." How? OpenCPN does not have a worldwide chart base. There is an effort required from the user to select chart sources, being informed what does exist, how to get the material.

Defining standard directories for chart install for all the architectures is a rat race which the updates and maintainers of the operating systems. Never ending fun. Always new surprises.

Installing then is not complicated, for the US and some other destinations the built-in chartdownloader is your friend, (S-63 perhaps slightly more - was designed 20 years ago with disquettes and CD exchange sets at hand. Even in that case these are 5 steps one just has to follow - literally please).


If you go back to my post on page 2 - https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3881163 - would you consider this challenging?


Writing a manual for OpenCPN under this conditions is a stony task. One would like to avoid to go into details to keep things simple. However, as there are so many fancy options for this Swiss knife, one is always tempted to add some "btw., there is also that way, or you might see this or that great idea....". If this happens, one can only ask for some understanding......
Help for improving, streamlining, organizing and maintaining documentation would for sure be very appreciated. Just ask Rick where to start.


Hubert

[rgleason]

Originally Posted by MWGDVC
It is outside my skill set to tell you how to accomplish this, but I can describe the experience I wish I had.

1. Download program, basic large scale map appears.
2. Select Language.
3. Select region.
4. Draw a box to encompass area more detailed charts are desired.
5. More detailed charts are downloaded.
6. Plug in GPS antenna.
7. Chart plotter shows location on displayed map.

I am just going to say this, there can be no excuse for users of navigation software who don't know their software, in fact, it is dangerous and unsafe. You need to know your computer, your software and your devices before using them on the high seas. You must learn and know how to do certain things, such as how and where to create folders/files in your OS, how to manage and install the GPS/GNNS device you purchased and and how to download, manage and update your charts, and how to configure your system or adjust it. These are frequent activities to keep charts current and confirm that your GPS is working properly. You need to know these things to use the software safely. It is just as simple as that. OpenCPN gives you tools to assist with these tasks but they require some small effort, commitment and learning by the user:

1. Use the wizard Chartdownloader.
2. To set language Toolbar > Options > User Interface
3. Use the wizard Chartdownloader
4. Use the wizard Chartdownloader
5. Use the wizard Chartdownloader
6. Managing and implementing this device is your task.
7. There is more than that, including Create Route, Routes, and Activate Route

[rgleason]

Additionally, please note:

The "Getting Started" page of "User Manual Basic" has not changed and shows the basic 4 steps that many New Users seem to parrot, with the unrealistic thought that GPS setup and Chart installation should be made "automatic" for the ease of the new user. It is very simple, if you want automatic GPS and Chart Installation, then OpenCPN is not for you.