Google earth plugin

[nohal]

No, I don't run ot in Linux, but in a Windows VM. What part of the source are you missing?

[seandepagnier]

Pavel,

I do not have a windows VM, as I do not own a copy of windows and have never in my life bought a computer which had windows installed. If this is the only way to create kap charts I understand, but I would really like to see this fixed as we move forward.

The ge2kap program, if I am using the same one, is written in oorex correct? I do not have any oorex source files, only a zip file "DLL_Source.zip" which contains ge2kap_pi and source code for a DLL file which has a makefile specific to visual studio. The installer program for ge2kap does not work correctly under wine. If I could build this plugin (or the gecomapi_pi plugin) using the mingw compiler, then I could simply use it with the mingw compiled OpenCPN which works perfectly under wine. Wine works on macosx as well. The visual studio compiled OpenCPN crashes. The only other alternative I haven't explored is to somehow use dlltool and dllwrap to convert the visual studio compiled gecomapi_pi plugin into one which can be used from the mingw OpenCPN (assuming it can work and not just crash)

I think the long-term solution (as discussed earlier) is to use the javascript interface to access google earth imagery which is also completely legal. It would require each user to make a google account.

[CarCode]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

Wine works on macosx as well.

We do have already a lot of problems with wxWidgets for Mac OS X. Even the latest version wx 3.1.0 does not run as stable for OS X as the Windows and Linux versions.

So I would avoid to open another construction area with Wine for OS X.

If someone likes to run Windows with Mac OS X take Parallels or VMware Fusion. Anything else might be a nice playground but not for daily use.

Gerhard

[nohal]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

Pavel,

I do not have a windows VM, as I do not own a copy of windows and have never in my life bought a computer which had windows installed. If this is the only way to create kap charts I understand, but I would really like to see this fixed as we move forward.

The ge2kap program, if I am using the same one, is written in oorex correct? I do not have any oorex source files, only a zip file "DLL_Source.zip" which contains ge2kap_pi and source code for a DLL file which has a makefile specific to visual studio. The installer program for ge2kap does not work correctly under wine. If I could build this plugin (or the gecomapi_pi plugin) using the mingw compiler, then I could simply use it with the mingw compiled OpenCPN which works perfectly under wine. Wine works on macosx as well. The visual studio compiled OpenCPN crashes. The only other alternative I haven't explored is to somehow use dlltool and dllwrap to convert the visual studio compiled gecomapi_pi plugin into one which can be used from the mingw OpenCPN (assuming it can work and not just crash)

I think the long-term solution (as discussed earlier) is to use the javascript interface to access google earth imagery which is also completely legal. It would require each user to make a google account.

Sean...
I extracted the latest published GE2KAP for you to https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3X...it?usp=sharing

Also have a look at https://wiki.gnome.org/msitools - should do the trick natively on Linux, but I haven't tried it.

If you will still be missing something, you can ask Paul in http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-43680-63.html - I think he will gladly provide whatever code you will need.

I still don't think that GoogleEarth is the way to go for Linux and Mac though. Neither I like the "new" component embedding a browser with JavaScript application as it misses local caching which I consider essential.
And as everybody wants solutions, not nay-saying, I have already started working on a crossplatform plugin using any tile server available to the user.

Pavel

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by nohal

Sean...
I extracted the latest published GE2KAP for you to https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3X...it?usp=sharing

Unfortunately I get an execution error with oorex.

I still don't think that GoogleEarth is the way to go for Linux and Mac though. Neither I like the "new" component embedding a browser with JavaScript application as it misses local caching which I consider essential.
And as everybody wants solutions, not nay-saying, I have already started working on a crossplatform plugin using any tile server available to the user.

Pavel

I don't really see the point of local caching because, that is what making the kap file does. I'm a lot more interested in using any tile server as this would include a lot more than just google imagery.

[nohal]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

Unfortunately I get an execution error with oorex.

Can't help with this one.

I don't really see the point of local caching because, that is what making the kap file does. I'm a lot more interested in using any tile server as this would include a lot more than just google imagery.

I don't see the point in creating the KAPs in an OpenCPN plugin at all, IMO an online service would be much more suitable for this task.

Pavel

[seandepagnier]

Yes, an online service would work, but I need to be able to tell it where to create the charts. I would like to just traverse coastlines in given areas.

[seandepagnier]

Actually... Why aren't we using libmarble? It has the exact same google imagery (as well as about a dozen different types of data from maps to topographical etc..) but it's opensource. It's already being used in subsurface.

https://gitorious.org/marble/marble/...18c36fe6abc31c

[Baikal]

integration can help with this open source project?
SAS Planeta
http://sasgis.org/programs/sasplanet...net_140505.zip
https://bitbucket.org/sas_team

[Jon Hacking]

I think the GE plugin is a TREMENDOUS asset, especially when out in the boonies where charts are iffy. I like using the GE cache rather than creating a huge number of KAP files. When I'm at a cyber-café, I load up the GE cache with where I'm going. When the cache starts getting full (say, 1.5GB) then I save the cache files off to a local directory, clear the GE cache, & start filling the cache again with the next area. When I'm going to cruise an area, I copy my saved GE cache back to the GE cache. My procedure is outlined in more detail on our website here.

My problem is that sometimes GE doesn't recognize those pre-saved cache files. If this happens when I'm in a remote (non-internet) location, I'm hosed (& we're out at the eastern-most point of Borneo now, with very dodgy internet).

Am I doing something wrong? Are there better (non-KAP) ways to do this? How do I make copying GE cache files work better?

System is updated Win7 & late version GE. TIA...

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

When I'm at a cyber-café, I load up the GE cache with where I'm going. When the cache starts getting full (say, 1.5GB)

You must be very lucky to pull 1.5GB from a cyber-cafe.

My problem is that sometimes GE doesn't recognize those pre-saved cache files. If this happens when I'm in a remote (non-internet) location, I'm hosed (& we're out at the eastern-most point of Borneo now, with very dodgy internet).

Am I doing something wrong? Are there better (non-KAP) ways to do this? How do I make copying GE cache files work better?

I am sorry not to provide an easy solution, but I am interested in solving this problem better.

First of all, what is wrong with making KAP files?

Maybe instead of relying on google earth program which is closed source and restrictive and not fixable (also not working on linux), we should focus on perfecting the process of automatic kap generation.

For example, actual automatic scanning of coastlines at a given detail level. or automatically scanning areas which show something besides entirely land, or deep water sea using cm93 charts as a reference.

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

... what is wrong with making KAP files? ...

I agree that KAP files are cross-platform (I talk about them here) but that's not my problem at all.

For the level of detail I'm looking for, I usually scan hundreds of miles of coastline (& any reefs &/or islands) at about 6,000' (2,000m) & then zoom in further for possible anchorages, marinas, etc. To make that many KAP files is a HUGE project - even just lining up the GE views so you overlap but not too much is a pain (IMHO). It's vastly easier (for me, on Win7) to just "fly" over an area & let GE store it in its cache, then copy that cache to a non-volatile location for later re-use.

[wdkester]

Google "google earth save cache offline utility"

You could be having a problem with creating a cache under GE x.1 and reloading it under a newer version.

Also plenty of advice if you do the above search without "utility".

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

For the level of detail I'm looking for, I usually scan hundreds of miles of coastline (& any reefs &/or islands) at about 6,000' (2,000m) & then zoom in further for possible anchorages, marinas, etc. To make that many KAP files is a HUGE project - even just lining up the GE views so you overlap but not too much is a pain (IMHO). It's vastly easier (for me, on Win7) to just "fly" over an area & let GE store it in its cache, then copy that cache to a non-volatile location for later re-use.

It sounds like your process of creating kap files requires too much manual interaction. What you need, is to create kap files automatically as you pan over the map.

I want to take it the next step, and also allow automatic scanning of large areas based on if the cm93 charts show coastlines and reefs.

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

... What you need, is to create kap files automatically ...

Alexandra, this is what YOU need. I don't need, want, or even like KAP files, although I can see why you do. Good luck "taking it to the next level" but there are other threads that deal with KAP files. This thread is for the GE plugin.

Wdkester, thanks for the links. I'm out in the boonies now & can't explore them as much as I'd like (only 3 bars of 2G), but one thing I found is that I'm not deleting my GE cache before dropping in the new one. I didn't think GE cared, but maybe it does. Thanks for the pointers.