New IAC Fleetcode Plugin for OpenCPN

[CBorchardt]

Hello everybody,

for those of you who sail in the southwest pacific like I do,
this plugin might be of interest for you.

In short, it decodes and displays the IAC Fleetcode surface analysis
of the sw-pacific from Fidjis Metoffice in OpenCPN. This is probably the
easiest way to get an surface analysis if you don't have an internet
connection (at your anchorage or at sea).

As you propably know, the Fidji metoffice creates a surface analysis
chart including pressure systems, frontal systems and tropical systems for the
sw-pacific. It is encoded in an amazing small textfile that can be obtained
by saildoc and other sources. I use this in addition to the GRIB files.
To obtain this file send an email with the body

Send fleet.nadi
to "query@saildocs.com"

You will receive an answer to this email which is the encoded surface analysis.
You will need to save this eMail in a file to be able to display it with
this plugin. It is easiest to save all emails with this fleetcodes to a
special directory.

Getting the plugin
==================
I developed the plugin on a windows computer and with OpenCPN Version 2.5
For this reason I can only distribute the windows version for now.
If somebody is interested I can make the source code available.
Th plugin can be obtained at
http://www.sy-fortytwo.de/download/i...t_pi_V_0_1.zip

Installing the iacfleet plugin
==============================
Just unpack the ZIP file and copy the file iavfleet_pi.dll to the plugin
directory of your OpenCPN. I use OpenCPN Version 2.5 and am not sure if the
plugin will work with other version of OpenCPN.
The plugin directory on my (windows)computer is
C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins

Running the plugin
==================
After (re)startiong OpenCPN you should find the plugin in the Toolbox->PlugIns
Menu. You have to enable it to use it. No configuration necessary right now.

Once the plugin is enabled you will find a new icon in the menu that will open
the iacfleet plugin dialogbox.

Enter the directory where you have stored the copies of the fleetcode-emails
received from saildocs and select one of the files in the selection box.

If everything went right you should see the surface analysis overlay
in your chart window (remember it covers only the sw-pacific).

The "Text"-Panel in the dialog will show the decoded information while the
"Raw"-Panel will show the encoded information.

Pointing at a front or pressure system will popup a Tip-Window with the
detailed information of this system.

Thats all - no more, no less.

Please
======
- tell me if you are able to use the plugin
- if you like it or not
- tell me about any errors
- etc..

Tip
===
If you are using Airmail to receive the fleetcode, you could create a new
"Inbox Folder" and just move all the fleetcode files into that Folder.
If you use this folder as the iacfleet plugin directory you never need to
save the fleetcode mails manualy.

Cheers from

Carsten@sy-fortytwo.de

on board of the sailing vessel "forty-two" in Vava'U, Kingdom of Tonga.