OpenCPN chart groups

[DanielPiche]

I'm having difficulty using chart groups. Maybe someone has same problem that I do.

I'm using the stable version 3.2.2

After loading various charts folder, I've started creating groups. Everything goes well until I close the app. Next time I open openCPN, all group are reported as empty when I try to change group in main windows. If I create groups again, everything goes well again until I close and reopen the app.
I look like the groups are not stored in INI file???

Doesn't anyone can point me with solution (or where I can report this problem since I do not understand the openCPN reporting web page).

[wdkester]

Originally Posted by DanielPiche

I'm having difficulty using chart groups. Maybe someone has same problem that I do.

I'm using the stable version 3.2.2

After loading various charts folder, I've started creating groups. Everything goes well until I close the app. Next time I open openCPN, all group are reported as empty when I try to change group in main windows. If I create groups again, everything goes well again until I close and reopen the app.
I look like the groups are not stored in INI file???

Doesn't anyone can point me with solution (or where I can report this problem since I do not understand the openCPN reporting web page).

I'm assuming that you press OK after creating a Group and that you can then right click on the chart and see a Menu that includes the item "Chart Groups" and that if you left click on "Chart Groups" you see the group you created. Right?

[DanielPiche]

Your assumsion is right. After creating chart groups, I'm able to use them in main windows using 'Chart Groups' menu item. It work as expected, changing the group of charts that is see. The problem is that theses groups are not saved? and the next time I start the app, I have to recreate theses groups again. Do you use version 3.2.2?

[wdkester]

Yes, I have a system with 3.2.2 on it and Chart Groups seems to work as advertised.

I'm not a "fixer" so don't really know what evidence they will need; but, to solve the problem I think you will need to include:
1. The base operating system like Windows 7, Mac OS, linux
2. A settings file taken when the system is working, and after you restart. This is accessed from the OpenCPN help menu, it's the ? button.
3. A log file also accessed from the help menu.

These files are large and it might be helpful if you posted them one at a time. I would ask you to put them in a txt file but there is some limit on new users posting files.

[DanielPiche]

David, thank for the advise. Being a software developer myself, I've tried many scenarios last night looking at LOG file and INI file "before/after/within" groups definition. Groups declaration in INI file is pretty simple and look OK in all cases. I notice a binary file that contains other chart related informations. Since it's not a readable kind of source file (like XML, it's a proprietary format partially readable), I'm not able to figure out the problem.
PS: I'm using Windows 7 as OS.
Thank for your help whatever.

[bdbcat]

Daniel...

1. Start with no groups defined.
2. Exit OpenCPN, save opencpn.ini to a safe place. There should be no groups defined in this ini file. Check with an editor if you like. Close the editor.
3. Start O.
4. Create 1 group. Verify it works as expected.
5. Exit O.
6. Save the current opencpn.ini to another safe place, with another name.
7. There should be a group definition in this second file. Check with an editor.
8. Post both files here for analysis.

note. You must not try to edit opencpn.ini while OpenCPN is actually running, minimized or not. This would be something like repairing your airplane wing in-flight, not generally a good idea.

Groups are known to work in all platforms, all current and Beta Releases.

Thanks, and good luck
Dave

[DanielPiche]

Hi David, I've try a different approch to the problem and found even more problem with OpenCPN 3.2.2. First I've uninstall & reinstall the software to start fresh. So let start with first problem.

P1:
I've added 3 folder within the same execution. Everything is OK. I can open/reopen the software many times without problem. Part of INI file look like:
[ChartDirectories]
ChartDir1=C:\\$Safi\\CartesNautiques\\Raster\\Baha mas^141063628827
ChartDir2=C:\\$Safi\\CartesNautiques\\Raster\\Ches apeakeBay^303141837463
ChartDir3=C:\\$Safi\\CartesNautiques\\Raster\\East CoastCenter^476302400139

In a new execution, I added a new folder and close openCPN. When I reopen openCPN, I lost all preceding folder!!!!
Part of INI file look like:
[ChartDirectories]
ChartDir1=C:$Safi\\CartesNautiques\\Raster\\Bahama s^141063628827
ChartDir2=C:$Safi\\CartesNautiques\\Raster\\Chesap eakeBay^303141837463
ChartDir3=C:$Safi\\CartesNautiques\\Raster\\EastCo astCenter^476302400139
ChartDir4=C:\\$Safi\\CartesNautiques\\Raster\\Flor ida^360374436837

Has you can see, leading \\ of the 3 previous folder are gone. With openCPN closed. I've manually added the missing \\. I didn't work. I found that the error (missing \\) is also in CHRTLIST.DAT binary file. So I'm stuck.

So, before continuing with this software, this problem has to be understand. Since log file are huge, maybe if you want, we can exchange info we hotmail dirrectly.

PS: I may try beta version of problem to see if it there.

[DanielPiche]

David, I JUST FUND THE PROBLEM!!!!!

OpenCPN doesn't support $ in the name of a folder. I rename my folder $safi to safi. everything goes well now.

Some one should document this restriction.
Thank for your help.