OpenCPN General

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by allergic2cities

Recently loaded Open CPN (vers. 4.8.0) to my Mac Powerbook (with OS X El Capitan 11.10.6) and had a friend provide his world charts (CM 2011-06 World_All). I have tried in vain to get these charts loaded and functional with my Open CPN software. I loaded the PR and VI charts from the internet successfully but have not been as lucky getting these whole world charts to work. He is using a DOS computer, me a MAc. Can anyone help me get these charts loaded and functional on my Mac. I would really appreciate someones help with this. Thanks in advance!
Rick
s/v Allergic to Cities
presently in Martinique

Wherever on your computer you have chosen to place the CM93 chart directory, you must point OCPN to it.

At the top of the screen in OCPN, you should see a toolbar. One button looks like a crescent wrench. Click it. That is your options menu.

From the Options menu, click on "Charts" to enter the charts menu.

In the Charts menu, click on "Chart Files".

To the right side of the Chart Files dialog window click on the "Add Directory" button.

Navigate to the directory where you have stored your CM93 charts.

Click "Apply" or "Okay", and wait a bit for OCPN to create its database. Bobs yer uncle.

[Keysliving]

I have been using a bu-353 gps puck.My new tablet is running Windows 10. The puck only works sometimes. Is there a better puck to use with10? Or does anyone have information on getting this one to work? Thanks

[yachtvalhalla]

Originally Posted by Keysliving

I have been using a bu-353 gps puck.My new tablet is running Windows 10. The puck only works sometimes. Is there a better puck to use with10? Or does anyone have information on getting this one to work? Thanks

Is your BU-353 the S4 model? If so I recommend you download the latest driver for it. Get it at USGlobalsat Corporate

I've found the older models don't work well with Windows after W7.

Terry

[Keysliving]

Yes it is the s4. I downloaded latest driver already.

[rgleason]

You must always plug the Puck into the same port.
There is a file that stores a history of all the usb devices used which just gets bigger and bigger. I have cleaned that out in the past and then labeled each port in my usb hub with which device it should take.

This is not a requirement but it makes the connections more reliable and trouble free without having to change Opencpn settings too.

[allergic2cities]

Thanks for the help with my OpenCPN issues. I reloaded the charts and lo and behold they appeared as they should so all is working. No I just need to figure out how the AIS info will show me converging vessels with mine and such. Any suggestions for learning these features?
Rick
s/v Allergic to Cities
presently St. Lucia

[bcn]

Originally Posted by allergic2cities

Thanks for the help with my OpenCPN issues. I reloaded the charts and lo and behold they appeared as they should so all is working. No I just need to figure out how the AIS info will show me converging vessels with mine and such. Any suggestions for learning these features?
Rick
s/v Allergic to Cities
presently St. Lucia

The manual (follow the indication after pressing the "?" button from the tool bar for your packaged manual or visit the opencpn.org site)

[rgleason]

Originally Posted by rgleason

You must always plug the Puck into the same port.
There is a file that stores a history of all the usb devices used which just gets bigger and bigger. I have cleaned that out in the past and then labeled each port in my usb hub with which device it should take.

This is not a requirement but it makes the connections more reliable and trouble free without having to change Opencpn settings too.

For Windows https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...s-usb-problems

[yachtvalhalla]

Originally Posted by rgleason

You must always plug the Puck into the same port.

Sorry for this being long but here's my workaround for that.
============================================
When the GPS is inserted into a USB port, the comuter assigns a COM port number to that device. Go to Device Manager and look for the line Ports (COM & LPT). Click on the > to the left of this line. The newly installed device will be listed. In the case of many GPS units the driver will be listed as 'Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port (COMX)', where 'X' is the number that has been assigned by the computer to that USB port for that device.

If you now insert the GPS into another USB port you will find the computer assigns a different number to the GPS.

To setup your computer for maximum convenience in being able to insert the GPS into any USB port and have the same COM port number (making OpenCPN happy) you can change all USB ports to have the same COM port number for the GPS.

Procedure: Right-click on the line "Prolific ....". Left-click on 'Properties'. Open the tab 'Port Settings'. Click on the button 'Advanced'. Click on the elevator button. Scroll to the COM port number you want to use for the GPS in all USB ports and click on it. (I use COM1) Click on 'OK' twice. The COM port number you selected appears in the 'Prolific ... ' line. (Older versions of Windows requires refreshing)

But only this USB port has been changed. To make other ports the same remove the GPS and plug it into another port. If you left the Device Manager page showing you will see the 'Ports (COM&LPT) line disappear and re-appear. The 'Prolific ...' line will show another COM port number. Follow the procedure above to select the same number you first used. This time when you display the list of COM ports your target COM port will show '(in use)' after it. Disregard and select it. Click on 'OK'. This brings up an error window 'Communications Port Properties' advising the selected COM port number is being used by another device etc. Click on 'Yes'. When the windows clears click on 'OK'.

Repeat the above for the rest of the USB ports. Now it doesn't matter which port you happen to use for the GPS the assigned COM port number is the same.

Now go to OpenCPN and select your common port number under Options/Connections.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terry

[rgleason]

@Terry
I've added this to FAQ,
GPS Puck only works sometimes. What is wrong?

Can we get the "Another approach" description much more succinct, please?

[Leewest322]

Hi! Will openCPN read any maxsea data? Like tracks and weighpoints (fishing info) from a usb stick? Cheers

[nohal]

Originally Posted by Leewest322

Hi! Will openCPN read any maxsea data? Like tracks and weighpoints (fishing info) from a usb stick? Cheers

Leewest322...
No, not directly. You must use an external tool to convert the proprietary MaxSea data to the open GPX format.
Either the free C2GPXKML or shareware GPSUtility could help you with that.

Pavel

[yachtvalhalla]

Originally Posted by Leewest322

Hi! Will openCPN read any maxsea data? Like tracks and weighpoints (fishing info) from a usb stick? Cheers

No, they are in different formats. But you can convert them with the GPS Utility Program.

Here's an older writeup about doing that. CONVERSION of MaxSea ROUTES AND TRACKS TO

HTH, Terry

[Leewest322]

Originally Posted by nohal

Leewest322...
No, not directly. You must use an external tool to convert the proprietary MaxSea data to the open GPX format.
Either the free C2GPXKML or shareware GPSUtility could help you with that.

Pavel

Ok thanks for the reply! Looks like something I could have a go at. Our fishing info has hundreds and hundreds of tracks on each file so I'm not sure how well and clear open cpn will display them. But it's worth a go! Thanks

[rgleason]

Thanks Terry.
https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...nts_and_tracks

Originally Posted by yachtvalhalla

No, they are in different formats. But you can convert them with the GPS Utility Program.

Here's an older writeup about doing that. CONVERSION of MaxSea ROUTES AND TRACKS TO

HTH, Terry