OpenGL dooes Not work

[phiggins]

I notice in a lot of the OpenCPN threads you advise to use OpenGL on OpenCPN. I have found that it causes a few problems with charts created by GE2KAP and I advise not to use it.

Here is an example of one problem. I create a chart sasplanet.kap and go to OpenCPN (V4.8.2), scan for new charts, go to the lat/lon of the chart and all it shows is the chart outline if OpenGL is on (first attachment). If I turn off OpenGL it appears (second attachment). If I turn OpenGL on again the chart disappears again. The OpenCPN log does not show any error. Is this a bug in OpenGL:

[phiggins]

The Problem seems to revolve around using the same name for the chart. For example I create a chart called Bahia Matanzas_1.Kap using GE data and then go to OpenCPN, scan for new charts, and with OpenGL on its shows correctly (first attachment). I then recreate the chart with same name but this time the source is Navionics data, scan for new charts, and it shows the same old chart with the GE data (second attachment). If I turn OpenGL off it shows the correct new data (third attachmnent). If I turn OpenGL on it shows the old data (fourth attachment).

So the problem seems that with OpenGL on it does not know the chart has changed.

[phiggins]

Oops just discovered how to get OpenGL to show the correct chart: Press F5

Problem solved.

Now the Help says F5 is:
F5 toggle Daylight, Dusk & Night mode, if built into the Chart ( “C”, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+G)

Nothing about being a refresh too.

[seandepagnier]

I think the texture hash collides with identical filenames. Changing the color scheme forces a refresh.

[LeaseOnLife]

Possibly related: I reported this bug with filename collisions last August on github, then was asked to move it to flyspray, nothing heard since..

phiggins, sean, any others using homemade charts with possible duplicate filenames, you may vote up the bug on flyspray to get it some attention.

GITHUB thread: https://github.com/OpenCPN/OpenCPN/issues/868
Flyspray ID: #2261
https://opencpn.org/flyspray/index.p...ported%5B0%5D=

Cheers

Dirk

[phiggins]

Dirk, I read the flyspray and it doesn't sound like this problem. My charts are in the same directory and the problem only happens with OpenGL.

I'm not sure if pressing F5 is really the answer to this problem. Can anyone on the OpenCPN team comment, Dave?

[nohal]

Originally Posted by phiggins

Dirk, I read the flyspray and it doesn't sound like this problem. My charts are in the same directory and the problem only happens with OpenGL.

I'm not sure if pressing F5 is really the answer to this problem. Can anyone on the OpenCPN team comment, Dave?

Yes, the GL texture cache is not being flushed during chart database update when you overwrite a chart already displayed while OpenCPN is running. Resolved the latest after a restart of OpenCPN for me. It is a bug, IMO very minor. At least for me it is definitely not even remotely a reason to recommend anybody not to use OpenGL.

Pavel

[phiggins]

Pavel, it may be a very minor bug to you but I have spent countless hours trying to figure out why a chart created by GE2KAP would not show on OpenCPN. Only after experimenting with various settings did I discover it was OpenGL causing the problem. When it displayed properly with OpenGL turned off I advised GE2KAP users not to use it. Now that I know I can refresh the display with F5 I have advised the GE2KAP users to use it but beware it may not be displaying the correct chart data. Restarting OpenCPN every time you create a chart is not a practical option.

[nohal]

Paul...
Software has bugs. That is normal.
As your use case is somewhat special you sure may consider this a major issue. Anyway, it is trivial to fix.

Pavel

[phiggins]

Software has bugs. That is normal.

Tell me about it.

[chris95040]

Originally Posted by nohal

Paul...
Software has bugs. That is normal.
As your use case is somewhat special you sure may consider this a major issue. Anyway, it is trivial to fix.

Pavel

Software written by script kiddies has bugs. That is normal. Software written by people who just start typing until their feature exists has bugs. That is normal.

Bugs in something like OpenCPN are the rule, rather than the exception, because its the equivalent of adult fingerpainting class, there is barely any architecture or strategy, there are just a bunch of people getting their hands dirty with no wrong answers.

I'm not criticizing the open source community as a whole, just the poorly managed ones, where people don't begin their work by first identifying the necessary components and how and what they'll communicate with each other (aka 'software engineering').

If OpenCPN has matured since I last tried it about 2 years ago, then I apologize for out of date criticism.

And there is something amusing about someone complaining about software quality in a thread they titled 'OpenGL dooes Not work'. [emoji23]

[bcn]

Originally Posted by chris95040

If OpenCPN has matured since I last tried it about 2 years ago, then I apologize for out of date criticism.

Champion, there is always place for contributors....
Even chasing bugs or testing

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by phiggins

Pavel, it may be a very minor bug to you but I have spent countless hours trying to figure out why a chart created by GE2KAP would not show on OpenCPN.

Sorry for this.

Basically the texture hash is computed based on filename. It should be changed to use the file path instead, or possibly something else, like a hash for the chart header, but maybe that is identical too. There is the possibility of the user moving, or mounting the data in a different location, but the performance penalty here is probably acceptable.

Despite this, the chart should still show, rebuilding the cache each time with a performance penalty switching between them, especially if both charts are shown at the same time which is probably impossible anyway.

see this really as two separate bugs.

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by chris95040

I'm not criticizing the open source community as a whole, just the poorly managed ones, where people don't begin their work by first identifying the necessary components and how and what they'll communicate with each other (aka 'software engineering').

Please tell us of which free software you contribute so we might learn something.

[nohal]

Paul...
Unless your real usage is even more abusive than my tests, it is now fixed in master branch.

Pavel