Portable OpenCPN 4.8.2 Workaround

[yachtvalhalla]

Ashamed to say I didn't find a problem with configuring a portable version of 4.8.2 during Beta testing

I have, however, found a 'workaround' for that oversight.

Download it here.

Terry

[Hakan]

Terry..
On windows;
I do use the portable mode all time. My setup is on a single PC to have two instances of O running simultaneously. But I've not seen the charts initializing problem you've described.
Some differences compared to your setup:
- I use the same chart files for both instances of O.
- I also start the Portable O by the -p switch and then is the log and ini files saved in the directory where opencpn.exe reside. Isn't the same for you, or did I misunderstood your document/posts?
Håkan

[yachtvalhalla]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Terry..
On windows;
I do use the portable mode all time. My setup is on a single PC to have two instances of O running simultaneously. But I've not seen the charts initializing problem you've described.
Some differences compared to your setup:
- I use the same chart files for both instances of O.
- I also start the Portable O by the -p switch and then is the log and ini files saved in the directory where opencpn.exe reside. Isn't the same for you, or did I misunderstood your document/posts?
Håkan

Have you created a new portable version of O4.8.2? That's where the bug raises it's head.

Terry

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by yachtvalhalla

Have you created a new portable version of O4.8.2? That's where the bug raises it's head.

Terry

Yes, see pict.
Håkan

[yachtvalhalla]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Yes, see pict.
Håkan

When you restart does it do a database rebuild each time?

Where does the CHRTFILE.DAT reside?

Can you do a screen shot of the contents of the portable folder?

Perhaps I've misled myself! Appreciate your help.

Terry

[Hakan]

Terry..
My answers below:

When you restart does it do a database rebuild each time?
>>> No.

Where does the CHRTFILE.DAT reside?
>>> Where Opencpn.exe is

Can you do a screen shot of the contents of the portable folder?
>>> See my DIR print below

I use to update the portable directory I have on several PCs by a batch file. It's attached if you would like to see. (Delete the .pdf as usual.)

Håkan

 Directory of C:\ProgramData\OCPN_Port

2018-02-11  08:44    <DIR>          .
2018-02-11  08:44    <DIR>          ..
2017-12-27  18:58           511ÿ488 archive.dll
2016-05-22  15:19         1ÿ188ÿ864 cairo.dll
2017-12-27  07:42           597ÿ490 CHRTLIST.DAT
2016-03-31  17:17    <DIR>          cm93
2017-07-19  22:17    <DIR>          CrashReports
2016-05-22  15:19           146ÿ432 CrashRpt1402.dll
2017-03-19  03:36           138ÿ240 CrashRpt1403.dll
2017-03-19  03:36             8ÿ214 crashrpt_lang.ini
2016-05-22  15:19           924ÿ672 CrashSender1402.exe
2017-03-19  03:36           945ÿ664 CrashSender1403.exe
2018-02-07  08:03         1ÿ080ÿ656 dbghelp.dll
2018-02-04  10:25    <DIR>          doc
2016-05-22  15:19           108ÿ032 expat.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           586ÿ240 fontconfig.dll
2016-07-08  17:08    <DIR>          gshhs
2016-05-22  15:19            21ÿ504 iconv.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           284ÿ160 libcurl.dll
2017-12-27  18:52           128ÿ512 liblzma.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           167ÿ936 libpng16.dll
2016-05-22  15:19         1ÿ104ÿ896 libxml2.dll
2018-01-14  17:18            29ÿ520 license.txt
2017-12-17  21:17           385ÿ352 MMSINAME.CSV
2016-05-22  15:19           455ÿ328 msvcp120.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           970ÿ912 msvcr120.dll
2017-12-18  22:26           453ÿ790 navobj - kopia.xml
2018-02-10  19:38           537ÿ657 navobj.xml
2018-01-14  03:26           537ÿ657 navobj.xml.1
2018-01-07  23:00           539ÿ355 navobj.xml.2
2018-01-05  23:47           541ÿ053 navobj.xml.3
2018-01-04  22:32           540ÿ327 navobj.xml.4
2018-01-04  22:16           534ÿ909 navobj.xml.5
2017-12-26  22:01               322 oc03W_1514322076.fpr
2016-05-22  15:19            91ÿ136 ocpn_gltest1.exe
2017-02-16  07:56    <DIR>          OpenCPN
2018-02-07  08:08         6ÿ939ÿ648 opencpn.exe
2018-02-10  19:38            15ÿ275 opencpn.ini
2017-12-27  01:50            15ÿ137 opencpn.ini.org
2018-02-10  19:38           107ÿ264 opencpn.log
2018-01-29  08:56         1ÿ007ÿ340 opencpn.log.log
2016-05-22  15:19           589ÿ824 pixman-1.dll
2016-12-16  09:16    <DIR>          plugins
2015-06-07  00:31           199ÿ168 portaudio_x86.dll
2018-02-11  08:44                 0 port_dir.txt
2018-02-07  08:03             2ÿ109 PrivacyPolicy.txt
2016-01-29  17:45    <DIR>          s57data
2017-12-22  22:11    <DIR>          SENC
2016-01-29  17:45    <DIR>          share
2016-01-29  17:45    <DIR>          tcdata
2017-12-22  17:02    <DIR>          uidata
2016-12-16  09:16           115ÿ643 Uninstall ocpn_draw_pi.exe
2017-03-17  15:49           114ÿ143 Uninstall oesenc_pi.exe
2017-09-11  07:57    <DIR>          UserIcons
2016-05-22  15:19           164ÿ864 wxbase30u_net_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19         2ÿ148ÿ864 wxbase30u_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           139ÿ776 wxbase30u_xml_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19         1ÿ312ÿ768 wxmsw30u_adv_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           421ÿ888 wxmsw30u_aui_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19         4ÿ943ÿ360 wxmsw30u_core_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19            64ÿ000 wxmsw30u_gl_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           617ÿ472 wxmsw30u_html_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           106ÿ496 wxmsw30u_media_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           720ÿ896 wxmsw30u_propgrid_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           143ÿ872 wxmsw30u_qa_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           352ÿ768 wxmsw30u_ribbon_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19         1ÿ498ÿ112 wxmsw30u_richtext_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           945ÿ664 wxmsw30u_stc_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           113ÿ152 wxmsw30u_webview_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19           692ÿ224 wxmsw30u_xrc_vc_custom.dll
2016-05-22  15:19            68ÿ096 zlib1.dll
              57 File(s)     37ÿ120ÿ141 bytes
              14 Dir(s)  116ÿ055ÿ502ÿ848 bytes free

[yachtvalhalla]

Håkan We may be discussing apples and oranges.

Can you make a portable version on a flash drive?

Terry

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by yachtvalhalla

Håkan We may be discussing apples and oranges.

Can you make a portable version on a flash drive?

Terry

Terry.
Maybe so!
No I haven't tried on a flash for years. Will test. Hopefully this evening. I'll revert.
Håkan

[Hakan]

Terry..
No I can't reproduce exactly your charts re-initialization issue even from a USB stick named e:\. OCPN is nicely opened all times when the path is correct, see below.
For a test I made up my bat file to include a possible present e:\portOCPN\
It's functional although not looking for other named, E/F/G.., so far. See attached .bat file.

But....I found more, not beta tested, portable issues. Sorry, I should have tested this.

-The charts are not found on the e:\-disc. Only if I change the directory in the config file and explicitly point to a dir on e:\charts. See the config row ChartDir2 below.
-Many other files would not be found if the stick is moved to another port/PC and not get e:\ disc naming:
Except for the ChartDir2 I haven't changed anything in the config file below.

[ChartDirectories]
ChartDir1=..\\Charts\\BSB_SE^
ChartDir2=e:\\Charts\\KAP_SE^14519185342239156240
[Directories]
TCDataDir=tcdata
BasemapDir=e:\\portOCPN\\gshhs\\
WMMDataLocation=e:\\portOCPN\\plugins\\wmm_pi\\data\\

[TideCurrentDataSources]
tcds0=e:\\portOCPN\\tcdata\\HARMONIC.IDX

On single Win10 this is not a problem anymore since most USB sticks will get the same disc letter (here: e:\) independent what physical USB port is used. (Very good Windows dev.) But if moved to another PC it would be a problem.
But I've to do more tests. @Dave, if you're here, I'll check the code but you may have a quick answer?
Håkan

[yachtvalhalla]

Hakan It appears to me that we have different approaches to making a portable configuration. My approach has been to have an OpenCPN program on a flash drive that could be inserted into any Windows computer and run the program from that flash drive. The portable folder would contain the charts, Layers, plugins, etc. necessary for a stand-alone process. In addition that same portable folder could be copied to a computer and run properly if so desired, such as for a split-screen display (and this is where the 'problem' I discovered exists).

I have now discovered the solution to the problem I thought existed which, as it turns out, only exists in certain circumstances.

Since I create a new portable version on my computer, normally the Desktop, I use a folder to contain the necessary folders and files which I would transfer to a flash drive. When I made a portable version of 4.8.2 and ran it from the Desktop I found that the CHRTLIST.DAT file (updated when a database rebuild is made) was not updated within the portable folder but at the host level, i.e. on the Desktop. See first image. And as an aside I have a specific way of naming the .bat file. See second image.

What I now find is that if the portable folder in situ is copied to a flash drive the CHRTLIST.DAT file is again created at the host level, i.e. on the flash drive with the portable folder. Subsequent runs of the program read this file and the database structure is retained. See third image. But the CHRTLIST.DAT file within the portable folder is not updated.

However, if just the contents of the portable folder are on the flash drive then the CHRTLIST.DAT file gets updated properly. See fourth image.

Either way (with or without the folder) on the flash drive the program will run. But with the folder it just isn't as tidy.

Sorry to have stirred this up ... I'll be revising my guide to describe this until it will hopefully be fixed in the next stable release of O.

Terry

[yachtvalhalla]

My revised guide can be downloaded here. Comments welcome.

Sorry for the 'Chicken Little'

Terry

[Hakan]

Terry..
Of course shall the portable mode work on flash drive.
So far a short note:
I've found the bug for the CHRTLIST.DAT folder in portable mode. It's saved without the path separator as you've seen in your pict #3.
The same appears for MMSINAME.CSV
There are more mismatches for portable path, like the charts list as mentioned before.
Let's see if I can clear it out. It's rather complex and probably "repaired" many times?

Håkan

[verkerkbr]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Terry..
Of course shall the portable mode work on flash drive.
So far a short note:
I've found the bug for the CHRTLIST.DAT folder in portable mode. It's saved without the path separator as you've seen in your pict #3.
The same appears for MMSINAME.CSV
There are more mismatches for portable path, like the charts list as mentioned before.
Let's see if I can clear it out. It's rather complex and probably "repaired" many times?

Håkan

Portable OpenCPN 4.8.2 ? ??????

Running here on a Xinotop Linux USB stick. Also works with the oeSENC plugin and Charts. (Although on the same system because of the fingerprint)

Boots from every Windows and Linux system.

A complete navigation system in your pocket.

Bram

[Hakan]

Terry..
Sorry, long time delay.
- For portable mode the CHRTLIST.DAT and MMSINAME.CSV in Windows are saved with wrong name and in a wrong place. The path separator , "\", is missing when saved. I may have a fix for that. Must test in Linux as well before PR.
- All my other waffle about not finding charts location was by mistake. I started the portable OCPN from a command prompt. It's not working. You need a Windows shortcut pointing to the the opencpn.exe folder. Nothing new but it was out of my mind at the time.
Håkan

[yachtvalhalla]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Terry..
Sorry, long time delay.
- For portable mode the CHRTLIST.DAT and MMSINAME.CSV in Windows are saved with wrong name and in a wrong place. The path separator , "\", is missing when saved. I may have a fix for that. Must test in Linux as well before PR.
- All my other waffle about not finding charts location was by mistake. I started the portable OCPN from a command prompt. It's not working. You need a Windows shortcut pointing to the the opencpn.exe folder. Nothing new but it was out of my mind at the time.
Håkan

Thanks Mate .. await your response.