RTZ route plugin

[Rasbats]

Using this thread for discussion about creating a plugin to import/export RTZ route files to/from OpenCPN.

Related RTZ information is held here:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3134777

Mike

[Rasbats]

A starting point for testing radius turns. Initial legacy plugin is here:

https://github.com/Rasbats/RTZroute_...eases/tag/v0.1

Windows installer and an example of a route created with radius turns are included.

A radius element had to be added to the OpenCPN namespace. No instructions in the manual yet but...

#1. Edit GPX. Start with a saved OpenCPN GPX route file.

#2. Add a radius at the alter course waypoint(s).

#3. Save the edited waypoints as a new GPX route file.

#4. Generate the final radius turn GPX, opening the file from #3 and saving to a new file.

#5. Import the radius GPX from #4 into OpenCPN.

[bcn]

So you are creating additional intermediate legs being arcs with radius r.

[Rasbats]

Almost. They are straight lines joining points on the arc of the turn. Follows an idea from P_Dub.

This is the only way I can see at the moment for importing an RTZ into OpenCPN and showing the turn. The turn could be drawn like 'ocpn_draw' but persisting this in an OpenCPN GPX file?

I wanted a simple way of storing the radius at each turn. The edited GPX (before actual turn generation) lends itself to making an export to another format (RTZ is first on the list).

If the OpenCPN base code could recognise the waypoint radius tag and interpret that as a series of lines we would get closer to using RTZ as an internal format. The start and finish of the turn might be needed as well. More tags!

Drawing the turn as a temporary layer using o_draw ideas would be useful in seeing how a certain radius works on the chart (Wartsila iSailor does this).

Mike

[P_Dub]

Sorry Mike, but I can not get it to work, even after swithching my antivirus off.
What am I missing?
P_Dub

[Rasbats]

P_Dub...

I am working with OpenCPN 5.2.2. The plugin is installed like other legacy plugins. No special requirements. Can be uninstalled easily on Windows.

Suggest working with these files (remove .pdf):

Cattewater.gpx.pdf (just a normal OpenCPN route file. No radius turns)

Cattewater.edits.gpx.pdf
(Example of a GPX with added radius turn markup - if opened with 'Edit GPX' will show a radius value if you select a waypoint - not first or last) No radius turns will show if imported because the turns have not been generated.

Cattewater.edits.with.turns.gpx.pdf
(Example of a generated 'radius turn gpx' - if imported OpenCPN will show the radius turns)

Test Method

#1 'Edit GPX' using the 'Cattewater.gpx' file. This produces a list of waypoints. Select a waypoint and add a radius either by typing in the value or by using the slider. Press 'Update' to save the radius turn for that waypoint.

#2 Important: Use 'Update' for saving an individual waypoint radius, by pressing the 'Update' button. Repeat for other waypoints where you want to add a radius. If you don't update after you change the radius at a waypoint no radius will be saved for that waypoint.

#3 'Save' all the edits to an intermediate gpx using a new file name - probably not 'Cattewater.edits.gpx'. For example 'test.edits.gpx'. This will have the markup ready for generating a radius turn GPX. If imported radius turns will not be shown. If opened with 'Edit GPX' the plugin will show a radius value at selected waypoints which have a radius.

#4 'Generate GPX'. This allows you to open the 'test.edits.gpx' file and save to the final 'radius turn gpx' - for example 'test.turns.gpx'.

#5. Import the 'radius turn GPX' using 'route manager' from OpenCPN and the radius turns will show on the chart.


Mike

[P_Dub]

Mike the save button does not seem to work. There must be some problem with it. (I hope it is not a case of 16 to 18 on my side).
Thanks for helping.

[P_Dub]

Originally Posted by P_Dub

Mike the save button does not seem to work. There must be some problem with it. (I hope it is not a case of 16 to 18 on my side).
Thanks for helping.

I am having 5.2.4 OpenCpn.

[Rasbats]

P_Dub...

Email sent. Your problem shows I need to catch an error if 'Save' is used and no waypoints are shown in the list or are available for saving.

Mike

[Rasbats]

Latest version of the plugin and a Windows installer is here:

https://github.com/Rasbats/RTZroute_...eases/tag/v0.5

On this page you can download a guide which explains how to make a GPX with radius turns.

The plugin also allows the import of an RTZ file and conversion to GPX. It also enables validation of any RTZ against the official schema for that format. GPX can be converted to RTZ.

Support for other ECDIS formats such as Transas .rt3 and .rt4 will be added later.

TODO: Edit CMakeLists.txt for finding Xerces on Linux and MacOSX. Xerces would need to be installed independently of the plugin on these OS.

Mike

[sy_gilana]

Hi All.


I am not a programmer, but I have tinkered a lot with translation of formats to other ECDIS such as TRANSAS (.RT or .RT3) files.

I am particularly interested in the translation of .GPX to Maris .RTZ files, either externally, or direct export from within O. I have manually parsed a rtz file with new waypoint data from an O gpx file. Note" The Lat is required in decimal format to 4 digit resolution and Long is 5 digit resolution.



This part was easy, the complicated part was in the "footer" of the rtz file, where the EDT of each waypoint was calculated on the fly by Maris, but I had to do it manually and co-relate to all the waypoints above. (Tedious)

There is a lot of info in the string per wpt, but it does not change during a route, eg. Draft fwd and aft, Loxodromic values etc.

I note in the thread, that there is a lot being said about radii of turns, and pardon me but it looks like the project bombed there... There is IMHO no need for radiused turns. In normal ECDIS world, the vessel has a known turning circle, and all that is required is wheel over point, usually some distance prior to waypoint dependent on speed tides, currents, wind etc. (This is why I say its not important) The mariner must do the passage plan according to the conditions prevailing. For example, a nice radiused turn is going to require a lot of gps and autopilot interaction, and will be totally different to run the same turn on a reciprocal course.

So that's my 2c worth, but I am keen to correspond, and to help if I can.
I have parsed huge files in the past, on IBM 7 bit EBCDIC if that gives away my age.

Surely there are things in the rtz file that are constants?

[Rasbats]

gilana ...

Fantastic. You are the first person to have advised that they have the capability to import RTZ files into an IMO approved ECDIS. Is that correct?

It is sailing season in the UK so time is limited, but I would like to continue a conversation about RTZ.

Sending a PM with my email address.

Mike

[elir71]

Hi Rasbats

Ive a windows laptop and a Fedora Linux laptop
I've tried installing RTZ route plugin, but been unsuccessful

I presume its cmake on linux from source, however it complains that it cant find some libraries

$ cmake RTZroute_pi-0.5/
CMake Deprecation Warning at CMakeLists.txt:8 (CMAKE_MINIMUM_REQUIRED):
Compatibility with CMake < 3.5 will be removed from a future version of
CMake.

Update the VERSION argument <min> value or use a ...<max> suffix to tell
CMake that the project does not need compatibility with older versions.


CMake Deprecation Warning at cmake/PluginConfigure.cmake:11 (CMAKE_POLICY):
The OLD behavior for policy CMP0003 will be removed from a future version
of CMake.

The cmake-policies(7) manual explains that the OLD behaviors of all
policies are deprecated and that a policy should be set to OLD only under
specific short-term circumstances. Projects should be ported to the NEW
behavior and not rely on setting a policy to OLD.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
CMakeLists.txt:33 (INCLUDE)


CMake Deprecation Warning at cmake/PluginConfigure.cmake:12 (CMAKE_POLICY):
The OLD behavior for policy CMP0005 will be removed from a future version
of CMake.

The cmake-policies(7) manual explains that the OLD behaviors of all
policies are deprecated and that a policy should be set to OLD only under
specific short-term circumstances. Projects should be ported to the NEW
behavior and not rely on setting a policy to OLD.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
CMakeLists.txt:33 (INCLUDE)


CMake Deprecation Warning at cmake/PluginConfigure.cmake:13 (CMAKE_POLICY):
The OLD behavior for policy CMP0011 will be removed from a future version
of CMake.

The cmake-policies(7) manual explains that the OLD behaviors of all
policies are deprecated and that a policy should be set to OLD only under
specific short-term circumstances. Projects should be ported to the NEW
behavior and not rely on setting a policy to OLD.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
CMakeLists.txt:33 (INCLUDE)


-- *** Staging to build RTZroute_pi ***
CMake Error at /usr/share/cmake/Modules/FindPackageHandleStandardArgs.cmake:230 (message):
Could NOT find wxWidgets (missing: wxWidgets_LIBRARIES
wxWidgets_INCLUDE_DIRS)
Call Stack (most recent call first):
/usr/share/cmake/Modules/FindPackageHandleStandardArgs.cmake:600 (_FPHSA_FAILURE_MESSAGE)
/usr/share/cmake/Modules/FindwxWidgets.cmake:987 (find_package_handle_standard_args)
cmake/PluginConfigure.cmake:54 (FIND_PACKAGE)
CMakeLists.txt:33 (INCLUDE)


-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!


On the windows machine, i have run the installer, put the dll in the program directory but it does not appear in the plugins list.

Im keen to get this going. I have access to commercial ecdis

[Rasbats]

elir71 ...

The latest code in Github was an attempt to bring the plugin into the catalog system. I am having problems referencing the xerces header files in Visual Studio. All the work so far has been done in Windows but once the headers problem is sorted it should build for Linux, using "Find_Package" for xerces. There may be a license issue to address as well.

The latest .xsd for RTZ is v1.2, which has not yet been added to the code.

Very keen to progress the RTZ work.

FWIW I recently re-visited the RTZassist standalone program (Windows). The RTZ created was able to be imported into a trial version of the Seall ECDIS.

Mike

[Rasbats]

RTZroute for OpenCPN 5.8.4 has been updated to include the v1.2 schema. A Windows package for installing is here:
https://cloudsmith.io/~mike-rossiter...lpha/packages/

This Windows plugin allows a two way flow between the OpenCPN .gpx file and .rtz. Validation of an RTZ file can be made, but at present the file needs to be inspected to ensure the correct version of the schema is used for this.

Mike