S63 PlugIn Version 1.0 Released

[bdbcat]

Ahoy OpenCPN Users...

The S63 PlugIn for OpenCPN is now officially released at Version 1.0.

This PlugIn allows OpenCPN users to load, display, and navigate with official S63 encrypted ENCs, or vector navigational charts.

The OpenCPN S63 PlugIn is compatible with OpenCPN version 3.3.2118 or later, and is available for Windows, Linux (32 & 64bit) and OS-X.

S63 ENCs are available for many cruising areas worldwide, and enjoy the full reliability and accuracy of the producing hydrographic agencies.

S63 PlugIn and associated permit files are available at:

o-charts

On behalf of the folks at o-charts, I thank all the testers who helped us bring this PlugIn to life.

Another thank-you goes to the Australian Hydrographic Service and ChartWorld for providing us with test material beyond the official test sets.

Dave and the o-charts team

[o-charts]

It took us rougthly one year from the idea, the first tentative contacts with the IHO and discussing implementation strategies.

At this moment we have a little more than 50 user (plus developers) with an OpenCPN UserPermit from o-charts.org.

They jumped into the pool and are sailing with the S-63 charts.
They reflect more or less the OCPN zoo of systems with a mayority of Windows systems, some MACs and some Linux PCs.
There are users from all continents.
Using several hundreds of different charts/cells.

What we learned:
Please, please study the documentation before and while installing the permits and the charts.
Other than closed, proprietary systems, we canot offer an "one stop" installation. This is a price we pay when dealing with closed, DRMed products from an Open Source project.

Thank you all for your patience! And have fun sailing!

Renate & Hubert

[bcn]

Before installing the version 1.0 of the plug-in, please un-install former versions (Windows).

Once installed and running, OpenCPN will recreate the eSENC (the encrypted internal cell) for every S-63 cell you are touching. This happens just one time in the background and will cause a slight delay in this instant. Nothing to worry about - even working with several hundreds of cells one can stay in front of the screen....

Hubert

[Gilletarom]

Hello Dave, Hello Hubert,

Here a "Security scheme error" that I see with V 1.0. This message is not present in Crowdin. So it is not in french file language.

I see also SSE 25. I note also that SSE 25 is not in Crowdin. So, it is not in french file language.

Best regards, Gilletarom

[sailorF54]

Desinstalled version 0.9
Installed version 1.0 in O 3.3.2118 with previous parameters (Windows 7)
eSenc created by panning and zooming
Everything went without a hitch
Good job !

[bcn]

Great to hear!

And as one can see from your screenshot the SSE25 message ("license timed out"), Gilletarom already talked about in the context of installing charts, is now as well present on the chart at runtime as requested by the S-63 standard.


Hubert

[jonasaberg]

Good work with this new plugin.

I am not using this yet, but I would wish to have this warning in a much smaller fontsize, or is it stipulated in the standard how big the warning should be?

Originally Posted by bcn

Great to hear!

And as one can see from your screenshot the SSE25 message ("license timed out"), Gilletarom already talked about in the context of installing charts, is now as well present on the chart at runtime as requested by the S-63 standard.


Hubert

[bcn]

It's already a quite small font size.
And no, there is no indication in the standard.
But there have been some discussion at the S63 working groups to make this alert a lot more prominent (an bothering)

The message is not permanent neither...

Hubert

[Gilletarom]

Hello Dave, hello Hubert,

1° S63 : This "Security Scheme Error" message is present twice in Crowdin. Is it normal ?

"Security Scheme Error\n
\n
SSE 15 - Subscription service has expired.\n
Please contact your data supplier to renew the subscription licence.\n
\n
"

2° I see Security Scheme Error N° 06, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 25, 26.

So Security Scheme Error 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 14, 16,17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and after 26 are not present.
Perhaps this is normal, perhaps you forgot some of them .... ?

Best regards, Gilletarom.

[nohal]

Originally Posted by Gilletarom

Hello Dave, hello Hubert,

1° S63 : This "Security Scheme Error" message is present twice in Crowdin. Is it normal ?

"Security Scheme Error\n
\n
SSE 15 - Subscription service has expired.\n
Please contact your data supplier to renew the subscription licence.\n
\n
"

It is "normal", but it is an error. There is an extra space in one of them, has to be unified in the source.

2° I see Security Scheme Error N° 06, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 25, 26.

So Security Scheme Error 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 14, 16,17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and after 26 are not present.
Perhaps this is normal, perhaps you forgot some of them .... ?

Best regards, Gilletarom.

They are not used anywhere in the plugin's code, so they do not exist, no problem.

Pavel

[st599]

Hi,

Fantastic effort getting the S-63 Charts working for OpenCPN - lack of legal, up-to-date charts has been an absolute show-stopper for me as I have a Linux laptop. I have a few questions if I may:

Firstly, can I confirm that the following workflow is correct?

1. Install S-63 Plugin in a version of OpenCPN later than 3.3
2. Puchase a user licence at o-charts.org
3. Download and run the finger printer software
4. Upload fingerprint, generate and download an install licence
5. Use this licence to purchase charts from ChartWorld
6. Install Charts and allow plugin to convert them for use

Secondly, is this licence cost (the user and install licences) a one-off cost, or is it annual?


Finally, I notice in some previous posts that an error message appears saying charts are out of date. Presumably if I have a valid user and install licence, and an in-date chart/cell licence, these warnings won't be present on the screen?


Thanks


S

[bcn]

The work flow is correct -
at "download" at o-charts.org you will find some more information for example a check-list or a screencast how to put the UserPermit, the InstallPermit and the charts to work.
Or the more basic "S-63 explained" document.

Minimum required version of OpenCPN is 3.3.2118, but we would recommend 3.3.2222.

The UserPermit is a one upfront cost, is not timelimited and will be used by chart distributors (Chartworld and the Distributors of the Australian Hydrogrphic Service at this moment) to encrypt the charts or cells following S63.
The InstallPermit links these charts then to your individual install.

The warning about cells with expired licences will only show up when these cells are in use on the display. You can mix expired and actual cells at your discretion.

Hubert

[st599]

One final question, I'm planning on upgrading my PC in January. If I were to purchase the charts now, can they be transferred to the new machine, or should I just wait?

[o-charts]

S..

if your system changes just generate a new InstallPermit. It's the UserPermit that you use to buy/licence charts from ChartWorld.
The S63-Plugin will check the combination of User and Install-Permit.

[Zmtndoc]

G'day all,

Just paralyzed my antivirus programs and now run the fingerprint program to obtain an InstallPermit.

It creates an .fpr file that doesn't want to run on the PC laptop.

Any ideas?

Tx,