Transfering routes from opencpn to Standard Horizon plotter

[Paul Munnik]

The foto's of the plotter screen
I did send the route sentences several times. As you can see the plotter digest them different every time

Paul

[Paul Munnik]

Hi Dave,


An update.
On board the laptop is connected via a multiplexer with the plotter. I started to think that maybe the multiplexer could be responsible for the problems with the sending of nmea sentences to the plotter. So, in the meantime, at home I bought a simple usb to serial adaptor.


The results are that version 4.0.0. and 4.4.2. are both giving good results
(pictures 1 and 2 consecutively). Although the way the RTE sentences are differently written the routes are received and displayed correct by the plotter (see picture plotter screen). I have send the routes repeatedly with the same correct results. I even created a route with 20 waypoints in OCPN and the plotter displayed this correct.


However the 4.4.0 version is still not able to do the same. Although the sentences are received in the same order every time (see last NMEA picture) only the waypoints are visible (in the correct order) on the plotter screen but not the route.


I made a copy of the plotter manual about the connection of the plotter with a computer. Maybe it gives some information about the way the plotter is handling the nmea sentences.


So I think the multiplexer is the culprit apart from the difficulty with version 4.4.0


Paul

[bdbcat]

Paul...

OK, we are back to square one.

If you have it, please try the OpenCPN 4.4.1 which i placed on DropBox earlier.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bnwt8bed34...setup.exe?dl=0

And the moral of the story, as always, is:

When debugging, SIMPLIFY THE SYSTEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE to reduce uncontrolled variables. We spent a fair bit of time trying to debug your external multiplexer that we did not even know about....

Dave

[Paul Munnik]

Hi Dave,

I completely understand that it is frustrating for you to encounter this kind of “hidden” complications.
I really didn’t expect that the multiplexer could cause problems in transporting the information from the computer to the plotter. Navigating with OCPN worked fine (using the multiplexer) this summer (I installed it in the spring) so I didn’t give it a second thought.


I installed 4.4.1 again and it worked fine now. I used the 6 waypoint route as before. I hope it is sufficient. If not let me know what you want me to do.


I repeatedly sent the route to the plotter but every time the NMEA sentences arrived in the same order on the NMEA screen on the plotter. Also the route appeared correct on the plotter screen.
Does that mean that it all works fine now? If you are not satisfied let me know what you want me to do


Paul