VentureFarther Satellite Charts - vfkaps plugin

[Rasbats]

Agree about standard naming but I can't find an example to use. The source code of released plugins do not seem to use "opencpn-plugin-xxxxxx"

Not sure but I think the name "opencpn-plugin-vfkaps" would only be found in a release version package. As seen in Synaptic Package Manager.

For Beta versions I use GDebi Package Installer.

Mike

[rgleason]

Cagney, few of the current plugins use this lenghty addition, the only one I know of is ocpn_draw and even that seems too much. I don't recall seeing this anywhere listed as a "convention" and it seems like a lot of extra typing!

Can't this be done by automatically referencing a list?
Also I am always selective about what plugins to install...

[Rasbats]

BETA Version 0.6 has been pushed to GitHub.


To assist VF users anchorage satellite charts can now be downloaded from within OpenCPN.


Changes:
#1 VF Country list appears on selecting the "country anchorage chart" page.
#2 Multikap has a grid of nine boxes.
#3 Waypoints added for VF country marker charts.
#4 Warning if no Internet connection.
#5 Ability to select several anchorage markers. With 'Clear All' if needed.
#6 No need to select multi-kap in preferences


Packages for Windows and Linux are here:


https://github.com/Rasbats/vfkaps_pi/releases/tag/v0.6


Mike

[conachair]

Works fine on a Win10 Opencpn 4.8 laptop, great work - just keep getting better
Would it be possible for a button on the plugin to force a database rebuild ?

Ta

[rgleason]

Thanks Mike. Have tested it out a number of times.
1. works for me. I wonder if it could use layers so waypoints are separate from navigation waypoints, provided it is not confusing to the user. (just an idea).
2. Multikap is nicer implementation. (Several bomb outs.)
3. See the waypoints when downloaded.
4. Have not tested this yet.
5. Clear All is nice. I wonder if there is any way to Remove the waypoints using this interface, once they have been downloaded?
Use Squiddio as an example.
6. Nice.

While downloading a number of nokiia, bing and google kaps, I would crash opencpn about every other time. I generally would download a single or multi and then go to charts > scan db. I tried to find a pattern to the crashes and looked at memory use too, but the onlly thing I can say at this point is the first download generally works, but the second one crashes, on my setup at least.

This is getting to be a pretty nice interface. Simple to use.

Originally Posted by Rasbats

BETA Version 0.6 has been pushed to GitHub.

Changes:
#1 VF Country list appears on selecting the "country anchorage chart" page.
#2 Multikap has a grid of nine boxes.
#3 Waypoints added for VF country marker charts.
#4 Warning if no Internet connection.
#5 Ability to select several anchorage markers. With 'Clear All' if needed.
#6 No need to select multi-kap in preferences

Mike

[rgleason]

Using TransmitterDan's BatchUTILS to create a development environment, under a github/Opencpn directory (forked to your remote and cloned locally), which includes two parallel installations of Debug and Release that work beautifully using the portable variable "opencpn -p" (which creates it's own ini and log files that do not use your normal daily use setup!).

1. Starting with the Build version in portable mode, with no charts, chart groups, and no Chartdownload directories created, I was able to retrieve VFkaps with no db build problem!

2. Added two paths to my normal chart directories. No problem with db update.

3. Added two Chart Groups. No problem with the db update.

4. Added two Chartdownloader downloads and downloaded to update charts. No problem with the db update.

5. Conclusion. From this testing, the problem seems to stem from existing complex setups that use Chart Groups and ChartDownloader.

6. I have also tried my "normal" daily v4.8.0 setup with vfkaps and it is still no longer showing the vfkaps after a download, and requiring me to update and scan the db. I wonder if there is any way to fix this, or perhaps the problem is due to the extensive use of paths for various chart folders, which has run out of memory or something.

[Rasbats]

Release Version 1.0 has now been published.

FS# 2268- Update Chart DB Automatically. Users on 64bit may need to do a manual update of the chart DB depending on their setup.

Minor bug with a variable (v0.6) has now been fixed. (Thanks @TDan)

I have asked Serge to include this plugin in the tracker. Please use this when available for requests/bug reports.

Mike

[AISEAG]

Originally Posted by Rasbats

Release Version 1.0 has now been published.

....
I have asked Serge to include this plugin in the tracker. Please use this when available for requests/bug reports.

Mike

a pi-Vfkaps entry has been created

Serge

[rgleason]

Mike, just to set the record straight, I believe the bug still exists, please see below.

[Rasbats]

Rick,

If you are referring to the 64bit DB update problem I don't think this is directly related to the VFKaps plugin. I think it stems from the chart DB update process of OpenCPN.

FS# 2268- Update Chart DB Automatically should not be closed at the moment.

Mike

[rgleason]

Yes, that's right, I am referring to the FS# 2268- Update Database problem.
It may or may not be related solely to OpenCPN, imho. It is more likely an OpenCPN problem, but it could be something in the plugin too, I think.

I did some testing http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2501926

VFKAPS_pi is quite easy to use. I like this plugin a great deal, but should also learn to use GE2Kap!

[rgleason]

The reason I say this is ChartDownloader uses the same "Update Database" call and it works unfailingly on my "complex" chart system!

It is more likely an OpenCPN problem, but it could be something in the plugin too, I think.

[Rasbats]

VFKaps Release version 1.0 has now been published on the OpenCPN website.

https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/plugins/vfkaps.html

Only a Windows installer is available at present. A Linux ppa is to follow.

The non-automatic update problem that Rick describes only affects some users, probably on 64 bit machines. Feedback on any issues would be appreciated. Flyspray is available for noting bugs and feature requests.

https://opencpn.org/flyspray/

Mike

[rgleason]

Mike,

Do you want vfkaps docs moved from Dev Beta
into the user manual plugins directory here?
https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...:charts:vfkaps

I've made a new vfkaps page as above, gone into dwedit mode, selected all, and then control-c to copy, then pasted that into the new page.
NOTE: I have not moved the screenshots yet. With your direction we can:
1.I'll move the screenshots.
2. Then Kathi can link to the new page from the vfkaps download page
3. Then we can remove the dev beta copy


Also FYI I then created a blank page, underneath the new vfkaps page and entered this text "This page is intentionally left blank" to change the "page namespace" icon and allow the indexmenu page sorting to work properly. See link below.

https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...s:vfkaps:blank

[rgleason]

This is a good link for how to use Kaps to help navigation

SV FLUENTA: Using Satellite Imagery to Assist Navigation - SAS Planet