WeatherFax ...

[rgleason]

It should save the coordinates so you can select them and not have to re-enter every time.

Sean:

I have a better idea. Make the plugin able to open kap files. Then add an option to export all the files at exit and open them all when the plugin starts up.

Yes!

Also don't know if this is too complicated to do, but I think it would be very useful and make it easier for the user to go back to yesterday's images to check what the weatherfax said at that point, etc.... ---End Quote--- Sean... It should save the coordinates so you can select them and not have to re-enter every time.

Ok so now I get it, I need to name a coordinate setting to be saved in the coordinatesetting.xml file. And when reloading the image file later, I need to select the coordinate setting that I saved, then the image will load properly as an overlay without having to reenter the georef data... The problem is that I don't always remember that... so I would need to develop some naming conventions....

--but the georef coord data is stored in a record.. that's good.

--So Sean I really like your idea above!

[rgleason]

Rick:

...would like to get wxfax files..

Sean:

Pactor not required... I use a tecsun PL-600 which cost $45. The rtlsdr with upconverter is relatively inexpensive, or the rtlsdr with hardware hack for ssb by far the cheapest if it actually works.

Sean How good and reliable is the Tecsun PL-600 for weatherfaxes?
TECSUN PL-600 Product Reviews
"In my experience, you won't find a better quality radio for even three times the price."

Amazon.com: tecsun pl-600

[seandepagnier]

I have used the pl-600 all across the pacific with good results. I could pick up wellington from tonga, alaska from samoa. I only ever used the internal antenna, so an external one has potential to improve things even more. Only works at night.

[rgleason]

Sean, here is an idea: (:-) You probably already have thought of it...

To make it easier to Weatherfax_pi
File > Open

Then the user selects a file that has been previously internet retrieved...such as

http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PJAM98.TIF

The plugin tries to apply the original CoordinateSet by reverse tracking the file....
extracting "weather.noaa.gov/pub/fax/" as the url
extracting "PJAM98.TIF as the filename

The plugin then looks up the Map Url

C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenCPN\plugins\weatherfax\data\WeatherFaxIn ternetRetrieval.xml
to find the corresponding entry....which is..

<Map Url="PJAM98.TIF" Contents="96 HR WIND/WAVE FORECAST" Area="4" />

Then the plugin looks up the correct CoordinateSet for this Map Url based on Coordinate Name= "NOAA - Boston - 4"

<Coordinate Name="NOAA - Boston - 4" X1="133" Y1="134" Lat1="60.00000" Lon1="-90.00000" X2="1548" Y2="999" Lat2="20.00000" Lon2="0.00000" Mapping="Mercator" MappingMultiplier="1.0000" MappingRatio="1.0000" />

And applies that to the downloaded file with the name

http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PJAM98.TIF

At which point the image is directly overlayed on the charts without having to use the Wizard.



Summary of file use in Weatherfax_pi

----------------------
User CoordinateSets stored inC:\ProgramData\opencpn\opencpn.ini
----------------------
[Settings/WeatherFax/CoordinateSets/New_Coord_2]
Point1X=1390
Point1Y=998
Point1Lat=70
Point1Lon=-35
Point2X=2230
Point2Y=1898
Point2Lat=30
Point2Lon=10
mapping=1
inputpolex=273
inputpoley=-76
inputequator=1534
inputtrueratio=1.004
mappingmultiplier=1
mappingratio=1
----------------------

CoordinateSets used for Internet Retrieval located inC:\Program Files (x86)\OpenCPN\plugins\weatherfax\data\CoordinateSe ts.xml
<WeatherFaxCoordinates>
<Coordinate Name="NOAA - Boston - 4"
X1="133" Y1="134"
Lat1="60.00000" Lon1="-90.00000"
X2="1548" Y2="999"
Lat2="20.00000" Lon2="0.00000"
Mapping="Mercator" MappingMultiplier="1.0000" MappingRatio="1.0000" />
----------------------

Internet Retrieval choices listed in
C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenCPN\plugins\weatherfax\data\WeatherFaxIn ternetRetrieval.xml

<OCPNWeatherFaxInternetRetrieval>
<Server Name="NOAA" Url="http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/fax/">
<Region Name="Boston">

<!-- wind/wave charts -->
<Map Url="PWAA90.TIF" Contents="WIND/WAVE ANALYSIS" Area="8" />
<Map Url="PJAA99.TIF" Contents="SEA STATE ANALYSIS" Area="4" />
<Map Url="PWAE10.TIF" Contents="24HR WIND/WAVE FORECAST" Area="8" />
<Map Url="PJAI10.TIF" Contents="48HR WIND/WAVE FORECAST" Area="4" />
<Map Url="PJAI20.TIF" Contents="48HR WAVE PERIOD FORECAST" Area="4" />
<Map Url="PJAM98.TIF" Contents="96 HR WIND/WAVE FORECAST" Area="4" />
<Map Url="PJAM88.TIF" Contents="96 HR WAVE PERIOD FORECAST" Area="4" />

Note the selectors for applying coordinatesets:
Server Name="NOAA"
Region Name ="Boston"
Area="8" (for example)

<!-- surface charts -->
<Map Url="PYAD10.TIF" Contents="PRELIMINARY SURFACE ANALYSIS" Area="1" />
<Map Url="QDTM10.TIF" Contents="48HR SURFACE FORECAST" Area="4" />
<Map Url="PYAA11.TIF" Contents="SURFACE ANALYSIS (PART 1 NE ATLANTIC)" Area="2" />
<Map Url="PYAA12.TIF" Contents="SURFACE ANALYSIS (PART 2 NW ATLANTIC)" Area="3" />
<Map Url="PPAE10.TIF" Contents="24HR SURFACE FORECAST" Area="8" />
<Map Url="PWAM99.TIF" Contents="96 HR SURFACE FORECAST" Area="4" />
-------------------------

Typical Path and names for Internet Retrieved Files
C:\ProgramData\opencpn\plugins\weatherfax
http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PJAI10.TIF
http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PJAM88.TIF
http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PJAM98.TIF
http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PJBA99.TIF
http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PPAA10.TIF
http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PPBA10.TIF
http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PTCA89.TIF
-------------------------

[rgleason]

Sean,
As a reminder....weatherfax_pi does not seem to compile now.
1. CAF.cpp has an include for inttypes.h at line 31 -looks ok to me.
2. The inttypes.h file is under
C:\...\Navigation\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\include\msvc
Is this ok? I cannot figure out why can't it open the fle? Maybe the subdirectory msvc?

...
CAF.cpp
..\src\libaudiofile\CAF.cpp(31): fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'inttypes.h': No such file or directory [C:\Data-Dart\UpSoft\Navigation\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\build\weatherfax_pi.vcxproj]
  IFF.cpp ...

Generating Code...
Done Building Project "C:\Data-Dart\Up-Soft\Navigation\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\build\weatherfax_pi.vcxproj" (default targets) -- FAILED.
Done Building Project "C:\Data-Dart\Up-Soft\Navigation\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\build\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" (default targets) -- FAILED.

Build FAILED.

"C:\Data-Dart\Up-Soft\Navigation\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\build\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj"
 (default target) (1) ->
"C:\Data-Dart\Up-Soft\Navigation\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\build\weatherfax_pi.vcxproj" (default target) (3) ->
(ClCompile target) ->
  ..\src\libaudiofile\CAF.cpp(31): fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file:
'inttypes.h': No such file or directory [C:\Data-Dart\Up-Soft\Navigation\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\build\weatherfax_pi.vcxproj]

    0 Warning(s)
    1 Error(s)

CPack: Create package using NSIS
CPack: Install projects
CPack: - Install project: weatherfax_pi
CPack: Create package
CPack: - package: C:/Data-Dart/Up-Soft/Navigation/o-plugin/weatherfax_pi/build/weatherfax_pi-1.3-win32.exe generated.
C:\Data-Dart\Up-Soft\Navigation\o-plugin>

[rgleason]

How nice! I copied inttypes.h
to directory above
C:\...\Navigation\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\include

and it compiles with no errors or warnings.

[rgleason]

Opencpn Beta Win Plugins File Thingie rguser rgpass
Sean has recently updated the following files, please test them out:

3.2.2 PI WIN

weatherfax_pi-1.3-ov3.2.2-e-win32.exe
celestial_navigation_pi-1.9-ov3.2.2-a-win32.exe

3.3.1824 PI WIN

watchdog_pi-1.1-ov3.3.1824-a-win32.exe
rtlsdr_pi-0.10-ov3.3.1824-a-win32.exe

[rgleason]

Sean advises that moving the inttypes.h file up into the include dir "overwrites the mingw header" so I moved it back down to src/include/msvc/inttypes.h
And to fix the error--
C:\..\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\src\libaudiofile\CAP.cpp Line 31
instead of #include <inttypes.h>
do it this way #include <msvc/inttypes.h>

and it compiles, so I am going to upload that install file now.

[rgleason]

Just found an file in
C:\ProgramData\opencpn\plugins\weatherfax\coordina tesets.xml
which is now the actual user coordinatesets.xml...


This file has two new entries whiich I created to correct
NOAA - BOSTON - Surface Analysis Part 1
NOAA - BOSTON - Surface Analysis Part 2
chart overlay. They are...

<Coordinate Name="NOAA Boston Surf Anal Part1" X1="246" Y1="264" Lat1="60.00000" Lon1="-40.00000" X2="1204" Y2="1314" Lat2="30.00000" Lon2="0.00000" Rotation="CW" Mapping="Mercator" MappingMultiplier="1.0000" MappingRatio="1.0000" />

<Coordinate Name="NOAA Boston Surf Analy Part2" X1="246" Y1="265" Lat1="60.00000" Lon1="-90.00000" X2="1207" Y2="1317" Lat2="30.00000" Lon2="-50.00000" Rotation="CW" Mapping="Mercator" MappingMultiplier="1.0000" MappingRatio="1.0000" />

[rgleason]

I decided that my windows configuration for weatherfax was all screwed up due to numerous beta testing installs and changes, so I decided to really clean up the directories and remove all installations of weatherfax except one in hopes that I could really understand the intended "default" file structure and where files were being modified and where user coordinate data was being stored.

Ran uninstall weatherfax on all versions of Opencpn.
Deleted all program directories named weatherfax, except the git directories.
Deleted all weatherfax*.dll's
Checked ProgramData for weatherfax directories and deleted them.
Checked C:/ for weatherfax directories and deleted if not a git directory.

Reinstalled weatherfax into Opencpn v3.2.2 (Virgin Install)
Installation creates the following:

C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenCPN 3.2.2\plugins\weatherfax_pi\data

CoordinateSets.xml
WeatherFaxInternetRetrieval.xml
WeatherFaxSchedules.xml

Internet > Retrieval saves files to

C:\ProgramData\opencpn\plugins\weatherfax
http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PWAM99.tif
(Typical file name with URL and File Name)
These files are generally instantly overlayed on the charts
in a very convenient fashion using the data in coordinatsets.xml file

After Internet > Retrieval, there appears in
C:\ProgramData\opencpn\plugins\weatherfax
Two more XML files
UserCoordinateSets.xml <---Stores User created Image Wizard mapping coordinates
CoordinateSets.xml <---Stores User created mapping coordinates during the Internet > Retrieval process.

File > Open goes to

C:\ProgramData\opencpn\plugins\weatherfax
(Where user picks a file to view and the Image Wizard comes up.)
Using Image Wizard the image coordinates are entered then a
"New Coord" is selected and named in the upper left so the User coord data can be saved for reuse.
Later if the Plugin AND Opencpn are closed, all the images are erased in the weatherfax window.
(I think it would be nicer if these images were retained, and appeared overlayed on the charts when the Weatherfax_pi was started. That is how it used to work I believe.)

Anyway after you close Opencpn, you have to know exactly what the file name is and then know exactly which "User Coordinate" to apply to that image, to be able to reuse what you had to input earlier without
having to run the Image Wizard again.

So that's basically how the plugin works now. Right now it is easier to simply download a new image from the internet after you close Opencpn, because that process instantly overlays using the proper coordinates generally, even though you have the image saved in C:\ProgramData\opencpn\plugins\weatherfax .

==================
Possible Improvements
==================

1. Make "File > Open" an instant overlay on charts (if the coordinateset.xml) information is good.
2. Load and Save Kap files which have the coordinateset included.

Item #1 mechanics
Could use a lookup comparision of the file name and the coordinatesets.xml
by extracting

http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PWAM99.tif > [http!!!] URL [Last !] FILENAME = URL=weather.noaa.gov/pub/fax
Filename=PWAM99.tif

Then using that information, it searches:
WeatherfaxInternetRetrieval.xml for the URL that matches, and stores the "Server Name"
and Filename that matches and then stores the "Region Name" and
"Area designator" (eg: Area="8") associated with the "Filename".
Then it concatenates the "Server Name" - "Region Name" - "Area Name"
and uses that to search CoordinateSets.xml for the correct mappping coordinatesets to use for the instant overlay.
The last thing to do before the overlay is to check the User coordinates file to see if there is a setting that should override.

Additionally,
1. I think the record for UserCoordinatesSets.xml should perhaps include the file name for ease in lookup.
2. I don't yet understand why we need to have the second copy of coordinatesets.xml in C:\ProgramData\opencpn\plugins\weatherfax but Sean may have a good reason.

========
Problem due to MINGW compiler
Sean advises that moving the inttypes.h file up into the include dir "overwrites the mingw header" so I moved it back down to src/include/msvc/inttypes.h
And to fix the error--
C:\..\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\src\libaudiofile\CAP.cpp Line 31
instead of #include <inttypes.h>
do it this way #include <msvc/inttypes.h>
and it compiles, so I am going to upload that install file now.

This is the version we are using now because it compiles for Windows.
But Sean says it breaks Mingw because the header is overwritten.

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by rgleason

(I think it would be nicer if these images were retained, and appeared overlayed on the charts when the Weatherfax_pi was started. That is how it used to work I believe.)

This is not yet implemented.

2. Load and Save Kap files which have the coordinateset included.

Export saves to kap file, so I will just make load also open a kap file.

The plugin still isn't good enough as a general purpose kap file editor.

Item #1 mechanics
Could use a lookup comparision of the file name and the coordinatesets.xml
by extracting[INDENT][FONT=Arial]http!!!weather.noaa.gov!pub!fax!PWAM99.tif > [http!!!] URL [Last !] FILENAME = URL=weather.noaa.gov/pub/fax
Filename=PWAM99.tif

No, I won't do this. In fact, it should delete all files older than 3 hours automatically. Instead it will export and save all the images to kap files at exit and load those at startup.

1. I think the record for UserCoordinatesSets.xml should perhaps include the file name for ease in lookup.

It cannot include the file name because the same coordinate can be used for many files.

2. I don't yet understand why we need to have the second copy of coordinatesets.xml in C:\ProgramData\opencpn\plugins\weatherfax but Sean may have a good reason.

The first copy is installed and used initally to create the second one that the user may edit. This allows you to make corrections to the coordinates.

In some distant future version I want to merge these files better when the plugin upgrades.

========
Problem due to MINGW compiler
Sean advises that moving the inttypes.h file up into the include dir "overwrites the mingw header" so I moved it back down to src/include/msvc/inttypes.h
And to fix the error--
C:\..\o-plugin\weatherfax_pi\src\libaudiofile\CAP.cpp Line 31
instead of #include <inttypes.h>
do it this way #include <msvc/inttypes.h>
and it compiles, so I am going to upload that install file now.

This is the version we are using now because it compiles for Windows.
But Sean says it breaks Mingw because the header is overwritten.

Did you still not resolve this? I put in the CMakeLists.txt a test which should be the only thing needed.

[rgleason]

Thank you Sean!

Export saves to kap file, so I will just make load also open a kap file.
The plugin still isn't good enough as a general purpose kap file editor.

Great... It seems to be headed that way..idea from earlier times.

Instead it will export and save all the images to kap files at exit and load those at startup.

Sean I really like this idea, cleans up having all these separate XML files!

Did you still not resolve this? I put in the CMakeLists.txt a test which should be the only thing needed.

Not resolved as far as I know, but I have not git pulled and will do so.

[rgleason]

delete entire o-plugins/wxfax directory
git clone
git pull
cmake ..
cmake --build .
cmake --build . --config release
cpack

Still have inttype.h errors.
Sorry

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by rgleason

delete entire o-plugins/wxfax directory
git clone
git pull
cmake ..
cmake --build .
cmake --build . --config release
cpack

Still have inttype.h errors.
Sorry

You must make these errors go away by editing CMakeLists.txt

I already added what I believe is needed.

[rgleason]

Dear Sean
I am delighted to do that. I will make it compile for windows, and happen to know how.

PS I intend to become better at detecting and fixing the errors related to windows. It may take soon time. I hope you will be understanding about this.
-- By the way, we need an army of beta testers, windows compilers, and windows programmers to help these guys! Please step up and volunteer!

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