GPS Map Refreshing...

[Rassiloth]

Not a problem this time, more an observation.

One of my side projects has been to build a simple Raspberry Pi device for me to control and manage my SM installation while onboard (as I don't want to go digging out my laptop all the time).

The platform I've built is a standard RPi in a 7" touchscreen. This works well and I can log into the BCS with no issues.

however, I notice that although I can execute a show location in the GPS setting, which works fine, I can't set this as an auto refreshing map.

This appears to be a due to the map display process using a POST process somewhere in the code. This means that the browser (Chromium at the moment) puts up a request to confirm the re-submission of the request before it will re-display the page.

I'm using Chromium as I have a handy extension that sets the page to refresh automatically at a predefined time duration.

All the workarounds I've found so far require me to start messing with the page code so I thought I'd mention it here in case anyone has already resolved this.

Not really a critical thing but it stops people bugging me with 'Where are we now?' questions

Cheers

Ian

[penny]

If I understand you correctly you're looking at the GPS map for a current position - whilst on the move ?

If so, that's already done by Open CPN and we would recommend that rather than the "has by boat been nicked" or "has she wandered off". But I may have misunderstood - in which case do put me to rights !

Penny

[Rassiloth]

Penny,

What was trying to use was the 'Plot Your Position' option but I run into problems auto refreshing the screen as it keeps wanting an ok to resend data. Can't see any other options with the BCS menu though.

I'm only looking to provide a map display on a small RPi inside the boat. The unit doubles as my 'local onboard' management console for SM.

I only manage 4mph at most along a fairly straight canal and I'm loath to setup a second GPS collection when this is just for information.

Don't mind looking at openCPN but it may be overkill

Ian

[penny]

Penny,

What was trying to use was the 'Plot Your Position' option but I run into problems auto refreshing the screen as it keeps wanting an ok to resend data. Can't see any other options with the BCS menu though.

I'm only looking to provide a map display on a small RPi inside the boat. The unit doubles as my 'local onboard' management console for SM.

I only manage 4mph at most along a fairly straight canal and I'm loath to setup a second GPS collection when this is just for information.

Don't mind looking at openCPN but it may be overkill

Ian

Ian Yes - had forgotten you wouldn't have issues like tidal set and much in the way of currents and that it would be hard to lose your way (tho to our shame we once got lost on the Broads with a hire boat and had to back a long way as there was nowhere to turn round !). We think the refresh is a function of the browser so don't see a fix for it. The only way I can think of would be to close the Plot Your Position program and then re-select it from the menu when you want to know where you are.

We used to issue OpenCPN but at that time there was a paucity of charts for the UK - which wouldn't affect you as you would need to use Google Maps for the inland stuff. However we think that since OpenCPN would only be reading from the GPS that you could probably use both simultaneously but don't know for certain. Maybe you could ask the question on these forumns or an OpenCPN one ?

Penny

[Rassiloth]

Penny,

Unfortunately trying to get other GPS options to play nicely along side Skippers Mate seems to have been the proverbial straw on the camel's back.

All GPS is now non-functional and added to issues with sensors and cameras (possibly down to the various tinkering done to test things out) has resulted in a system that does not do much.

So, a question.

If I re-image the card (or put a different one in) and the sync with the Central server, will the new unit just take on the accounts and details from the old one?


Ian

[crb]

Strange that OpenCPN and the system will not coexist, as Penny said we used to issue with the system and used them together for a while ourselves. Don't suppose the card is full?

Re-imaging the card and re-registering will cause all settings to be initialised -settings are stored locally, probably better to remove OpenCPN and try to backtrack.

Colin

[Rassiloth]

Colin,

The problem seems to be tied up in the way the two applications access the GPS data.

Skippers Mate appears to use custom code, pulling the data at set intervals and parsing it for the database etc, while OpenCPN appears to have moved away from this approach and now prefers to use the GPSD module and its related scripts.

Although GPSD does offer a easy way to pull GPS data in a normalised format (it makes it far more tolerant of changes in hardware for example) it does appear to take permanent control of the GPS device and means SM can no longer access the data direct.

Removing the GPSD code has not restored the SM system to full working order. Makes me think something has been updated in the core Raspbian build somewhere that SM does not like.

As there are other issues (sensors not operating correctly and the camera just remains blank) combined with the fact that there is no live data at all (the system has not yet been used in anger), I am leaning towards a rebuild or putting this to one side and starting a fresh build.

BTW, space on the card is not an issue as its a 128GB card and the system was expanded to use all space at the start of the process.

Ian

[crb]

Thanks for the info. Ian. I can't argue with your conclusions but I will get in touch with the guysatOpenCPN to see if/when they changed something. If you are correct in your assumption that something in the corehas changed then a rebuild might be a sensible way forward. Might be worth backing up some of the configuration tables from the Postgres database before nuking the card. If you'd like more info on which ones, let me know.

Colin