Vendée version 2.10

[omar]

I posted version 2.09 for download in
http://www.tecepe.com.br/nav/vrtool/download.htm

version changes:
* fixed problem in NOAA winds rounded to match VR winds ( thanks to Berg )
* fixed problem when importing your boat route (previous version imported some friend's route - thanks to Pascal )
* New Track Analysis tool. Allows comparing the evolution in time of some variable of two boats (p.e. your boat and friend's). You can compare Distance to destination (DTD), Boat Speed, Rank, Wind Speed and VMC (for VMC calculation, current destination is considered). Results are shown as numeric table and line charts.

You can plot the variable difference between boat 1 and boat 2. For example:
boat1.VMC - boat2.VMC
If you are boat 1, a rising line is good for speeds (wind speed, boat speed, VMC), but bad for DTD (your opponent is gaining distance ).

Or you can plot the variable for both boats as different lines in the chart.

To open Track Analysis module select menu View > Track Analysis (or shortcut Ctrl-Shift-A). Select the two boats, the variable, number of days and click [Calculate]

chart tips:
For the chart, I used the wonderful TeeChart component. Click the chart button to configure. To zoom in select a rectangle with the mouse. Use the zoom out button to get back. Selecting a rectangle to the left also zooms out. Right-click and drag to move the chart.

Still some problem with friends data. Not all points are ok.

Variable values are extracted from boat tracks (TR_xxx), so you have to be collecting tracks to use this module.

[fogmachine]

Omar, VRTool is a wonderful program - thank you.

I was using the weather routing, but it's been failing since last evening. First it would allocate 2GB of memory then run out, now it just refuses to build any routes. Here is a screen shot of the WR window, any idea how I can help debug it?

Obrigado!

[omar]

The only thing I can think of is trying to calculate WR without
wind forecasts in the starting position. While the destination can
be outside the wind area, the start must be inside.

[K2_2266]

I had about the same and sort of fixed it by using the simple polars in csv-format. Make sure you really loaded them. This at least worked for me. On the other hand you might want to try Zezo for weather routing.

Greets Dirk (K2 2266)

[omar]

version 2.10 - release notes

Bugs:
- Correction of NOAA wind schedule for games. Added yet another config for wind change time.
( Vendée winds where wrong between 6Z-7Z and 18Z-19Z )

New:
- Added a chart object group. Use it to locate, edit and delete chart Marks, Circles and Wind fields. Double click object icon to center the chart in it.
- Track analyzer - New module. Use it to compare two boat tracks as time passes. Chart and spread sheet. Perform computations with Distance to destination, boat speed, VMC etc.
- Weather Routing can import current boat position
- Weather Routing best track and isochrones set to the same color.
- New chart visibility group, for fine control of what groups of chart elements are visible.
You can choose to hide your friend's tracks or WR tracks or Marks - to clear the chart visualy.
These visibility settings are independent of the visibility of each object.

All new groups are in the tracks tab.

Thanks for forum users that sent ideas and bug reports

use file vrtool.zip from downloads

[guigui]

Hi Omar,
Great features !

I have to report thinks that don't seems to work for me in the new chart visibility group :
great circle : The great circles I created before installing the 2.10 don't disappear when I uncheck the box. It works fine for a new one I created after the install.
Wind field : doesn't disappear when unchecked.

About this kind of chart visibility control, it would be great to have :
- show boats/hide boats (for friends only and an other for my boat)
- change the friends boats tracks opacity all at once (with a small bar for control maybe, or a box to set it at 20% : it's the % that I find the most usefull : just visible but do not disturb )

that's all for now
Thanks

[par2005]

All I can say I am amazed at this responsiveness, Omar.

Thank you.

[omar]

Wind field : doesn't disappear when unchecked

When I say "wind field", I refer to the object that displays a grid of wind barbs
in specified resolution, not the regular wind grid itself.
This was introduced in VORG12, to visualize interpolated winds.
The only way to create it is from the [Add wind field] button in the wind interpolation group.
The added field covers the visible rectangle of the desktop. No editing for wind fields yet.

The visibility and opacity of the wind grid is still located in the wind group
You are right: some visibility switches are not working.

[par2005]

Hi Omar,

It seems that weather routing still creates tracks with wind shifts at 06:00/18:00GMT.

You can see 12/24/36 hour marks at 18:00/06...

[omar]

It seems that weather routing still creates tracks with wind shifts at 06:00/18:00GMT

Yes. I only corrected the NOAA wind download schedule.
The track designer and WR still wind shift at 6/18Z.
One way around this problem is to change the wind age setting ( tab Other > Track designer settings )
- select option [x]Time from last wind update
- In the panel below set local time of first update ( LT corresponding to 7:00 UTC )
This will correct the position of wind changes (i.e. wind shift isochrones),
but time values in track points will be off by one hour. The scheduler is affected too. A mess

note: problem fixed in v 2.11