I want to get lost!

[Victor]

I fully agree with what you are saying. That is what many of us would like to do.
As for Ron's second paragraph, I think he means he is tossing some ideas around in his head.

Victor

[ron]

Thanks Victor, that''s exactly what I was doing?
I understand the proposition, the sim gives one the true position when on the map? You'd like to see the assumed position instead and when, either using bearings on landmarks, or a celestial arrived at position, compare that (true one) to the dead reackoned one?
I'm just thinking how would you ask Ilan to program such (how would dear Ilan know your assumed position) and show it when on the boat in sim? To me it is an impossible task.

[Sailorjohn]

Ron, as another old salt, I fear maybe you're reading more into this than was intended.

The way I see this at it's most basic form is a suggestion to give users the option of simply unticking 'show vehicles' from Map. That would enable users to interpret radar ranges/bearings, visual bearings, and soundings to orient themselves on the chart. While it would be nice to have the ability to 'draw' DR courselines, bearings, fixes, etc...that requires some additional coding. But simply deleting all vehicles from map view would be an easy first step. You would be able to click in the map where you think you are, and note bearings/distances to navaids/landmarks...thereby refining your EP. Of course you wouldn't use GPS, as that would yield your position. The map would not respond to 'position' or 'moving' when 'show vehicles' was unticked...you'd have to manually click and drag...and it would reopen centered on last cursor position.

[laukejas]

I think I'm going to find some external nautical mapping program, and use it with Virtual Sailor (just alt-tab to it when neccesarry). Still, I haven't yet found a program which allows to place waypoints, draw and write on map. Do you know any?

I just tested Virtual Sailor map with Google Maps. Coordinates seem to be accurate, so I guess using external mapping program should be ok too.

[Victor]

I have been considering that option as well. I think we have to look for a programme that will read or import maps created/generated by VS and VSF. There was one mentioned in the Great lakes (Duluth) scenery that works with US digimaps but not sure if it works with other files. I have to look into it a bit more.

Victor

EDIT: The scenery is Lake Superior and the programme used by the editor is openCPN

[itsme]

I think this is something Ilan would need for his simsquared stuff anyway. Often he lets us "betatesting" new features on VSF.

[ron]

Your hopes are ill founded, VS is not in a development mode. What you have is what you have, there is nothing more coming.
Anybody serious much switch to VSF! It is our future application and to be honest I don't understand anybody still in VS, it is dated.
Also, I still fail to see the purpose of this topic for VS, how is Ilan to know where you "think" you are, as opposed to where your vessel is in the sim actually? Are you real at all?
Will you please think about that (your guess, how can Ilan program for such, your guessed position is very personal?) .

I'd like to see some programming suggestions, it would involve 2 maps, the true motion one (as is the current one) and the assumed one (assumed course, assumed speed, assumed direction).
Do you really think there will be much difference unless you have set(undone) some parameters for wind and current? Which by the way if you are a sailor you would account for anyway in your dead reckoning?

This is a dead end in my book. Why do I say that?
Your vessel motion in VS is driven by your sim settings, your settings can't be guessed by Ilan upfront, hence where you are at a certain moment on the map is because of you and how you behave in the sim. There is no way to program each individual randomness.....
and like I have pointed out plenty of times before, if you want to have the personal sailing experience on the map?
There is nothing from stopping you setting a series of waypoints on the map (your plotted intention), take your vessel off of autopilot and steer your vessel along this pre plotted intention using your own competence?
Again, I truly think this is a dead end topic.

[Victor]

the requirement is still valid for VSF as well. Sailorjohn has very clearly explained. ron's idea of two maps makes sence on map one you have the ship (current situation) and on map two no ship own or anyone elses. The requirement on map two is the ability to plot one's position. it would be nice if it could all be done from within the programme, tick box or whatever and use maps generated by the programme. laukejas has suggested using an external programme to do this. i have in the past used a commercially available charts and plotter to do just that. I take the range and bearings from VS /VSF and plot the results on the chart -running on another computer, on which i have a planned track. As we used to do in the good old days of paper charts. That is an expensive way of doing it.
i don't believe, neither, that VS will evolve beyond where it is (has been for 4+ years) but i am happy to keep the topic open here knowing that the request applies to both products. ilan is aware of the requirement but if we can find another solution in the meantime, cheap one preferably, why not keep looking ?

Victor

[Calvin]

Thread resurrection. This topic interests me deeply.

Maybe I missed something, but I need things simple, so here goes...

1. Plot a course on the VSF map with waypoints.
2. Record the coordinates for each waypoint plotted.
3. Turn off map in VSF and do not reopen it until after the voyage to debrief the path recorded in VSF.
4. Open an external charting software, paper chart or just a plank piece of paper and chart the coordinates of the waypoints on the chart.
5. Sail the voyage setting the weather to the best guess of what the real weather in the area would be. Real sailors don't get to pick the weather.
6. Compare the "sailed" voyage with the VSF path.
7. Repeat the above for the next adventure.

The only caveat I see is one would have to sail in VS in order to use the sextant feature. You could use VSF, but you would have to pretend you left your sextant on the dock when you shoved off.

So, do I have the right idea?