The latest version of Coastal Explorer is 4.0.24318.0

This update fixes an issue that could prevent cloud-synchronization under certain circumstances.

This is a maintenance update that includes various bug fixes and performance enhancements. Notable changes include:

New Features

• Added a depth sounder mounting offset option

Changes

• Use HTTPS for all web access
• Adapted to changes NOAA made to the NDBC observation data
• Removed optional gazetteers outside the US because of changes at NGA
• The link to the USACE IENC “Report a Problem” page has been updated
• Fixed a potential crash when other software or devices send bogus SSDP reflections on the network
• Horizontal clearances on IENC are now converted from meters to selected unit

Fixes

• Reinstated charts would show as cancelled if they were made visible manually
• Fixed an issue caused by special characters in waypoint names
• Fixed a problem at startup when the current layer also has the visibility switch enabled
• Fixed some issues importing files into cloud-synchronized layers
• Fixed some problems caused by very old charts and charts that are not quite up to spec

This update replaces the NMEA 0183 sentence filtering feature with filters that include the talker identifier (the first two letters of the sentence). This allows sentences from particular devices to be filtered when a port has more than one of the same type of device as long as the devices have different talker identifiers. Since the old filter feature is being replaced with this new one, any filter configurations you might have made will need to be reapplied.

Changes

• New talker-id-based NMEA 0183 Sentence Filter
• Indicate when a route leg has a discontinued current station attached in Route Details.
• Always draw IENC on top of ENC (in order to provide a better display where USACE and NOAA charts overlap).
• Tips for navigation objects will now show the name of the layer containing the object.
• Include information about Zones of Confidence in the help window.

Fixes

• Fixed a problem with the current-based ETA calculations where some legs would show much longer transit times than they should have.
• Fixed the datum label on Canadian tide graphs.
• Route Details would not show date transition on last leg.
• Various minor issues with the new Layers browser and the ability to use multiple documents.

This update incudes some major new features, including the ability to use more than one Voyage Plan Document at a time, Cloud-Synchronized Layers as a new way to store your navigation objects while sharing them with all your devices that run Coastal Explorer, including the new coastalexplorer.net website, a new “departure tool” for helping you find the route you need to get where you want to go, make a quick log entry, select a tracking option, and start navigating.

We’ve also streamlined the process of creating routes from the +New menu by bypassing the Add Route page, and brought back the Instant Route command.

Changes

• Added the new Layers browser
• Added Cloud-Synchronized Layers
• Added the new “Voyage Plan > Depart” page
• Changed +Add > Route to bypass the Add Route page (like Quick Route)
• Replaced Quick Route with Instant Route for creating a route from your current location to a single waypoint
• Increased the number of navigation objects shown in various lists to reduce the number of pages needed
• Include any Layover Time from the first waypoint of a route in the ETA calculations

Fixes

• Fixed all known problems with Cloud-Synchronized Layers that were found during the beta period
• Fixed some issues relating to the type of a mark when it is included or removed from a route
• Fixed some text weather forecast zones that were inaccessible due to overlapping zones
• Enabled text weather forecast zones for Western Mexico

Changes

• Added a limit to how long the search history can get
• Help did not work when the Properties Panel was open
• Rose Point Labs: Fixed a problem where importing routes with shared waypoints would result in some missing waypoints
• Rose Point Labs: Fixed a problem where the synchronization indicator would spin continuously when offline
• Fixed a problem accessing chart catalogs caused by disconnected routers providing sign-in pages rather than an error

This version fixes a couple of problems we introduced with the previous update, particularly when the “Sync at Startup” option is disabled and then a mark or other navigation object is deleted. It also fixes a few problems we found with the new Cloud-Synchronized Layers feature being beta-tested.

This version adds Cloud-Synchronized Buddy Lists which means changes or additions to your Buddy List will now synchronize across your devices when they are online. (You can still use this feature when your device is not online and any changes you make will be sent to our servers when it does go online.)

Along similar lines, we have added the ability to use Cloud-Synchronized Layers of navigation objects. This will let you create routes, marks, and other objects on one device and have those objects appear on your other devices, including on your iPads and iPhones with our new Coastal Explorer app. This feature is still in “beta testing”, so it needs to be enabled in “Settings > Rose Point Labs” if you want to use it for now.

Changes

• Rose Point Labs: Added option for Cloud-Synchronized Layers
• Cloud-Synchronized Buddy Lists
• Only show arrows from legs to associated current stations for selected routes
• Added MWD and MWV (wind) options for NMEA 0183 Talker ports
• Updated IENC chart drawing for the new IENC 2.4 standard which the USACE is starting to use
• Updated to NOAA’s new NEXRAD service since the old one was decommissioned
• Added an outline around AIS Aid-to-Navigation symbols to make them a bit easier to see
• Using “Previous WP” on the first waypoint will no longer deactivate the route
• Allow locked routes to be reversed
• Added an option to hide/show AIS environmental reports
• Added “Settings > Charts and Add-Ons > Store > Guide Books” to install Coast Pilots in the Places browser
• Adjusted mark/annotation text color in night mode
• Don’t save/restore the cursor tool mode anymore (so people that accidentally select the wrong one can get back to the default easily)
• Handle ChartWorld files with names like *.prm.zip and *.s63.zip (in addition to *.zip.prm and *.zip.s63)
• Made the instrument panel edit mode button toggle editing mode rather than just starting it

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a problem where Ship’s Log entries could not be made without valid locations
• Route selection highlights were not scaled correctly on high-DPI displays
• Help did not work in the Places Browser
• Help while editing instruments now shows help about instruments rather than Screens
• Fixed a problem that could lock up the program when an instrument panel was removed
• Fixed a problem with the troubleshooter when using multiple NMEA 0183 Over UDP ports
• Fixed a problem where sometimes not all of the legs would appear in printed routes
• Fixed printing of text weather
• Fixed a problem where changing days on a tide/current page didn’t scroll the graph or update the daily events
• Fixed problem where changing the waypoint style would not immediately recalculate the total route length
• Fixed a problem where AIS heading offsets set prior to V4 were still being used
• Fixed a problem handling changes to chart boundaries
• Various other minor bug fixes

Changes

• Hide AIS vessels reporting N/A position (rather than showing them at 0 N 0 E)
• Fixed crash when cancelling the creation of a RBL that shares its first mark with another RBL
• Don’t delete pre-existing mark when cancelling the creation of a RBL that uses that as its first mark
• Ignore MWV sentences that don’t contain a valid angle and speed (rather than using zero)
• Disable route obstacle checking during synchronization and perform a fresh check when synchronization is finished
• Made CHS current station arrows match NOAA stations to be more visible

Changes

• Fixed problem where some systems could not show All Instruments in the new Add Instrument page
• Changed new analog clock to be more analog with the hand positions
• Correctly pickup AIS vessel size after clearing a manually entered size
• Fixed problem saving and restoring sensor options for NMEA 2000 devices
• Change Install link to Remove after installing additional gazetteer and change Remove link to Install after removing one
• Disabled script error messages when trying to sign in to ActiveCaptain
• Shorten names of daybeacons when the “Shorten ATON Names” option is enabled
• Updated to WMM2015v2, the World Magnetic Model update recently released by NOAA

This update includes some big changes to how instrument panels are customized. We’ve made it a lot easier to add instruments as well as move them around, and we’ve added the ability to have more than one column of instruments on a per-tab basis.

Changes

• Added multi-column instrument panels and a new instrument panel editing mode
• Added an analog clock instrument
• Allow CHS current stations that can’t be graphed to appear on the Conditions Overview page
• Adapted to more recent ActiveCaptain changes
• Prevent AIS targets from being deleted
• Display the current timezone on tide and current prediction pages
• Adjusted formatting of Add Route page so that the route selection and creation commands are easier to see
• Tweaked the minimum scale for tide and current station displays in order to prevent clutter in some areas
• Made some changes to the Settings > Electronics > Configure a New Device page that hopefully makes it easier to use.
• Moved the turn direction indicators to in front of the boat (rather than around the GPS position)
• Chart Overviews now support hybrid vector mode
• Ignore antenna offsets in NMEA 2000 AIS PG’s when they are outside the vessel’s bounds
• Fixed a problem with Canadian Text Forecasts
• Use the current chart format when printing route details that include a chart
• Fixed a problem with the new tide/current data that could result in predictions that were larger than the extremes

This update fixes a problem with installing USACE IENC that was introduced in the last update. We made a few other tweaks too…

Changes

• Fixed a problem where new IENC could not be installed
• Fixed an issue with the projected shape of very large boundary circles
• Fixed problem where a leg could be missing from or duplicated on some pages of printed routes
• Provide a way to activate on the Accounts page when appropriate

This update is necessary for continued use of the ActiveCaptain Community. It is also a “maintenance update” with various bug fixes and performance enhancements.

Changes

• Updated to the new ActiveCaptain API
• Removed ActiveCaptain routes since the new version doesn’t support them
• Let Rose Point Account names be set in “Settings > Accounts”
• Baud rate detection for new Actisense NGT-1 firmware
• Tweaked formatting of vector chart property pages a bit
• Added a “Stop Navigation” command on boat’s tip when a route or waypoint is active
• Fixed a problem with configuring the NASA NAVTEX receiver

This is a “maintenance update” with various bug fixes and performance enhancements.

Changes

• Tips for Range/Bearing Bearing Lines From Boat will now update as the boat moves
• Show “News and Announcements” in browser rather than separate popup
• Show the live Update Log after starting a manual sync
• Save Radar Overlay option in custom screen layouts
• Added an option to control text size in the browser (Settings > General > Text Size)
• Enable the reception of more PGNs when using the Maretron USB100 gateway
• Show direction arrows and arrival circles of selected routes even when another route is active.
• Show hidden routes that are active.
• Added Import and Export commands to “Voyage Plan > Files” (this will eventually be the only place for these commands)
• Added “Send to GPX File” command to: “Voyage Plan > Routes menu”, “Voyage Plan > Route Details > Share menu”, “Voyage Plan > Marks menu”, “Ship’s Log > Tracks menu”, “Ship’s Log Events menu”, and the context/”More” menus for Routes and Marks.

Fixes

• Fixed a problem in 4.0.18039 that caused some new installations to crash at startup
• Fixed access to the Chart Folders command
• Make sure Chart Installation folder is included in the scan for chart files
• Fixed a potential crash when trying to install the C-MAP licensing add-on
• Fixed a problem with boundary crossing alarms

This is a “maintenance update” with various bug fixes and performance enhancements.

Changes

• Hide AIS environmental stations when their data expires
• Switched to new METAR service (because the old one was discontinued)
• Don’t turn off radar overlay when opening a browser
• Added “Settings” option to the boat’s tip
• New Update Log (on Settings > Charts and Add-Ons page)
• Change “Activate” to “Deactivate” for active routes in Route Details

Fixes

• Fixed a problem where labels would not always appear on the background map when the chart was rotated
• Fixed a crash when setting a route to Predict Log Race style and then adding the first waypoint

This is a “maintenance update” with various bug fixes and performance enhancements.

Changes

• Don’t assume vessel is underway until it has been moving at 1 kt or more for at least 5 secs.
• Mention our support hours in the error report window.
• Removed the (disabled) Options button from the Send to GPS window

Fixes

• Fixed problem updating the length of route after undoing a waypoint delete
• Update route times after changing a layover
• Display discounted C-MAP chart update price in shopping cart
• Fixed printing of help topics
• Fixed printing of text weather forecasts
• Fixed problem auto-selecting between magnetic and true heading sensors

This update fixes a few more problems that snuck into the new Coastal Explorer.

Changes

• Fixed problem highlighting selected waypoints in Route Details
• Include non-managed charts not in the main charts folder in the list of installed charts
• Reset All Options will now select pan mode instead of select mode
• Removed “Operating Mode” button option from instrument panels
• Fixed problem using Web Maps and hybrid vector charts in custom screens
• Allow “Quick Route” to be used even when there is no “boat”
• Fixed another problem with upgrading chart portfolios
• Fixed some ETA calculation problems with current stations attached to routes

This first update fixes a couple of problems that snuck into the initial release of the new Coastal Explorer and includes a few enhancements as well.

Changes

• Fixed cursor lat/lon display in chart panels
• Fixed an issue installing C-MAP charts purchased on a different system
• Fixed problem where hiding AIS Targets also hid own-ship
• Back on search results page will now clear the query
• The back button in the electronics area will now go up the device hierarchy when appropriate
• Waypoint information in route details is now more compact for unnamed waypoints
• Added cumulative distance to each waypoint in route details
• Prompt for a name when adding a new Instrument Panel
• Fixed a problem with Subscribe/Unsubscribe buttons in the Chart Catalog
• Provide option to change gateway IP address when a Nemo Gateway is detected on a different sub-net
• Accept NMEA 0183 sentences sent over UDP from local IP address on ports that are not talkers or listeners

This is the initial release of Coastal Explorer 4.