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Board » General Discussion » BWR Route Helper Tool

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Posted by
AGage


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2008-12-27 10:31:57
2011-02-26 01:35:00 - BWR Route Helper Tool
Please see here for the most up to date information and version.

Here is another small tool that will be of some use to those who use Bluewater Racing router. It automatically converts a route into DCs for input using brainaid's DC Editor. This is a Windows application, written for the .NET framework version 2.0. So will require installation on your machine.

Instructions:
After route is complete in BWR, either from an optimization or manual entry, open the route to see the sub-path details, from 'Details' button or context menu item in the Route Manager.
Make sure that 'True Bearings' is checked and not magnetic, then click 'Save as Text'.
Once saved, start the 'BWR to __brainaid_ DCs' tool. There are 2 ways to input the route from the text file.
1) Right click the upper text box, and select 'Open BWR Route' from the context menu, and navigate to the file saved above.
2) Open the file you saved the route to in another editor, such as notepad, and copy & paste the entire contents into the top textbox in the Converter tool.

NOTE: It is important to make a small modification to the route details. On the 1st line containing route information, ensure that line is numbered '0', as the others are numbered 1,2,3 etc. If you used a GPS Position as a route start mark, it will have 'GPS Position' instead of a number. Other times it will have no number at all. Failure to do this will result in that line not being added as a DC.

Now Click 'Convert', and you will see a list of DCs in the lower textbox.
Click 'Copy to Clipboard' to copy the DCs for pasting in brainaid's DC Editor.
Check to make sure the first DC corresponds to the start of the route, if not ensure the first line of the route starts with 0 (actually any number or letter, 0 is just convenient)
-You can also double click the DCs to copy them to the clipboard.

While converting the route to DCs, 2 changes are made.
1) Often BWR will list multiple subpaths with an identical heading. This tool removes all but the first (the others are redundant)
2) If the time for the first command has passed, it will change it to UTC + 2 minutes. This allows you time to paste and apply in brainaid's DC Editor.

Download the setup here (zipped) - 239Kb
After installation you will find a chortcut on the Start Menu under 'SOL Tools' - copy this to the desktop or anywhere you wish.

See the attached image for an example.

Enjoy :-)

Note1: To sail the best route, do not rely on BWR optimization alone. Modification in race are required. Entering the route exactly as is as DCs should be used primarily as a fallback.

Note2: This tool does not compute anything, it merely rewrites the output from BWR to that which brainaid's site requires - 'date' cc 'hdg'... That is all!


I HAVE SETUP A SITE ON WORDPRESS.COM TO SHARE MY TOOLS AND ALLOW ANY COMENTS AND BUG REPORTS WITHOUT CLOGGING UP THE SOL FORUMS - HERE

--- Last Edited by Aaron Gage at 2011-03-05 07:29:58 ---
I help develop the client interface for the best online ocean racing sim there is... __/)/)_/)__
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Posted by
K3 (Bernd)


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2008-08-25 12:34:07
2011-02-26 13:37:22 - Re: BWR Route Helper Tool
Next step will be a fully automated start without even knowing wich race is on. SOL should send an E-Mail when races are finished to show the results if the automated sailors where never online during a race ;)
Bernd
(still maneuvering with a wooden tiller)
Posted by
AGage


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2011-02-26 19:56:47 - Re: BWR Route Helper Tool
Well K3, I am online quite alot- few hours each day atleast -and not just watching a boat icon sail a preprogrammed course! ;-)

You did read the NOTE at the bottom?

It is simply a convenience tool, NOT a substitue for time spent in the game. It is however, useful for those times we need to spend some time away from computer. BWR can also be used to manually implement a route using waypoints... Just another option than time based DC calculation.

On the other hand, unless shared, it is only those with programming knowledge who will end up with any SOL extra software. No one is saying they are compulsory, but dont ever think that they are not being written and used in many different flavours, by different SOLers. All I am trying to do is share tools I write that I also find useful.

--- Last Edited by Aaron Gage at 2011-02-26 20:05:40 ---
I help develop the client interface for the best online ocean racing sim there is... __/)/)_/)__
Posted by
K3 (Bernd)


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2008-08-25 12:34:07
2011-02-27 22:25:00 - Re: BWR Route Helper Tool
Hi AG,

I don't have problems with any tools written by SOLers. I should have used such a script today in the Bimini and my boat woukld be still on course. If anyone reaches a top position by intelligent routing and intelligent scripting then it's ok for me. And thanks for sharing your konwledge!

I know, that you still have to correct those routings, otherwise the top ten would sail all the same track ;)

But I find it a bit annoying that everybody, let's call him the average SOLer, is able to sail into the top 20 or 50 by routing without your efforts. It's not necessary to be online while the boat follows a script. It's not necessary to look at the weather if the boat follows a routing. He will be never at the top but he will also not end below #50. And I have to fight for this (IRL and virtual).

Fair winds
Bernd (looking for a new carbon tiller now)
Posted by
ShamrockPirate


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2010-12-03 17:49:57
2011-02-28 01:37:31 - Re: BWR Route Helper Tool
AG... I have to say I find your stuff FASCINATING and I am in awe that people know how to do this computer stuff. I don't understand A single WORD of it. I could not even figure out how to use the "Corinthian" filter you wrote since I am not a Firefox user but I think it's cool that there are people who know how to do write this kind of programming.

I am slowly coming to accept the fact that I am never going to be one of the AGs, ITAs, 76Ts, Exmers, PetrMs, Chilas etc,etc,etc (no offence to the major players I left out!).

All that said, this stuff is cool to read even though I can't figure it out. Keep it up!

SP

--- Last Edited by ShamrockPirate at 2011-02-28 01:53:06 ---
Posted by
Jepsom


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2008-01-28 20:27:15
2011-02-28 08:08:45 - Re: BWR Route Helper Tool
Seems like I have to study both english and computer skills... just so that I can be a part of the gang in the future...
No, for me it is enough soon... For me it´s not even fun trying to beat you routers anymore. I haven´t got a chance without all this tools etc... As long as I stay at the helm I can be in front, or at least top30, but when I have to sleep I can´t afford any misstakes by DC:s etc... This race is a prof of that. If I understand this informatin up here, I could still have been in front with this tool called "check-your-boat-when-you-sleep-or-work".
Sure guys, your computer skills and programming is admirable, there is no doubt about it. So keep that up, the world needs you for sure, but in this game...? Well, for me the fun part is over and done.... sorry for complains...

I love this game and also to chat with most of you SOLers, and I also am a SOL-o-holic, but I don´t know if I´ll be a part of it in the future. I can not assert myself with you ... not with my poor computer skills.

Good Luck and Fair winds to all, routers and nonerouters!

/Jepsom

Ps. There is always a risk of being misunderstood when I can not get to explained in my own language. I'm probably not the best of us in English ... ;) Ds
Posted by
zero


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2010-02-07 16:56:30
2011-02-28 16:32:28 - Re: BWR Route Helper Tool
Well well I am old fashioned, I still play on SOL day dreaming I'm on the cockpit of an old wooden boat holding a tiller or a small wheel with lots of weather helm and salt walter spraying on my face.

I think the use of software aid, although permited, goes against the spirit of sailing. I wish no one would use it.

The question goes much beyond SOL. The question is "when is it enough to stop advancing the technology?"
This advancement in technology brought us the Internet and SailOnline and the possibility to make friends thousands of miles from our hometown.
It is naive to think that now we could fire all tech gicks and tell them to go fishing because we are satisfied with the way things are now.

What we can do and should do (in my humble opinion) is to provide different types of races for all styles of Sol'ers out there.

For non-software like me the short races are perefect. Specially the ones with islands and SLI in the middle of the course. I found that short figure "8" circuits are the best. By short I mean 36 hours races and waypoints every 8 hours or so.

I want to end this post by saying that Jepsom and K3 are fantastic sailors and most definetly don't need aid to be very competitive and win races. And so are many of the same faces that do use aid on long races. The italians Winston, ita and Gilles and the lady from Monaco and so may others here are crazy outstanding tacticians that regardless of router-aid or not would always be on top.

I hope we as a group can find a compromise to this issue, I would be very disapointed to see the SOL comunity disolve or morphy on a farm of soulless computer gicks. In the meantime please more Short-races !

Antonio (zero)

Antonio, (zero)


Posted by
Capt.D.P.


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2009-10-27 01:51:32
2011-02-28 17:07:41 - Re: BWR Route Helper Tool
Completely agree with you Antonio,router will kill SOL.I quit racing in Virtual last year as almost half of them were using routers,actually the robots interfaced with computer.You are actually racing against robots and those using it without shame are joying for big placements.
Even here many start to follow the steps.I am not talking about SAILPLANER but much more sophisticated robots.
There is no chance to win the robots

Damir(africa)

--- Last Edited by Capt.D.P. at 2011-02-28 17:10:06 ---
Posted by
BillynoMates_SA


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2009-08-21 15:17:11
2011-02-28 18:10:34 - Re: BWR Route Helper Tool
I'm a realist …. these guys now have the software and it is impossible to stop them using it as it would be futile to try to prove that they were using it (not to mention that such attempts and accusations would just cause ill feeling) therefore I believe that we just have to accept that there will always now be a sort of superleague..... much as it hurts. :(
Posted by
BillynoMates_SA


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2009-08-21 15:17:11
2011-02-28 18:22:49 - Re: BWR Route Helper Tool
africa said @ 2011-02-28 17:07:41:
Completely agree with you Antonio,router will kill SOL.I quit racing in Virtual last year as almost half of them were using routers,actually the robots interfaced with computer.You are actually racing against robots and those using it without shame are joying for big placements.
Even here many start to follow the steps.I am not talking about SAILPLANER but much more sophisticated robots.
There is no chance to win the robots

Damir(africa)

--- Last Edited by Capt.D.P. at 2011-02-28 17:10:06 ---
Damir I am also a big VR player, as far as I know there are no bots used on VR but I do use Zezo.org which really is only handy as a rough guide to be honest. And I would add that most of my better results have been whilst ignoring zezo ! Also zezo is free (other than donations) and works across all Platforms (Windoze and Mac anyway) If there were a similar programme that worked on SOL the playing field would be somewhat leveled in my opinion ...... oh and trust me I have tried to get the owner of zezo interested in doing the same thing for SOL but he says no :(

chris

BillynoMates SA

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