Re: electronic charts format

Josce wrote:
> I am thinking of writing my own navigation software.
> Not to save money, but just for the fun of it, and
> because I would like it to be an "open system" so that
> I can easily add features to it from time to time.
> I have sorted out the hardware but I am having problems with
> the electronic charts. The charts I would need right now
> have to cover the Baltic sea.
> 
> When trying to find do***entation about the "S-57" format
> I only find very "strange" do***entation which is not
> very helpful. It is as if someone has made it obscure on
> purpose?
>  It is very likely that I just haven't found the right
> do***entation for this, but the ones I have found like:
> 
> IHO TRANSFER STANDARD
> for
> DIGITAL HYDROGRAPHIC DATA
> Edition 3.1 - November 2000
> Special Publication No. 57
> 
> are not very intuitive, compared to nearly any Internet RFC, which
> you just read and then start implementing it ...
> 
> Are there any commercially available charts that can be used on a PC.
> And to make it clear, I have no intention of cracking any codes and
> I am more than happy to pay for these charts and "lock" them to the
> computer that I install them on.
> 
> And how do you read these charts?
> 
> Josce

I imagine you're right about it being made deliberately difficult to 
find information about the S-57 format.  May I suggest looking at some 
of the GIS packages though; at least a couple include translation
utilities.

The BSB format (NOAA raster charts) is much easier and additionally a 
library exists for it already (libbsb.sourceforge.net)

No matter what you do you're going to need C/C++ experience and a lot of 
patience to deal with the marine industry roadblocks.  It would be nice 
to have a viable linux navigation package.  And, have a look at my 
project (pynavigate.googlecode.com), its a working cross-platform GPS 
display written in python.

--
Travis