28 July 2021

We're pleased to present Qastor version 3.2.0. This release contains a lot of new features which will complement the product even further. Read below for details.

Getting Started

Go to the getting started page here.

Highlights

Annotations

GeoJSON

Annotations are used to mark areas and points of interest on the chart and to attach files and raise alarms.
It combines the area's and annotation functionality of Qastor 2.5.

Annotations are stored in the GeoJSON file format.

Third party GeoJSON editing

GeoJSON is and open standard format designed for representing geographical features. Next to editing in Qastor one may also user third party GeoJSON tools like geojson.io.
Note that GeoJSON has some dialects when it comes to meta data like colors.

Enabling the annotation layer and exchange with Connect Server

The annotation layer can be enabled in Settings - Chart Preferences.
Annotations which have been placed in the Connect Server can be synchronized with Qastor in the Chart Preferences.
Some sample GeoJSON files are available on the Default Connect Server.

Creating, editing and deleting annotations

Activate the annotation editor by the radial menu edit tools - annotation tools.
The editor opens with an overview of the available annotation files.
Press the plus button in the top to create a new annotation file.
Then select either point, line or area. The video sample is using area.
The options associated with the selection will appear in the blue shortcut bar.
In case of an area these are to add an area, add a point segment or to delete a point segment.
To move a point press the pencil and then long press on the point to be moved.
To delete an annotation file go to the file section and slide the selected file to the left and press the red bucket.

An annotation file may contain multiple annotations.

Annotation file location

Locally generated or edited annotation files are located in the My Annotations folder.

For Windows this folder can be found in: Documents\Qastor\
On iOS the folder is exposed under Qastor.

Details

The Details section of the annotation properties show the file name, the name of the annotation, the associated icon color and zoom level.
The zoom level determines the visibility of the annotation at a given scale.

HTML colors

It is possible to apply HTML hexadecimal color coding by pressing Color right next to the color slider.
The value starts with # followed by the code. The sample below is using #666761 and #d5ff00.

Attachments

Files can be attached to an annotation in the attachment section. Slide a file to the left to delete it.

Chart information window

Attachments can be viewed as part of the chart information window.
Activate the radial menu in the annotation area and choose Show Chart Info to activate the chart information dialog.

Alarms

An alarm can be triggered when either the own vessel or another target sails in the the annotation area,
This can be defined in the Alarms section.

Side panel

The available annotation files are listed in the side panel under Voyaging - Annotations.
The list shows whether it is a local file or a file that was obtained via the Connect Server.
Alarm notifications can be toggled by pressing the alarm bell. The eye icon reveals whether the file is hidden or not.

The Go To Center option is shown when a selection is expanded. I will recenter the chart to the bounds of the selected annotation file.

AD Navigation XR2 alarm scenarios

The AD XR2 PPU sends alarms to Qastor in a dedicated alarm message.

These alarms are interpreted and displayed individually in notification messages.

The Dutch Loodswezen and Belgium DAB pilot organisations have determined root cause resolutions to certain alarm combinations.
Where in the past one would get multiple alarms, now one overall topic alarm is raised with a suggestion on how to solve the problem.

The XR2 device settings allow enabling of the individual device alarms and / or device alarm scenarios.

Do: Main Menu > My Vessel > Positioning Device > Device Alarms

The standard alarms which are already available in Qastor, like Nav Timeout, are also dealt with by XR2 smart alarms.

Switch off the standard alarms to prevent double alarm triggering.

This may be automated in one of the next Qastor releases pending customer feedback.

Docking panel appearance

A more pronounced border is placed around the speed indicators in the docking panel which makes them easier to read and tell apart.

The angle between a docking feature and the heading of a vessel is displayed in the docking panel

The color of the angle number is black when smaller than 1 degree and red with a negative angle and green if the angle is positive

UDP support

Qastor now supports the UDP network protocol.

Trelleborg CAT series

Trelleborg CAT devices have been added to the predefined device list.
Proprietary messages, containing battery info and other meta data, are supported as well.

Display/Hide bottom bar with top bar simultaneously

Hiding or displaying the bottom bar can now be linked to the top bar.
When the top bar is "double tapped" to hide from view the bottom bar is also hidden simultaneously.
This setting is available in Visibility Panels > Show Bottom Bar

The bottom bar will reappear similar to the top bar when zooming in or out.

Option to hide recording indicator

An extra setting has been added to the Visibility Panels menu for the recording indicator in the lower right of the display.

Resolve button available in notification center

When a notification with a resolve option like a chart or vessel dimension update is marked as read there is now an option to directly resolve from the notification center without having to go back to the display again.

Lockline distance visibility

Lock's distances will show pending the minimum distance as set in the lock settings and when at least half of the vessel width lays within the locklines.

Vessel 1 is more than half of the vessel width outside the locklines and does not display lockline distances.

Vessel 2 is more than half of the vessel width inside the locklines and displays lockline distances.

Increased zoom level

The possible maximum zoom level has been increased.
Zoom levels are within 0.1 meter at every latitude.