Way Points

Definitions | Files | Techniques | Import data | Export Work

Norm's Waypoint lists

For planning purposes only! Select a route or waypoint and press the Read button.

Do not use these computations for Navigation. The computed course and distances are close to correct, but I used some approximations. The waypoints are from many sources and should be carefully checked before using.

Overview

These programs access a web site that contains many Waypoints that I've entered. Most are my own, but some are from other sources. All are subject to error. So beware! The waypoints are in a group of files that can be accessed by selecting an entry in the above window and pressing the Read button. The each file of waypoints is reference by another file that I call the index file. See below for an visual layout.

The program also allows you to save your own waypoints on my website. To do this you must register with a userid and password that will allow you to use the Log-in button.

Button definitions:

Back - will return to previous/higher level index file.
Read - Read and display the selected Route or waypoint file from the server
Login - Takes name and password to allow you to update and write files to the server
Crt Work - Opens a blank display that can be used to build a Route. Waypoints can be copied to this display using the "Copy to work" button. The contents of this display can be copied to the browser (see Export Work).

Edit buttons on right:

Edit - Puts selected line into edit panel
Delete - deletes selected line
New Route - Allows you to create a new route/waypoint entry
MoveUp - Moves selected line up 1
MoveDown - Moves selected line down 1
Write - Copies the currently displayed file back to the server. You must be logged in to do this.
Copy to work - copies the selected line to the Work display.

Menu items

Only the Waypoints window and Plot display have menus.

File menu items

To Browser - Loads waypoint list into Browser window. (Allows you to save list to your disk or to print it);
PlotWP - Plots the waypoints on 2D graph which can be zoomed.
Import - Copies valid position records that were imported from the Form at the bottom of this page into the current display.
Export NMEA format - Copies all waypoint records in NMEA format to a new window. Useful for bulk copying.

Edit menu items - use these to rearrange waypoints

Cut - cuts(copy and erase) the selected waypoint to a save area
Copy - copies the selected waypoint to a save area
Paste - inserts the saved waypoint after the selected line
EndLeg - inserts an "EndLeg" waypoint after the selected line

Plot display menu items

Scale menu items - use to zoom-in or zoom-out on the plot

ZoomIn - Display will zoom in (expand scale) when the cursor(a cross) is clicked on the display. Turn off by selecting the menuitem: ZoomIn ON
ZoomOut - Display will zoom out (reduce scale) when cursor is clicked on the display. Turn off by selecting the menuitme: ZoomOut ON

View menu items

Show labels - Displays labels for all waypoints and routes in the display
Show names - Controls displaying of names of waypoints
Show legs - Controls displaying of route legs between waypoints
Clear labels - Clears all displayed labels in the display.

Note: The initial display is without labels on the waypoints or legs. Labels for waypoints will be displayed if you click on the circle for the waypoint. Labels may be dragged when the cursor changes to a HAND.
A line with course and direction may be drawn by clicking on a waypoint and dragging to another waypoint before releasing.

HTML Export Work button (at end of this page)

The Export Work button will copy all the waypoints from the Work display into a browser window. The Work display is create by pressing the Crt Work button on bottom row of buttons on the first window.
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File types

There are two kinds of files with their own displays. The files have a hierarchical relationship (see map below). The top most file is the master index file that contains the names of all the next level of files. The bottom most files are those that contain the waypoint data. In between are intermediate index files.

Index file - refers to other index files or waypoint files. To move down the map, select an entry in the index display and press the Read button. To move up, press the BACK button. If you are creating a new index file, the filename extension must be "idx".
Waypoints file - contain a list of waypoints. The display allows you to select two waypoints and will compute the course (True) and distance between them. Use the buttons at the bottom of the display to Set the start and end points for the computation. The waypoints can be plotted on a graph by selecting the File|PlotWP menu item. The waypoints file filename extension must be "wps".

                               ---------------
                               | Master Index|
                               ---------------
                                      |
                   -------------------------------------------
                   |                                         |
           -----------------                           -----------------
           | Another index |         ...               | Another index |
           -----------------                           -----------------
                  |                                           |
         ---------------------------              -------------------------
         |                                        |
    -------------                         -------------
    | Waypoints |    ...                  | Waypoints |      ...
    -------------                         -------------

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Techniques

Create your own Login Name

If you would like to enter your own waypoints, you must create your own login name and password .

Adding your own routes

After logging in, click on the New Route button to get the Input screen. Fill in the description, the filename and select the type of the file you want to create and press Save. This will make an entry in the currently displayed index file. The system will check if the file already exists to ensure that you don't overwrite an existing one. Then press the Write button to copy the updated index file to the server. Next select the entry for the new file that you are going to create. Press the Read button. The system will give some messages saying that the file does NOT exist and will display a new window for you to enter the data for the new file into. If the new file is an index file, repeat the above steps to add an entry to the new index file and to write it to the server. When the new file is a waypoints file, you'll get a different display for entering the waypoints. Fill in the table with all the waypoints and press the Write button to save it on the server.

The user is responsible for the writing to the server of each updated file by pressing the Write button. Be sure to write down the names of the files that you create until all the connections have been made.

Creating multiple legged routes

When creating a route with more than one leg from a waypoint, use the EndLeg waypoint (from the Edit|EndLeg menuitem) to end a leg before starting the next leg. For example if there are two routes from A to D, one via B and one via C, enter the waypoints in the following order: A/B/D/EndLeg/A/C/D/E...
You can use the Edit menu commands Copy, Paste and EndLeg to do this.

Importing a number of routes

If you have a number of routes that were created offline, they can be pasted into the Input area at the bottom of this page and Imported. After pressing the "Import data" button go to the display where you want to import them, click on the File menu and select the Import item.

Using the WayPoints program offline

You can download the waypoints programs and run them on your computer. After downloading the jar file, open a MS-DOS window, go the the directory with the WayPoints.jar file and
enter: JVIEW /CP WayPoints.jar WaypointApps.WayPoints
It requires there be a subdirectory named: WayPoints.
Note: This download does not include any of the on-line waypoints. See below for another version that includes a copy of the waypoints as of 8/15/00.
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Import your waypoint records to program