labview programming for sailing a boat

[tweet]

Hi,

currently IM need to do the interface & communication protocol using chart plotter & seatalk for sailing a boat.can anyone help me to give any idea or any example to

understand more about labview.i not really understand about the labview.

thanks

[smercurio_fc]

To learn more about LabVIEW it is recommended that you go through the introduction material, tutorial(s), and other material in the NI Developer Zone's Learning Center which provides links to other materials and other tutorials. You can also take the online courses for free.

Have you done these?

Or are you asking about how to program in general, and are really looking for a generic programming course?

[tweet]

yes.actually i looking for example that related with how to do the program.cause i try to do the simple labview but it not satisfied my supervisor as im currently do the final year

project & this is my first time using the labview.do u have any example that related to my project?

many thanks

[smercurio_fc]

It is highly unlikely that anyone would have an example program specific to your needs. We also can't write the program for you. Unless you're willing to pay, of course.  You need to break up your project into tasks and tackle each one on its own. For instance, define the parameters for what you intend to do in order to "sail the boat". Is this a simulation? If so, what are the operational parameters? What factors does it take into account? What do the chart plotter & seatalk do? What do you need to do with them? Get data from them? If so, what kind? What do you intend to do with this data?

Don't take this the wrong way, but it seems to me that you're trying to do something that's a bit over your head. Have you considered hiring some outside help?

[LV_Pro]

A quick search of this forum and of the National Instruments site does not reveal any Seatalk related projects. There have been others that used the NMEA 183 protocol, as is returned by many GPS units, and there are web articles about converting from SeaTalk (a proprietary protocol) to NMEA 183, so that part might have some solutions. But as to examples to do what you want, not that I can find. If you have programmed in other languages, then the method of decomposing the problem you are trying to solve into  its components will be similar, then it is a matter of learning how to write theos parts in LabVIEW. It isn't trivial, LabVIEW is a full featured programming language and what you are proposing is an interesting, but not necessarily easy, problem.

There are LabVIEW tutorials, but before you even start with those try and figure out what needs to happen to do what you want to do.

[tweet]

i already done the research part as much as i can.about the seatalk is a marine equipment so that all the device can a share their data data.while the chart plotter is a marine navigation system that combines a GPS receiver with the capability to display electronic maritime charts.i eon't take it as wrong way cause u already helping me by give some idea as i work's on this project alone & i need opinion from others.

[b.headley]

For SeaTalk, reference the following link:

http://www.thomasknauf.de/seatalk.htm

This gives basics of the SeaTalk interface, but the Raymarine/Autohelm protocol is proprietary/secret. From what I recall, the bus is similiar to RS-232, but the voltage levels are inverted and shifted (+12V=mark, 0V=space) - this was done to allow for a wired-or configuration of the bus.

On a chart plotter, it depends on the equipment.  The protocol standards are usually NMEA (similiar to SeaTalk), TSIP and TAIP.  For clarity, these protocols are not RS-232 or CAN bus compatible!

Most likely, you'll need custom-made level translators between the PC and the equipment in question.  The Baud rate is around 4800 from what I recall.

For starters, what will the LabVIEW program need to do?

[tweet]

thanks a lot..for seatalk i also got the same link as u give me.so far, i need to do the simulation for this project using the labview. but because they dont provide me with the hardware yet (which are chart plotter & seatalk) im getting confiused on how to do the simualtion without any drivers.might be im thinking too complicated.but as i said before i not really understand about the labview & try to do the simualtion without drivers but seems like it's going wrong & too simple like my supervisor said.

once again thanks for ur help

[tweet]

so far, i don't have any programmed in other language & still trying to find any that related with my project.what the NMEA 183 can do?i really confiused right now & im sorry cause i don't get it

[LV_Pro]

Another thing to do is to post whatever code you have, or parts you are not sure of, and let us give advice. As far as I know, SeaTalk is, as another poster mentions, an interface protocol rather than an instrument. The article he links to, or another one by the same author, describes converting from the SeaTalk protocol to the more common (and non-proprietary) NMEA. With that you can then know what the chart plotter is outputting. On my sailboat the plotter outputs messages based on the planned route and its determination of current position from the GPS, and sends the correction signals to the autopilot, which is connected to the helm to steer the boat. My boat it is actually tiller steered, so it pushes and pulls on the tiller to control direction, some are connected to wheel steering. What is it that you are to do in LabVIEW? Using a chartplotter and "SeaTalk" is a bit vague. Are you builing the autopilot, want to display the charts and plot the course way points in LabVIEW, what?

As to simulating, you need to be specific as to what you need to do, to know what/how to simulate.

Show us what you have, if you can. We were all beginners.