The new app Weather4D PRO for iOS (iPhone / iPad), developed by Olivier Bouyssou, was submited yesterday to Apple. It provides advanced functions associated with GRIB files for demanding users. It comes in addition to Weather4D app which was promoted as one of the best apps in Apple AppStore for few weeks.
This Pro version, quickly available, will provide following features :
GRIB files management :
- Importation, sharing (export ), copy-paste, folders filing, history, request from SailDocs by email
Routes management :
- Route import in KML format from iNavX or other apps, overlay route display with forecasts, boat progress with forecasts scrolling, route settings (heading, speed, date, etc…).
Iridium satellites tracking :
- Prediction of transition from Iridium satellites to optimize the connections to run queries GRIB files. Automatic updating of ephemeris and parameter setting coverage (rising, timing).
Roads in Weather4D PRO
A full article on the application likely to be long and indigestible, this first post is about route management. This feature appears with Navimail2 by Météo France late 2009, for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX. But in the oposite of this one, in which one create the route, a little hardly, direct inside the app, with Weather4D route is imported from third party app.
KML is the available format (*). Next iNavX release (3.4.1) will allow to open a route directly into Weather4D.
Transfer of the iNavX route to Weather4D
Transfer routes from iNavX to iPad
Once predicted route created in iNavX, including a collection of waypoints, then transferred to W4D PRO, a "Routes" button allows you to adjust the display settings :
With iPad, settings and display are simultaneous :
The boat is running on the route with scroll of forecasts, linearly. A popup window allows you to see the details of the conditions laid down in the boat's position. Here : wind, pressure, Temperature and precipitation.
Position of the boat, route and associated forecasts are visible on the map
This feature allows you to anticipate the weather as the boat is scheduled to meet on his way, and thus modify the route to optimize the boat is moving. In the future, The developer plans to add an estimated route based on speed and route, by adjusting the values manually or by integrating the instant COG and SOG values.
Already very successful in its standard version, the PRO version will satisfy long-distance sailors and probably racers, some already followers.
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(*) See Glossary, Files format.
That's it, Weather4D PRO is online on the AppStore …
I forgot ! a little off-topic but a bit related nonetheless
Is it possible to integrate on inavx, current SHOM files (subject to purchase of the CD or CDs of course)
No, not to date. See My article on the subject.
Good evening
Downright awesome ! Many people must have thought about it and Olivier Bouyssou did it.
In addition to future routing possibilities …. Re Awesome
And why not a fleece editor, as the Ipad can be connected to the on-board instruments, We could finally recover reliable polars or non-existent polars for certain boats ?
Certainly thanks to Inavx !
Great all this !!
Funny Thing, it's that I've been thinking about it since the day I downloaded W4D and I was preparing a little email to make a request…
Well I'm packing up my email then !
Otherwise, A quick question : Is this a new app to download (and therefore to buy) or is it an update ?
Good night, and good preparation for a bouncer !
Serge
This is a new app. The standard version remaining intended for a wider audience will require it to remain easy to use. The Pro version will be aimed at a more specialised audience concerned with maritime navigation on the open sea, therefore a restricted audience. It will necessarily be more complex to use because it has a growing number of advanced functions. It should be sold 25 euros.
Well seen these improvements… It's safe, I'm looking forward to a routing function absent from all applications on Mac or Ipad…
In any case bravo .