NOORDERSOFT
This page is the help desk and service page of NoorderSoft. Normally this page does not contain any
general information, but only hints, advice and FAQs for the users of our
software. Here you may find so-called "patches"
(repair-software) and "updates" of the data used
in the programs. One can also browse in the
PC-Navigo 2008
Manual or download it. All files on this page function only in
combination with our (copy-controlled) software. See also our
FAQ
page for solutions of bugs and errors.
The
helpdesk-services of NoorderSoft are
available, free of charges, to all owners of the CURRENT and the PREVIOUS
version of PC-Navigo (at the moment: versions 2008 and
2007). Owners of OLDER versions (4.0 to 4.5 and 2006) can regain access
to the free help desk services by updating their version to 2006. Without such
an update, the time spent on the provided support will be charged.
The help
desk is based in France and can be
called on work days from 09:15 a.m. till
noon and from 2:00 p.m. till 4:45 p.m.. If you're unable to call
within these hours, you can make an appointment to call at other hours via
email.
For english speakers, the phone number is 00-33-3 84 78 17 92, for other
languages 00-33-3 84 78 17 90.
 |
You
may ask NoorderSoft to provide "remote
help": by means of a little program that you can download and install on your
computer you can provide access to your desk top, allowing one of our
programmers to look into your computer via the internet and see for himself
where the problem is. He can even repair the files and directories that are
wrong. While you yourself just sit back and look at your screen - hoping to
learn a bit of what went wrong - the mouse of our programmer directs all
necessary repairs and modifications.
A
click on the image on the left lets you download and install a little tool
program that manages this remote help process. If you communicate the ID and
Password on your screen to the NoorderSoft
expert that's helping you, he will be able to "take over" your screen and
perform the necessary repairs. This way of providing help is fast and
efficient. At any moment in the process you can interrupt the remote control
and withdraw the permission to look into your computer, of
course. |
Corrections and Patches Version 2008
Since the first release of a
bêta version of PC-Navigo 2008 a few corrections and modifications have
been implemented. The fifth "official" patch appeared on september the 18th.
The old version numbers were 2008.x.1.0/1/2/3/4. Owners of these version
should execute the patch because of the improvements to the software. The most
significant changes are:
1. The data that PC-Navigo uses have been
updated until the 1st of May 2008.
2. A calculation error in the handling of sundays
and holidays has been corrected. This error caused an erroneous delay of a full
week when locks and bridges were approached on sundays without operation.
3. Some charts presented the represented area in a
wrong way. Where possible, this bug has been corrected.
4. When one saved a route, the name was asked even
when the route had to be saved under the same name. This has been corrected.
5. The scale of the switch to ENC charts has been
made flexible: one can find the setting of it under FILE and ENC and SETTINGS.
6. The representation of ENC’s can be
switched off with one key touch (Ctrl-E). This function can also be approached
via FILE and ENC and SETTINGS.
All these bugs have been corrected
in build 2008.x.1.5. The execution of the patch will upgrade your
existing version to this version 2008.x.1.5 and repair all the reported
problems and bugs. Please click
here for further
instructions and for the
download files for the
patches.
Corrections and Patches Version 2007
Since the first release of a
bêta version of PC-Navigo 2007 a range of corrections and modifications
have been implemented. After four bêta (test) releases, the first
"official" release appeared on april the 20th. The bêta release version
numbers were 2007.0.0.0 - 2007.0.0.1 - 2007.0.0.2,
2007.0.0.3 and 2007.0.0.4. Owners of all versions except the very
last one (2007.0.0.4) should execute the patch because of the many important
improvements to the software. The most significant changes are:
- On some computers the application extension file borlndmm.dll
appears to be missing. This file is vital for PC-Navigo. One can symply
download this file from our servers
and save it in the same directory where PC-Navigo has been
installed.
- Windows Vista appears to have changed its help screen handling
protocol, which resulted in unaccessible help screens for Vista users.
New - Vista compatible - help screens have been added to PC-Navigo
(correction implemented since release 2007.0.0.1);
- The time needed to represent some of the chart screens appeared to
have become very long. A remake of the drawing routines has improved this
(correction implemented since release 2007.0.0.1);
- The handling of the GPS signal caused error notices (list index out
of bounds). This bug was corrected (correction implemented since release
2007.0.0.2);
- The handling of GPS time comparison in the dynamic voyage planning
protocol caused errors in the time calculations: some arrivals appeared to be
shifted far into the future. The complete protocol was rewritten (correction
implemented since release 2007.0.0.2);
- Changing to "full screen" caused drawing errors under some operating
systems. This bug was fixed (correction implemented since release
2007.0.0.2);
- The first three 'builds' showed a memory leak when the software was
in use for extended periods of time, causing the computer operating system to
shut down. The "leak" was found and fixed (correction implemented since release
2007.0.0.3).
All these bugs have been corrected
in build 2007.x.1.2. The execution of the patch will upgrade your
bêta version to this version 2007.x.1.0 and repair all the reported
problems and bugs. Please click
here for further
instructions and for the
download files for the
patches.
Patches
for older versions: Patches version 2006
The last repair patch for PC-Navigo version 2006
(build 1-6 to build 7) is still available. Please read
below how you can
download the patch files to your computer. Since the first release of
PC-Navigo version 2006 the following major bugs and problems have been
reported:
- Routes from the belgian to the french Sambre appeared to make a long
detour to avoid the border passage: it was caused by a badly coded obstruction.
The solution is to download the obstruction file once more (the fault has been
repaired in the meanwhile). Those who prefer to work WITHOUT the dynamic
obstructions, can download the file that sets the long lasting obstructions (obstruct000.dbf) here.
The file has to be saved in the same directory as PC-Navigo itself.
- In the first release there was a bug in the management of time
corrections with the GPS. It resulted in the impossibility to reset the time.
It will be repaired in the first patch.
- In some operating systems the OLD shortcut to PC-Navigo
version 4.5 was not erased properly, resulting in TWO shortcuts on the desk
top. One works, the other gives a "Corrupted Link" warning. It's enough to
erase this faulty shortcut manually: click on it with the right mouse button
and choose "delete".
- In one particular series of PC-Navigo "Greater Europe" the
obstruction handling did not work correctly: obstructions were NOT shown in the
summary, and - much worse - were NOT taken into account! It appears to be
caused by an erroneous file name and it can simply be solved by renaming a file
called NavBaseCross (in the directory C:\Program Files\Navigo 2006 or
whereever PC-Navigo has been installed) to NavBaseCross06
(Right-click on the file name and choose "rename", then type 06 directly behind
the word NavBaseCross). After this name change the obstructions list
will be visible again under < View> and <List of
Obstructions>.
- A shown "note" (NavNote) sometimes caused the rectangle of the zoom
function to "stick" to the mouse. In Build 2006.X.0.7 this has been corrected.
- The pictogram of water level gauges has been imprived and
corrected.
- The settings of the font of the fuel levels screen sometimes caused
problems with the visibility of the fields. This has been corrected.
- Some GPS devices do not always deliver a date; this appeared to cause
problems in inserting interruptions or corrections on the progress; Build
2006.X.0.7 contains an improved handling of this feature.
- When a GPS was switched on OUTSIDE the given navigation hours, the
program gave error notices. This has been suppressed in the new build.
- The correct change in the pictogram list when the user switches to
another route or to a browsing result was not always made right away; this bug
has been corrected.
Instructions for the patching of PC-Navigo version
2006
In order to "patch" (repair) PC-Navigo version
2006 (build 1-6) the installation process of the patch files must be
followed correctly. This can be done with the following steps:
- First you
download the correct
patch, corresponding with the version AND with the appropriate copy protection
system of your PC-Navigo 2006;
- Then you make sure that PC-Navigo is NOT running! If it is,
you FIRST shut down PC-Navigo 2006.
- You double click on the file name of the patch file, in the directory
where it has been saved when downloading it.
- Then you simply follow the instructions given to you on screen.
When the patch has been carried out correctly, you should see the
version and build number 2006.X.0.5 in the menu <Help> under
<About>, at the bottom of the dialogue screen (in which "X" stands for
the coverage). If so, all necessary repairs have been made.
Downloading the patches for PC-Navigo
2006
With a click on the patch file that corresponds with
your version, you begin to download the file to your computer. Slow internet
connections may take a bit of time, as the file is approximately 4,8 Mb for the
larger, and 2,5 Mb for the smaller versions.
In case you erroneously patched your version of
PC-Navigo with the wrong patch file, the program won't work anymore. You
can easily correct the mistake by downloading the right patch file and
repeating the patch proces.
Patches for older versions: Patch 4.5 .....
(ATTENTION: to be used ONLY with version 4.5!)
Since the first release of PC-Navigo version 4.5
the following major bugs and problems have been reported:
- The voyage plan skipped some objects in a planned voyage, when they
were situated immediately after a turn off. This was especially awkward if the
concerned object was a bridge or lock that had to be operated. This bug has
been fixed.
- In the first release a mistake in the graphical interface caused a
grey rectangle to block the view on the map after a dialogue window had been
opened. The mistake has been repaired.
- Some users had problems with the (formerly unscaled) representation
of the names of towns and villages, blackening out all of Europe. An
improvement of the functionality has been implemented, so that names are now
scaled to the proper zoom factor. The names only appear when one zooms in to
the chart in enough detail to prevent the clutter of the name labels.
- In the obstructions handling a bug caused "double" obstructions (i.e.
obstructions of a bridge or lock that occur more than once in a certain year)
to be disregarded. This bug has been fixed.
- There were some "delayed" corrections in the waterway network, mainly
in the eastern half of Germany. These have been added to the patch.
- In the Canal de la Marne à la Saône an error in the
operating hours tables was overlooked. This error causes a system crash when a
voyage is planned through this canal after november 6th. The error has been
corrected.
Owners of a version 4.5 with a relase number 4.5.0.3 or
older may patch up their version to the current release 4.5.0.4 by
downloading one of the patches below (please not the
special warning below!). Please note that the patches are rather big: 5
to 7 Mb. If you do not have access to broad band internet, you may order your
patch on a CD-ROM (costs of production and postage are charged!) by means of an
email to NoorderSoft containing your name and address and the
version and release number (which you'll find in the "help" menu under
"info").
Choose the appropriate patch below:
Please watch out where the patch does its work: if you only have one
installed version of PC-Navigo 4.5 on your computer, there won't be any
problems, but if you have kept older versions installed as well, you must pay
attention to the directory in which the patch is executed!
WARNING: The patch will affect many saved routes,
notes, log books and settings! Because the waterway network data had to be
altered, the compatability between the "earlier" version 4.5 and the corrected
version has been lost. This implies that you may have to do the routes and
trips that you have been planning since the first release of version 4.5 again!
Imports from older versions remain possible.
