------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Copyright Active Research Limited 2008-2012 -- -- -- -- Release notes for the -- -- NMEA Reader utility -- -- -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.515 to v1.517 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Fixed N2K Configuration Information string rendering issue introduced recently (to correctly hide header & not truncate string). * Created the "Modify PGN Data Instance" Dialog box, Class & control for use initially by Victron Energy but for all manufacturers essentially. * Added new (v2.000) Device Class & Function code Table 8-1 decodes. Also improved 'Network view' update and increased refresh speed. * Added new (Dec 2012) Manufacturer Code table decodes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.513 to v1.515 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Release of a new ActisenseComms dll (v1.200) that can work with maximum length (223 byte) NMEA 2000 messages. * Added detection support for another Chetco Digital Instrument NGT-1 OEM variant. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.510 to v1.513 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Fixed rendering issue affecting PGN 127489 (Engine Parameters Dynamic). * Improved the automatic detection (enumeration) of COM ports. Previously virtual COM ports that do not use the standard naming method were not being detected. A second detection method added to identify these ports. * Added detection support for Digital Yacht and Chetco Digital Instrument NGT-1 OEM variants. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.500 to v1.510 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Fixed issue with the displaying of AIS 1-bit message fields. Previous build would indicate that they were '1' regardless of their true value. * Fixed issue that made the highlighted 'Data view' line 'jump' to a different line when NMEA Reader lost focus (because the user operated / click on another program). Selected line in 'Data View' could 'jump' when application lost focus, which prevented the user from continuing to view the detailed message field decode. * NMEA 2000 library update allows all multi-instance PGNs to be displayed separately: one message instance per line. This helps to keep the time intervals of each instance correct and separate. * Uses the new ActisenseComms dll (v1.1.6) that will operate with devices released after it without issue (as it is now 100% device independent). This removes the need to release a new dll for each device release. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.401 to v1.500 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * This release contains a number of new features to raise NMEA Reader up another level as a diagnostic tool. * Added 'Hardware Config view' tab as a user friendly replacement of the window-frame version in the previous version of NMEA Reader. * Added 'Log view' to log all requests sent to the bus / local device. This log can indicate helpful information if a user request fails. * Added dynamically created tabs: 'Data view' available for all devices connections. 'Detailes view' available for all devices connections. 'Log view' available for all devices connections. 'Hardware Config view' available for NGT & NGW devices only. 'Network view' available for NGT devices only. 'Properties view' available for NGT devices only. * Added improved update method for 'Network view' and 'Properties view' * Added ability for user to change editable fields in Properties tab: 'System Instance' & 'Device Instance'. 'Installation Details 1' & 'Installation Details 2'. * Added 'Device Function' column to the 'Network view'. * Added highlighting to 'Rx Enable PGNs List' to help user when all real PGNs have been added and the remaining space is only for 'Virtual' PGNs. * Added a comment to the 'Log view' to indicate when list is full. * Added the total number of devices detected on the NMEA 2000 bus to the 'Properties view' in the 'Total Network LEN' field. * Removed scrolling problems with 'Rx/Tx Enable PGN List' controls. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.400 to v1.401 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Fixed issue that would prevent NMEA Reader from correctly detecting an NGW-1 device if it was not outputting any data messages to NMEA Reader. This could happen if the NGW-1 was not connected to the NMEA 2000 bus, there was no data on the NMEA 2000 bus, or because all the Rx PGNs had been manually disable in the Rx PGN Enable List). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.301 to v1.400 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * This release contains a large number of new features to move NMEA Reader up to the next level as a diagnostic tool. * Added new tabs: 'Network View' and 'Properties View'. 'Network View' displays a list of devices connected to NMEA 2000 bus. 'Properties View' shows additional information about the device selected in 'Network View'. * Added real-time update of the 'Details' view - now a single message can be monitored in real-time to follow the data values as they change. * Added the user option to choose where the message log files are stored. Each connection can have its own location, with the default set to the "My Documents" folder (as that is the most Windows 7 friendly). * Added the 'Name' column to NMEA 0183's 'Data View' to help the user better understand what each sentence contains. * Added 'Total LEN' (Load Equivalency Number) of all devices detected on the NMEA 2000 bus; the value is shown at bottom of 'Properties View'. * Added a double-click feature on any line of 'Data View' to quickly swap between the 'Details' and 'Properties' tab views. * Set the default sorting to use the source address (SRC) for messages in 'Data View' and devices in 'Network View'. * Enabled user selection of message/device sorting method by clicking on most column headers in 'Data View' and 'Network View'. Allows for quick re-ordering of messages/devices to help the user find what they want. * Added ability to display any J1939 messages received via the NGT-1. The field decode of J1939 PGNs will be made available in a later release. * Added automatic device interrogation (to populate 'Network View') when any source address change occurs on the NMEA 2000 bus. Will detect new devices being added to the bus and any address changes that follow. * Added new 'ARL P-codes' configuration option to 'Hardware Config'. * Improved NMEA 2000 PGN message storage so that multiple instances of the same PGN are stored and displayed individually (on separate lines). * Improved 'Port Baud Rate' configuration in 'Hardware Config'. * Improved Tx & Rx PGN List operation and user feedback. * Column width modifications are now correctly remembered for next session. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.300 to v1.301 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Fixed installation issue that could prevent NMEA Reader from running on some computers. NMEA Reader is now more compatibile. * Added an LED that indicates if the NGT-1 connection is good. Can also be used for NGW-1 connections (if NGW-1 configuration is updated first). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.230 to v1.300 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Added the beginnings of the hardware device configuration panel. This panel allows the user to change the baud rate used for the serial port of an NGT-1 and NGW-1, and to change the Rx & Tx PGN Enable Lists in an NGT-1 and NGW-1. This can allow an NGW-1 to operate at 38400 baud, and allow an NGT-1 to receive or transmit PGNs not in the default lists. * Added an 'Interval / Frequency' toggle option on the 'Interval' column. Simply right-click in the 'Interval' column to see the selection menu. * Added a menu option to allow the user to choose the directory log files are saved to. The default is now "My Documents", but this menu option allows that to be changed to any location the user wishes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.220 to v1.230 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * NMEA 2000 messages: - Added display of "NMEA 2000 Bus load" bandwidth value to GUI (when receiving System Status from an NGT-1 device in "Receive All" mode). - New "Repeat field" method added to EBL and NMEA Readers. Affected PGNS are 126208, 126464, 127503, 127504, 129029, 129285, 129808, 130064, 130065, 130067, 130068, 130069, 130080, 130071, 130072, 130073, 130074. - Added the English descriptions for most 'Instance' fields to allow intelligent decoding of these decimal field values. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.210 to v1.220 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * NMEA 2000 messages: - Improved tolerance of badly formatted BST-N2K messages when rendering to the GUI. - Fixed issue with AIS message distance fields being 10x their correct value (670 metres, instead of 67.0 metres). * BST messages: - Now expands tree for BST array fields (making arrays visible). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.200 to v1.210 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * NMEA 2000 messages: - Fixed NMEA 2000 'Destination Address (DST)' column. Was previously showing "255" (the Gobal/Broadcast address) for all messages. * NMEA 0183 messages: - Fixed 'Distance log' display bug that only showed whole NMs (with the decimal places always zero "xxx.000"). * All message types: - Improved various operational points (Rx All status, NGW operation mode display in status, Timestamp & Intervals, Title bar text). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.102 to v1.200 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Total overhaul of program to implement many new features & capabilities: - New User Interface that can open multiple COM connections at the same time. With useful arrangement options. - Each message now has an interval (in seconds) to indicate how often that repeating message is being received. - All user settings can be remembered for a new session. - Expanded the number of messages that can be understood and broken down to a detailed level. - Can enable the new 'Receive All' mode in NGT-1 firmware v2.174 (or later), to allow viewing of all PGN messages. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.101 to v1.102 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * ALL message types: - General improvements to the look and operation. - Added the ability to turn file logging on and off. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.100 to v1.101 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * ALL message types: - Fixed issue with installation of Microsoft Redistributable Visual Studio library. Library now included directly in application to help reduce download size. - Fixed issue with Vista user not being informed that log-in must have administrator privileges to install correctly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Changes from v1.000 to v1.100 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * ALL message types: - A complete overhaul of code to better display the NMEA information. Added another panel/view to show the new intelligent breakdown of the selected NMEA message into its individual parameters. This new feature helps the user understand the NMEA data flowing around their vessel and can make anyone into an NMEA Master.