[Xastir] Improvements

[Dexter N Muir]

Greetings, all!

   Wonderful program. I'm running it in Kubuntu (11.4), in a VirtualBox
machine (M$ VM too durn slow!), under Xp on an hp Pavilion 713a (2GHz P4)
with 1.5GB RAM (512kB for the VM runs it a little slow, but all else run
OK). No RF at the QTH, but it lets me keep an eye on activity via the 'net,
plus beacon.

   A few points:

   1. Fetching the Findu Trail works fine, but the plotting of it starts at
the station's current position if it is already plotted. It then plots to
the end of the fetched trail (back to current pos?).

   2. `make install' works fine, too, but it's a bit of a task setting it up
in the (KDE) menu system.

   I used to run Mandriva with either KDE or Gnome interfaces and IIRC
setting up one works for the other. Is there a common point in the file
system? Ubuntu (Gnome) can be converted to KDE, but I can't remember if it
will allow selection of Gnome/KDE on 'change user' re-start.

   I create an "Amateur Radio" sub-menu (if not already existing), and then
the "xastir" entry under this. When I run Kubuntu straight (not in the VM),
I also put things like gpredict and Echolink there (run with wine).

   I convert the source's icon.xbm to .png and copy it (as root) to
/usr/share/icons, and the menu setup finds it easily. Then there are
'Description', 'Comment' and 'Command' entries to be made. I haven't sorted
out an icon for the "Amateur Radio" sub-menu - is there a common one
somewhere?

   I feel there could be 'ease of use' value in doing all this in the `make
install'.

   3. Right-click on map brings up a menu. It used to be 'sticky', staying
there until a selection or dismiss with left-click. I have to hold the right
button down and drag to selection - what changed?

   4. File/Configure/Station (and some other ops, like Interface/Interface
Control) will not overwrite highlighted entries - just inserts keystrokes.
Annoying having to delete first, or re-edit by deleting old entry.

 

Hopefully helpfully

Dex, ZL2DEX