[Xastir] javAPRSSrvr Filter Strings

[Curt, WE7U]

Anyone messing with one of the (three) Firenet servers to get their connection:  We've converted to javAPRSSrvr 4.x, which does filtering differently.  A difference I just ran across:

I just got caught by a change in how javAPRSSrvr interprets the filter string.

I was using this filter in Xastir, connected to Firenet-3 and not seeing the "STEAM" object come through:

     m/800 o/STEAM/UP844 t/n e/WE7U-WX

I had to change to this:

    m/800 o/STEAM    /UP844     t/n e/WE7U-WX

Notice the extra spaces after "STEAM" and "UP844" to make a 9-character object name.  I think for other S/W you have to prefix the string with "filter " but Xastir adds it for you behind the scenes.

Now I'm seeing the steam train happily steaming along heading towards Shreveport, LA, with a Firenet connection to Xastir!  Unfortunately the "t/n e/WE7U-WX" filters don't work.

Even more fun:  Pete says the Object filter must be last on the filter line.  Try that in Xastir and it will trim off the trailing spaces.

     "m/800 t/n e/WE7U-WX o/STEAM    /UP844    "

becomes:

     "m/800 t/n e/WE7U-WX o/STEAM    /UP844"

Which means the "UP844" part of the filter above won't work.  I'm waiting for "STEAM" to start moving again to see if that part works.

Yep.  That part worked.  Then reversed the two like this to test STEAM as the last element:

     "m/800 t/n e/WE7U-WX o/UP844    /STEAM    "

Xastir chopped off the last four chars and STEAM stopped working.  Then went to this and got everything working again:

     "m/800 t/n e/WE7U-WX o/UP844    /STEAM    /"

So...  If using Xastir and filtering against a javAPRSSrvr4.x server (Firenet-1/2/3), you'll have to move the Object portion to the end, put in a trailing slash, and count spaces.  There should be nine chars total in an Object name.

Having to count spaces is ridiculous.  It requires the user to have some familiarity with the APRS spec and/or to read the filter docs VERY carefully.  Existing filter strings that have worked for years may be broken now and there's no indication of this to the user.  I'm talking to Pete to see if this can't be resolved in a better manner than having every user change their filter strings.

At least now you're informed.

-- 
Curt, WE7U.        http://wetnet.net/~we7u
U.S. Weather Alerts:  Firenet.us, port 14580, filter "t/n e/WE7U-WX"