LightListManager User Guide

Filtering Based on Location

Location Filter Controlse — Fig. 1, Location Filter Controls

There are several controls on the Main Form that can be used to filter the contents of a Light List by location as highlighted in Fig. 1. The area for the filter can be specified directly by either "Rectangle Area Limits" boxes or the "Circular Area Limits" boxes. No matter which of the location filters described below that you use (except the circular filter), the program will convert those limits to the smallest rectangle that covers the filter limits.

Area Limits Filters

Whenever you load or filter a light list the resultant area limits of the entries is set in the "Rectangle Area Limits" boxes. You can modify those limits to apply a filter. Enter the limits in the form ddd+mm'ss.t", where ddd+=degrees, mm'=minutes, and ss.t"=seconds and fractions of a second. South latitude and west longitude should be entered as negative values by preceding the degree value with the minus character (-). The seconds symbol (") is not necessary as the program assumes any values after the minutes symbol (') are seconds. It is also not necessary to enter minutes or seconds values, just enter ddd.t+ for whole degrees or degrees and a fraction of a degree. The + character represents the degree symbol (°) and is necessary to identify the value preceding it as degrees. A space can also be used in place of the +. If your keyboard includes the degree symbol, that will also work. The seconds can be omitted by just entering ddd+mm.t'. After a latitude or longitude has been entered and you've tabed to or clicked on another control, the value entered will be validated and converted to the more conventional format of ddd°mm'ss.t" N/S/E/W. If an invalid entry was made you will hear a beep and the entry will be colored red.

Filter by location and Distance — Fig. 2, Filter by Circular Limits

The circular limits can be specified in a similar manner with a location entered in the latitude and longitude boxes and then a range in nautical miles specified by clicking the UP/Down button. In Fig. 2 I have specified a circular area of 5 nm from my location in Jacksonville, FL and the filter produced a result of 24 navaids within those limits.

KML Location Filter

Set Location Filter Using a Google Earth Placemark File — Fig. 3, Setting a KML File Filter

Location Filter Using KML File — Fig. 4, Results of KML filter

A location filter can also be applied to a Light List using a Google Earth KML file. This is a placemark file previously created in Google Earth and saved. Here is a link to a YouTube video I published on using Google Earth with LightListManager. In Fig. 3 I have clicked on the "Set KML Filter" button and selected a kml file that covers the Manatee Pocket in Stuart. FL. I clicked "Done" and the filter was activated. Then I clicked the "Apply Filter" button and the Main Form now displays those navaids that fall within the limits of the kml placemark file, as shown in Fig. 4. The filter area limits are not precisely those of the placemark file as that can have a very irregular shape. The program established the smallest rectangle that encompasses all of the placemarks in the kml file and uses that rectangle for the filter. So the result will likely incude some navaids that are slightly out of the kml file area.

Chart Location Filter

Using a Chart to Define the Area Limits — Fig. 5, Using a Chart to the the Location Filter

If you have downloaded the NOAA chart catalogs for either or both the RNC and ENC charts, you can use one of the charts in those catalogs to set the area limits of a location filter. You can use the ChartManager Program to download the catalog. This program can also be used to download and organize individual RNC and ENC charts, but those charts are not required for this filter, which uses only information in the catalogs.

In Fig. 5 I have clicked the "Set Chart Filter" button, which opened the NOAA Chart selection dialog box. You can use either the RNC or ENC catalog to select a chart, but you must specify the location on your system where that catalog (xml file) has been stored. The NOAA catalogs specify a region for each chart (e.g, "Chesapeake and Delaware Bays") to filter the list of individual charts. I have selected the "Florida East Coast and Keys" region and selected the "Florida Keys Sombrero Key to Sand Key" RNC chart, then clicked "Done". The results of this filter are shown in Fig. 6.

The Chart Selection form also includes a drop down list of Chart Collections to help select a chart. This section of the form is currently not enabled. A Chart Collection is a feature of the ChartManager program, and I have not yet implemented it as a feature of LightListManager. I'm not sure it will add much value in the selection of a chart filter for the light list, I have not started the development necessary to enable this feature. It takes up space on the form chiefly as a reminder to myself to either add it or drop it.