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AvNav Server Configuration

== not for Android ==

Introduction

The AvNav server is reading its configuration from an xml file - avnav_server.xml on start up.
This file normally is located at /home/pi/avnav/data on the raspberry, otherwise at $HOME/avnav - see installation.

If this file still does not exist on start up it will be created from a template - fitting either the raspberry set up or other systems.
On package updates of AvNav this file normally will not be changed. Potentially it could be necessary to add some entries to enable new functions. In this case you will find some hints in the release notes.

With every successful start up AvNav (from version 20200325) will write a copy of this file with the extension .ok. If during the next start up the parsing of the config file is failing it will fall back to this .ok file. With this fallback handling it will be ensured that AvNav can start up even if a change of the original config file (what AvNav is doing in some situations) leaves the file in a defect state. If you don't want this fallback (for testing) add the -e command line switch.

Starting from 20210322 it should not be necessary any more to change the config file "by hand". Instead use AvNav itself (Server/Status page) to edit most parts of the configuration. This also avoids the need of a restart when changing parameters.

If you would have to change parts not being editable there you still can use the avnav-update-plugin to edit it directly from within your browser.
So the following part is here just for reference.

If you change the avnav_server.xml you need to restart AvNav. If it is running as a system service you can do this with the command

I recommend to do a start up of AvNav from the command line whenever you changed the config file to watch for serious errors. The commands would be:

Option -e only starting with version 20200325. It prevents the fallback to avnav_server.xml.ok (what would hide your errors). ^C interrupts the running AvNav.

Content

Within avnav_server.xml there are entries for the various parts of AvNav. You will find a lot of commented examples in the templates.

Basically there are 3 categories of AvNav parts:

1. parts that have to occur exactly once.
   example: AVNConfig, AVNHttpServer,...
2. parts that normally don't need to be part of avnav_server.xml. You only need them there if you would like to change some of the defaults.
   example: AVNAlarmHandler, AVNChartHandler,...
3. parts that can be contained once or multiple times. This includes all the input and output channels. If no entry is present the functionality will not be there.

Some property will be available at multiple parts - a description form them:

Name	Description	Example
name	name of an input or output channel. This name will be shown at the status page and it can be used in a blackList to avoid output of data from this channel. There is always an internal default for the name.	nmea0183tosignalk
filter	Filtering of NMEA date. You can provide filters separated by ,. Only matching NMEA data will pass this filter. To make them independent of talker ids the 2 characters after a $ will not be considered. To e.g. only pass $GPRMC sentences (and any other $xxRMC) the filter would be: $RMC. If you prefix the filter with a ^ it will be negated, i.e. ^$RMC means. No $xxRMC records. For AIS data you can use "!" or "!AIVDM" .	$RMC,^$RMB,!AIVDM
readFilter	If the channel is a combined reader / writer you this will be the filter for the input path
blackList	List of channel names (separated by ,). Data coming from those channels will not be sent out. Consider the camel case - i.e. capital L.	nmea0183tosignalk

The following list contains the main parts together with their parameters. If there are some properties in a template that are not listed here, just leave them as they are.

AVNConfig

Base configuration, category 1 (1x,mandatory)

Name	Description	default/template
loglevel	Level log writing  (ERROR, INFO, DEBUG,...)	INFO
logfile	Name of the  log file	<datadir>/log/avnav.log
maxtimeback	maximal time (in seconds)  the system time will be set backwards before all internal data will be cleared.	5
systimediff	maximal difference (in seconds) between system time and gps time before the system time is set.	5
settimecmd	command for setting the system time	/usr/lib/avnav/raspberry/settime.sh
settimeperiod	min time in seconds between 2 attempts to set the system time	3600
ownMMSI	MMSI of own vessel, will be filtered from the received AIS data

AVNGpsdFeeder

The internal NMEA lsit and decoder. category 2 (1x, not mandatory since version 20200325).

This part now has no parameters any more. In previous versions you could configure gpsd here so potentially there still will be some parameters in your configuration. In newer versions ensure that you include useGpsd="false".

AVNHttpServer

The internal HTTP server. category 1 (once, mandatory).

Besode the parameters for the AVNHttpServer there are some child entries that could be repeated multiple times. Normally there is no need for any change at those entries (Directory,MimeType).

Beside the httpPort you would normally not change anything.

Parameters for AVNHttpServer

Name	Description	default/template
httpPort	listener port for the HTTP server	8080
navurl	REST interface, no change	/viewer/avnav_navi.php
index	start page, no change	/viewer/avnav_viewer.html
httpHost	bind address fro the server	0.0.0.0
numThreads	number of threads being used by the HTTP server	5

Parameters for Directory

Normally those values will be replaced by the -u command line parameter. You should not change them.

Name	Description	default/template
urlpath	the URL (without /)
path	real path on the system

Parameters for MimeType

You configure (additional) mime types for the server. Potentially your own application would need some extension here if you have special files.

Name	Description	default/template
extension	extension(e.g. .avt)
type	mime type (e.g. text/plain)

AVNBlueToothReader

Reading of bluetooth devices that have a serial profile. category 3 (once , optional)
Only possible if your server has a bluetooth device.

Name	Description	default/template
maxDevices	max number of concurrently connected bluetooth devices	5
deviceList	Comma separated list of bluetooth device ids. If provided only those devices will be connected.
filter	filter for NMEA data

AVNSerialReader

Reading of serial devices. category 3 (multiple times, optional).
This reader only should be configured for devices that are directly connected to a built in UART. For USB devices use the AVNUsbSerialReader.

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name	intern gebildeter Name
port	device name, e.g. /dev/ttyAMA0
baud	Baudrate. If minBaud is also set baudRate is the maximal baud rate for automatic baud rate detection.	4800
minbaud	Minimal baud rate for auto detection. If not set or 0 - no automatic detection.
timeout	Timeout in s, if no data received within this time the device will be closed and re opened.	1
bytesize	serial byte size	8
parity	parity	N
stopbits	number of stopbits	1
xoxoff	xon/xoff protocol (0: off)	0
rtscts	RTS/CTS protocol (0: off)	0
numerrors	After that many errors the device will be closed and re opened.	20
autobaudtime	Time in seconds to recognize a newline during automatic baud rate detection.	5
filter	NMEA filter - see filter

AVNSerialWriter

Output via a serial device. Could also read from this device. category 3 (optional)
Only use this for direct serial devices, for USB  devices use AVNUsbSerialReader

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name
combined	if "true", also read from this channel	false
readFilter	filter for the input path
blackList	blackList, comma separated list of channel names from which no data should be written
....	all parameters from AVNSerialReader

AVNUsbSerialReader

Handles serial devices connected via USB. category 3(once, optional).
This worker scans all USB connected devices and for all of them with a serail profile it tries to open them, detect the serial baud rate and read NMEA data from them. Thsi way AvNav normally auto detects all such devices.
You can define separate rules for dedicated devices, As a device identification we use an ID that is related to the USB port that the device is plugged in. To find out this Id simple watch the status page when you connect the device.

The parameters are separated into 2 pieces:

• Attributes for the entry itself
• Child entries of type UsbDevice

Example

Parameters for AVNUsbSerialReader

Name	Description	default/template
maxDevices	maximal number of simultaneously connected USB devices	5
allowUnknown	only if this attribute is true onknonw devices (i.e. without any UsbDevice entry) will be handled	true
...	all parameters from AVNSerialReader except port. Those parameters will be used for devices without an UsbDevice entry.

Parameters for UsbDevice

Name	Description	default/template
usbid	USB Port identification e.g.. "1-1.2.1:1.0", mandatory
type	type of the device reader, writer, combined, ignore, use ignore if you don't want the device to be used	reader
...	all parameters from AVNSerialReader if  type = "reader"  (except port, this will be set internally)
...	all parameters from AVNSerialWriter if the type is combined or writer  (except port, this will be set internally)

AVNUdpReader

Opens a UDP port and reads data from it. category 3(optional, multiple times).

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name for blackList and for display
port	UDP port
host	Bind address	0.0.0.0
minTime	if set: time in s before the next record is received	0
filter	filter for NMEA data

AVNUdpWriter

Sends out NMEA Daten via UDP. category 3 (optional, multiple times)

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name
port	UDP destination port
host	UDP destination address
filter	filter NMEA data
broadcast	set to true if you want to send broadcast	false
blackList	blackList for channel names

AVNSocketWriter

Output that opens a listener port, waits for connections and sends out NMEA data (TCP server). category 3 (multiple times, optional).

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name
port	listener port
address	if set - bind to this address	0.0.0.0
filter	filter for NMEA data
read	if true, data is also read from connections	false
readFilter	if read is true: NMEA filter for input direction
blackList	blackList comma separated list of channel names (no data sent out coming from this channels)
minTime	minimal time in s between 2 consecutive NMEA messages	0

AVNSocketReader

Input. Connects with a TCP server and reads data from it.(TCP client). category 3 (multiple times, optional)

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name
port	TCP destination port
host	TCP destination address
timeout	connect timeout in seconds	10
minTime	min time between 2 received messages	0
filter	filter for NMEA data

AVNBME280Reader

Reader for BME280 via I2C. category 3 (optional)
Writes MDA and XDR records.

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name
addr	I2C address of the sensor	0x77
interval	time between 2 NMEA records in s	5
writeXdr	write XDR if true	true
writeMda	write MDA if true	true

AVNBMB180Reader

Reader for BMP180 via I2C. category 3 (optional)
Writes MDA and XDR records.

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name
addr	I2C address of the sensor	0x77
interval	time between 2 NMEA records in s	5
writeXdr	write XDR if true	true
writeMda	write MDA if true	true

AVNSenseHatReader

Reader for SenseHat I2C. category 3 (optional)
Writes MDA and XDR records.

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name
interval	time between 2 NMEA records in s	5
writeXdr	write XDR if true	true
writeMda	write MDA if true	true

AVNTrackWriter

Writes tracks in gpx format and in a simple ASCII format. category 3 (once, optional)

Name	Description	default/template
interval	minimal time between 2 track points (seconds) before written	10
mindistance	minimal distance between 2 track points (meters)	50
trackdir	track directory	<datadir>/tracks
cleanup	maximal length (in hours) for the track data that is sent to the WebApp. Still files are there for older data but not for the app.	25

AVNRouter

Handling of routing data (waypoints, routes, anchor alarm). Computing of RMB, APB. category 1(once, mandatory).

Name	Description	default/template
name	channel name (for generated records)
routesdir	directory for routes	<datadir>/routes
interval	time (in s) between RMB/APB records	5
computeRMB	compute RMB if a waypoint is active	true
computeAPB	compute APB if a waypoint is active	false

AVNNmeaLogger

Writes NMEA logs into the track directory. category 3 (once, optional).

Name	Description	default/template
maxfiles	number of files (1 per day) that is kept.	100
filter	filter for NMEA data	"$RMC,$DBT,$DBP"
interval	minimal time (in seconds) before a next record of the same type is written	5

AVNImporter

Imports Charts, that still need conversion. category 2 (once, optional)

Name	Description	default/template
importDir	directory to read charts for import	<datadir>/import
workDir	working directory for the converter	<datadir>/work
waittime	time in seconds that the importer waits after an new/changed file has been detected before the conversion starts.	30
knownExtensions	list of extensions that the WebApp will offer to upload to the importer.	kap,map,geo
keepInfoTime	time in seconds an information for an input is kept after removal	30

AVNWpaHandler

Configuration for external wifi connections. category3 (once, optional)

Name	Description	default/template
wpaSocket	the control connection to wpa_supplicant	/var/run/wpa_supplicant/wlan-av1
ownSsid	own SSIDs - those will be filtered from the list	avnav,avnav1,avnav2
firewallCommand	if configured you can enable access to the pi from the connected wifi network	sudo -n $BASEDIR/../raspberry/iptables-ext.sh wlan-av1

AVNCommandHandler

Execute commands (e.g. for alarms). category2 (once,optional).

AVNCommandHandler itself has no parameters. There can be child configurations for various commands. The defualt configuration is:

Parameters for Command

Name	Description	default/template
name	name for the command
command	system command to be executed
repeat	number of repetitions	1

AVNAlarmHandler

Management of Alarms. category 2 (once, optional).

The default configuration is:

AVNAlarmHandler has one parameter: stopAlarmPin. If this is set (pin number - i.e. mode board, only Raspberry) you can stop an alarm by using an "L" potential at this pin (e.g. with a simple button).
The parameters set at the alarms will additionally be used for the sound in the WebApp.

AVNPluginHandler

Management of plugins. category 2 (once, optional).
AVNPluginHandler is handling plugins that can be installed into different directories:

• builtin: /usr/lib/avnav/server/plugins
• system: /user/lib/avnav/plugins
• user: /home/pi/avnav/data/plugins

Beside the parameters for the plugin handler itself each plugin could expect parameters. The name of the plugin consists of the category and the plugin directory name. Example:

Parameters for AVNPluginHandler

Name	Description	default/template
builtinDir	directory for built in plugins, no change	/usr/lib/avnav/server/plugins
systemDir	directory for plugins installed with packages	/usr/lib/avnav/plugins
userDir	directory for user plugins	/home/pi/avnav/data/plugins

Parameters for builtin-signalk

Name	Description	default/template
enabled	only if true the plugin will become active	false
port	port for the signalk API	3000
period	interval in seconds for querying the signalk API	1000

Parameters for builtin-canboat

Name	Description	default/template
enabled	only if true the plugin will become active	false
allowKeyOverride	set to true to allow the plugin to set data and time in the internal store	false
port	canboat json port	2598
host	host for n2kd	localhost
autoSendRMC	if no RMC record is seen in the NMEA data for this time (in seconds) but we received valid data/time from n2k and valid position data in the NMEA - generate an RMC record (important to have date and time on NMEA0183)	30
sourceName	channel name for RMC	plugin-Name
timeInterval	minimal time (in seconds) before we read a new time value from NMEA2000	0.5
timePGNs	PGNs for setting the time	126992,129029

AVNChartHandler

Management of charts. category 2 (once, optional)

Name	Description	default/template
period	time between 2 reads of the chart directory	30
upzoom	number of zoom levels above the highest available	2

AVNUserHandler

Management of the user files. category 2 (once, optional)

Name	Description	default/template
interval	time (in s) between 2 reads of the directory	5

AVNImagesHandler

Management of user images. category 2 (once, optional)

Name	Description	default/template
interval	time (in s) between 2 reads of the directory	5

AVNUserAppHandler

Management of configured User Apps. category 2 (once, optional)

This is somehow a special handler. Normally initially there should be no configuration. Within the App you can configure the user apps. Manual change of the configuration is not recommended.

AVNAvahiHandler

Controls how AvNav registers at Avahi(MDNS).

Name	Description	default/template
serviceName	The name that will be visible in tools that are able to browse MDNS information. This is not the host name that you would use in e.g. avnav.local!	avnav
maxRetries	How many retries AvNav would make if the name is already used by someone else. Retries would add a "-nn" suffix to the name.	20
timout	timeout when connecting to the avahi daemon (s)	10