Expedition Navigation Software 
- Tigger_B
- Expert
Offline - Registered: 7/12/2022
- Posts: 34
Re: C-MAP
Hi All,
I'm having the same issue - black CMap charts. The only thing I have done is to update Parallels to the latest version. I noticed switching to the base map worked - in that the base map became visible. Switching back to CMap charts didn't result in a black screen, but no CMap chart appeared. I also noticed that the base map seemed to remain as a background / wallpaper as it had no link to the crib data and marks which I could move independently of the base map.
Does anyone have a fix yet?
Thanks!
- Nick
- Moderator
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- Registered: 9/16/2015
- Posts: 2,763
Re: C-MAP
You could check to see if your OpenGL drivers are up to date, although it is just as likely parallels on an apple is the problem
- cam23
- Contributor
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- Registered: 11/26/2022
- Posts: 5
Re: C-MAP
I'm remembering in the week or two before CMAP charts went blank, I was experiencing some odd behavior in Exp where the toolbar buttons would disappear and I needed to roll my mouse over the right spot to get them back. Expanding the app full screen also got them back. CMAP Charts were fine at that point. Anyone else experience that? Maybe related and can help us troubleshoot...
- Tigger_B
- Expert
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- Registered: 7/12/2022
- Posts: 34
Re: C-MAP
Thanks Nick & others...
I've checked to see if there are any updates available for all drivers, apps, Exp, CMap etc and everything looks to be the the latest version.
If I select basemap in Exp then no problems. It diplays the chart and everything works as normal is fine. If I then select CMap, then the marks, weather barbs, routes all 'disconnect' from the chart and any zooming, scrolling leaves the basemap image unchanged - kind of like it is now a 'wallpaper'. If I move the cursor around with Tooltips selected then I see the popups for the buoys, lights, etc - so the CMap charts are there just not displaying in any mode (raster, 3D etc). If I exit and restart Exp with CMap selected then I get the black screen with the wind barbs, marks, routes displayed. Switching back to basemap works, but switch again and it becomes this 'wallpaper' and remains unchanged whatever I do. All very strange.
I am running Parallels on an M1 MacBook Air, which to-date has been working well without any issues such as the invisible buttons mentioned previously.
I'm happy to hear from other Mac-using Exp friends out there if you are having similar issues and really happy to hear if someone finds a solution!
Last edited by Tigger_B (12/03/2022 2:37 am)
- Mark
- Contributor
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- Registered: 7/22/2019
- Posts: 7
Re: C-MAP
Appears Windows 11 ARM only supports 2D ( ). What I was not able to get is whether this is an issue with Windows 11 ARM or separately it's a function of the virtual video driver that VMWare installs ( VMWare tools ) on the virtual machine to support 3D acceleration / OpenGL.
Navigated through Win settings to get to driver ( "VMWare SVGA 3D" ) and looking at events tab confirmed "Device not started (vm3dmp_loader)".
Those using Parallels, may also want to check this ( assume the driver is not VMware and something else ). Would be interested what you discover.
- Nick
- Moderator
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- Registered: 9/16/2015
- Posts: 2,763
Re: C-MAP
Interesting. That just refers to acceleration, so OpenGL would presumably be handled in software.
I think there was a reference to it working before a Parallels update, so it could be that.
ARM isn't supported natively on Exp, so it is a kind of magic it ever worked at all.
Expedition uses Direct2D on DirectX 11 for everything, apart from the C-Map parts. The older C-Map MAX uses GDI.
- Tigger_B
- Expert
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- Registered: 7/12/2022
- Posts: 34
Re: C-MAP
Hi All,
I have been in touch with C-MAP regarding Error 31 and this 'black charts' issue. They don't see a link between the two but are continuing to investigate. One thing I have noticed - on my machine I see "OpenGL 3.3 Metal - 83", and "OpenGL to Expedition is accelerated". Does anyone know if this is suitable for the C-MAP's to display properly? I have seen "OpenGL 4.6.0" in one screen grab shared.
To pick up on Nick's point - Exp has been working perfectly for months with 4D C-MAP on my machine (MacBook Air M1) until very recently. I'm not 100% sure what could have changed, but an update to Parallels certainly happened.
KR,
Simon
- Nick
- Moderator
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- Registered: 9/16/2015
- Posts: 2,763
Re: C-MAP
C-Map 4D requires OpenGL 3.0 or above, although it *may* work with 1.3.
I am just amazed it ever worked on with Parallels emulation on an ARM processor. I suspect the Parallels upgrade is the change. as the first poster said, it stopped working for him on parallels but was ok on VMWare.
However, the bottom line is that Macs are not a supported platform and ARM is not a supported processor.
- philippe
- Expert
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- Registered: 3/25/2022
- Posts: 50
Re: C-MAP
Hello
It may eventually help.
I'm running Expedition + CPMAP 4D-MAX on a Linux computer (not on the boat, the one at home the prepare races).
I use Oracle VM VirtualBox. Parameters are VBoxSVGA and 3D acceleration.
It's not fast, I have a warning message that the resources are limited, but it's works.
Hardware is Intel Core i5 6200, 8Gb RAM. It's quite old and limited, plus the overhead of Linux and VBox, it's certainly explained the lack of performance.
- voodoomatz
- Expert
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- Registered: 6/24/2017
- Posts: 55
Re: C-MAP
Fully understand, Nick, that neither VMs nor ARM is support. Evermore grateful for your input never the less!!!
I managed to identify what causes the issue and at least have a temporary solution to fix!
Background:
It had been working flawlessly... for me from July to sometime in November. Initially on:
- MacBook M2
- MacOS Monterey
- Parallels v17
- Expedition v11.16.4
I am not surprised that Expedition itself works on Win11/ARM. Win11 provides X86 emulation on ARM ().
I, too, was concerned about OpenGL. Parallels (v17 as well as v18) uses a virtual graphics adapter supporting DirectX 11 and OpenGL 3.3. () But as said, it was working fine initially.
In the C-Map chart overview window in Expedition it read "OpenGL v3.3 Metal - 83".
Unfortunately, by the time I realized the black chart issue, I had updated to
- Mac OS Ventura
- Parallels v18 and when I noticed the issue to
- Expedition v11.17.x
See my previous post: I rolled back Parallels and Expedition and was still seeing the black chart issue! Was already wondering if Ventura is causing the issue.
However, I had NOT rolled back "Parallel Tools" within the VM.
@Nick: This is a Parallels package that provides the guest OS the required drivers for the virtual graphics adapter as well as drivers for other virtual HW and some supporting applications.
It is the updated (v18) Parallels Tools package which is causing the issue. I assume, the updated graphics driver might be the root cause. I have already lodged a ticket with Parallels.
How to (temporary) fix:
- Start your VM and uninstall Parallels Tools from Win11
- Shut down Win11
- Backup your VM for your own peace of mind
- Use Parallels Toolbox 'uninstall apps' to uninstall Parallels v18
- Download Parallels v17 here:
- Install Parallels v17, it will ask you to download and install v18 - ignore!
- Boot your Win11 VM in Parallels v17
- Once Windows has started up Parallels Tools (v17) should install automatically, if not install manually
- Shut down your VM
- Now upgrade to Parallels v18 either by restarting Parallels or manually from the above download link
- Important: Go to VM > Settings > Options > Additional Options > and untick "automatically update Parallels Tools"
- Start your Win11 VM in Parallels v18
- If you haven't deactivated before, the Parallel Tools update will automatically start and you have 10 seconds to interrupt (after every reboot!)
- Done. Start Expedition and all should be fine!
After the above you have Parallels v18 with Parallels Tools v17 running. You will have a little warning icon in the top right in window mode reminding you to update Parallels Tools. Other than that, I have not seen any side effects yet and it all works fine here.
Very happy, I can give back to the Expedition community. Fair winds all!
Last edited by voodoomatz (12/07/2022 8:31 am)