What is new in the SNIP 1_8_0 release [released May 17th 2017]
This is the next release of SNIP following the Rev 1_6_0 release on March 3rd, and the Ubuntu Beta (released on April 7th). It has several areas of new functionality added. See the full list below. It is recommended that all Windows 32/64 SNIP installations now update to using this release.
Major new features include:
- A new application update system provides automatic detection of new SNIP releases on power up and aids in the their download and installation. A new menu item under Help called Check for update… also invokes the check. The core code is based on the popular WinSparkle (in turn based on Apple Sparkle). This should be the last edition of SNIP you ever have to manually install. For those of you who have been with us for the past ~15 releases over the prior year, thank you for your patience and support.
- The SSL DLL set shipped with SNIP has been updated and the overall installation process reworked. The intent is to better support some Windows 10 users who are unable to run a secure socket connection with SNIP. This seems to occur most often with new machines. From this release onward, both the Windows and Ubuntu Evaluation and Lite machines must also be able to run a secure socket connection in order to operate SNIP, just as the Basic, Pro, and Enterprise models do today.
- Provisions have now been added to allow managing a prior “reservation system” for PUSH-In NTRIP Server devices. This allows having a prior known set of connection values (such as if the data should be parsed or what caster table entry should be set up) for any given data stream. It also serves to harden every SNIP Caster against other external parties trying to send data to your machine. The new reservation system can also be used to lock out and reserve a given mountPt string for a given user group. At the same time it coexists with the existing “open” PUSH-In protocol found in prior versions of SNIP. The new feature is described further here.
- In this release we have also added a new Map plotting button to the navigation charts dialog so operators could see the resulting instantaneous position of the Base Stations when a simple navigation filter is run. Now SNIP can plot Base Station locations, NTRIP Client reported NEMA locations, NEARest stream regions, and the instantaneous navigation solution from any RTCM3 stream type on Google base maps. The image below shows two Base stations (SCSC and SCSC0-2 at a separation distance of 130.0 cm) along with the instantaneous position from a least squared filter.
- Better NTRIP Client usage stats are now gathered for back end servers on both Pro and Basic users. We have also added the ability to send basic stats for Lite and Evaluation users as well. Extensive plotting these stats and status by each end operator will be added as part of the Release 2.0.0 feature plan.
- Reports of local IP usage status and report values are now properly counted and reported (there were math error in the prior 1.6.0 release). The summary of who is connecting to your SNIP Caster now makes it easy to spot the IP of any abusing NTRIP Client devices.
- A full RTCM Rev 2.x message parser has been also been added to the the basic SNIP configurations. The older Revision 2.3 (and 2.0, 2.1, 2,2) messages are supported, with the recently released 2.4 types coming next.
Other improvements were also added in this release of SNIP including:
- An issue with cellular re-connection events in some NTRIP Servers connecting to SNIP is now believed to be solved. The logic patch which we thought was completed in release 1.6.0 was found to be missing in the final code build, so we try again in the general release code this time. At this point in time, no operator should ever see similar mountPts numbered in a style like: xxx, xxx_02, xxx_03 unless different devices, from different IP addresses in the field unless those devices are are purposefully sending with the same name. [Aside: and the reservation system can be used to stop that if desired]
- Minor changes were made in the way user stats are reported to correct a small accounting error in values over time.
- A memory leak when running large numbers of navigation filters on multiple data streams at the same time was removed.
- A memory leak when PUSH-In configured clients were sent non RTCM3 garbage interspersed with real data was removed. This only affected Pro users.
- In-bound data count values shown on the Caster Tab display accumulate and update correctly now.
For Ubuntu:
Released May 19th 2017. The 1.9.0 release updates the code base to match 1.8.0 for Windows with support for Ubuntu GUI users and is released only in the BETA channel for early user testing, see link below.
Update for release 1.8.1
Users of the Lite Edition of SNIP reported problems with PUSH-In connection data streams no longer recognizing the correct password, and hence not connecting. You can read more about this issue here. This has now been corrected and release 1.8.1 has been issued and replaces the above download. If you are already running the 1.8.0 release, the new auto-update feature will alert you to the download and handle the installation for you. If you are not running the 1.8.0 release, the current download links (and it successors) will take you to the most current copy. A similar Ubuntu release (revision 1.9.1) will be issued soon.
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