Vessel Tracker Application

Overview

The Vessel Tracker Application is a comprehensive tool designed to track and analyze vessel proximity data in real-time. The application connects to the AIS Stream API, logs vessel data, processes proximity logs, and provides an intuitive interface for users to search and analyze compiled proximity logs.

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Features

• Real-time Data Streaming: The application listens to AIS Stream API to fetch live vessel data.
• Daily Log Management:
  • Creates a new daily CSV file with appropriate headers if one does not already exist.
  • Appends incoming stream data to the current day's CSV file.
  • At midnight (12:05 AM), processes the previous day's data and appends it to the compiled proximity logs.
• Proximity Detection: Calculates proximity between vessels based on geographic coordinates.
• Interpolation: Fills gaps in position data (greater than 5 minutes) with interpolated points for accurate proximity calculations.
• Search Functionality: Allows users to search logs by vessel name and date range.
• Cache Management: Periodically clears cache every 6 hours to prevent memory issues during extended runs.
• UI Features:
  • Displays compiled logs in a table format.
  • Allows users to generate logs and search for specific vessel information.
  • Logs system messages and errors in a log display area.

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Application Components

1. Real-Time Data Streaming

• Connects to the AIS Stream API using WebSocket.
• Writes incoming data to a daily CSV file. If the file does not exist, it creates a new file with headers.

2. Daily Log Management

• At midnight (12:05 AM), the previous day's data is processed using proximity detection logic and appended to the compiled proximity logs.

3. Proximity Detection Logic

• Detects when two vessels are within a defined proximity (e.g., 100 meters).
• Accounts for data gaps by interpolating missing data points when gaps exceed 5 minutes.

4. User Interface

• Log Table: Displays compiled logs in a sortable table format.
• Search Bar: Filters logs by vessel name and date range.
• Log Display: Shows system messages and errors in real-time.
• Generate Logs Button: Allows manual compilation of logs from daily CSV files.

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File Structure

vessel_tracker/ │ ├── vessel_tracker_app.py # Main application file ├── requirements.txt # List of dependencies ├── compiled_proximity_logs.csv # Compiled logs (generated at runtime) ├── vessel_data_YYYY-MM-DD.csv # Daily logs (generated at runtime) └── README.md # This README file

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Usage Instructions

1. Starting the software

   • Enter the command

   python vessel_tracker_app.py

   or

   python .\vessel_tracker_app.py

   • in terminal under the program directory.

2. Streaming Data:

   • The application begins streaming data upon launch.
   • Ensure your API key is valid and network connectivity is available.

3. Search Logs:

   • Enter a vessel name in the search bar.
   • Select a date range and click the search button.

4. Generate Compiled Logs:

   • Use the "Generate Compiled Logs" button to manually compile logs from existing daily files.

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Troubleshooting

Common Errors

• "Cannot queue arguments of type 'QTextCursor':

  • Ensure the log_message method uses the signal-slot mechanism to update the UI.

• "No close frame received or sent":

  • Check network connectivity or API key validity.
  • The WebSocket listener retries the connection automatically.

• "No daily log file found for [date]":

  • Ensure data streaming was active on the specified date.

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Future Enhancements

• Implement advanced analytics features for proximity trends.
• Add support for additional WebSocket message types.
• Enhance the UI with additional data visualization.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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Support

For questions or issues, please contact me at darren.lim.off@gmail.com