Auto run VDR plugin on OpenCPN

[BMMRO]

Hi there,
 I currently have OpenCPN running on a Pi 3 and using the VDR plugin to record AIS targets. It is just a base station on shore and we are prone to long power cuts. Is there a way for the VDR plug in to start recording once OpenCPN opens? At the moment after every power cut i have to remote connect into the Pi and start the recording again. or are there any other AIS recording programs for the Pi that have this feature?

Thanks

[PaddyB]

Have you played with node-red? 

This flow should work to save all AIS messages to a file in the /home/pi/ directory called savedais.txt.

Code:

[
   {
       "id": "36d7cef4.ce9742",
       "type": "tcp in",
       "z": "f1a0cb4.fe86138",
       "name": "",
       "server": "client",
       "host": "10.10.10.1",
       "port": "10109",
       "datamode": "stream",
       "datatype": "utf8",
       "newline": "\\n",
       "topic": "",
       "base64": false,
       "x": 177.00001525878906,
       "y": 263.00000762939453,
       "wires": [
           [
               "2ec38e6f.de4e32"
           ]
       ]
   },
   {
       "id": "21e9962f.f4aada",
       "type": "debug",
       "z": "f1a0cb4.fe86138",
       "name": "",
       "active": true,
       "console": "false",
       "complete": "false",
       "x": 730,
       "y": 280,
       "wires": []
   },
   {
       "id": "2ec38e6f.de4e32",
       "type": "switch",
       "z": "f1a0cb4.fe86138",
       "name": "Filter just ais",
       "property": "payload",
       "propertyType": "msg",
       "rules": [
           {
               "t": "regex",
               "v": "!AIVDM*",
               "vt": "str",
               "case": true
           }
       ],
       "checkall": "true",
       "outputs": 1,
       "x": 470,
       "y": 200,
       "wires": [
           [
               "21e9962f.f4aada",
               "b94ee7ad.e95078"
           ]
       ]
   },
   {
       "id": "b94ee7ad.e95078",
       "type": "file",
       "z": "f1a0cb4.fe86138",
       "name": "",
       "filename": "/home/pi/savedais.txt",
       "appendNewline": true,
       "createDir": false,
       "overwriteFile": "false",
       "x": 760,
       "y": 120,
       "wires": []
   },
   {
       "id": "5fab7c2f.223b14",
       "type": "comment",
       "z": "f1a0cb4.fe86138",
       "name": "Saves all AIS messages to a file",
       "info": "",
       "x": 190,
       "y": 140,
       "wires": []
   }
]