Perplex7

PERPLEX stands for Program for Expedition Route PLanning and EXecution. I, Gerd Rohardt, a physical oceanographer, developed this software in Matlab® during working at AWI.
At Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar- and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven - Germany, PERPLEX has been used for about 22 years, mainly for voyages with RV POLARSTERN and supports the chief scientist in the coordination of various scientific programs as well as in the logistical tasks that POLARSTERN performs, e.g. for the supply of the Neumayer III Station. PERPLEX has also proven its efficiency during short cruises or one-day cruises, e.g. with RV HEINCKE in the German Bight.
A version compiled with the Matlab Compiler® from the source codes could be downloaded temporarily from an AWI web site. PERPLEX was thereby also used by other institutions. Most effective for distribution had been the cruises with POLARSTERN itself, where participants could directly experience the great benefits of using PERPLEX, e.g. the time-accurate station plans and that the chief scientist could quickly make changes and always react to changing requirements.
Nevertheless, it is understandable that institutions were hesitant to use PERPLEX. It was impossible not to notice that PERPLEX was very much oriented to the special requirements of AWI. Also, knowing that the support depends on only one (my) person is a disadvantage. This last point, which concerns me, is of great importance indeed, because I am retiring as of January 1, 2022.
Initially, I just wanted to "clean up" the source code and upload them to Mathworks FileExchange. At that time I had made the graphical user interface of PERPLEX with the GUIDE (Graphical User Interface Developer). Despite a tool to transfer this into the App Designer (*.mlapp), I had decided to completely redesign PERPLEX. The goal of doing so was to make the source code clearer and more understandable for users. Furthermore, I do not think it makes sense that the new version PERLEX7 should reflect the complete functionality of PERPLEX-V5. For this, I will make independent extensions step by step and upload them to FileExchange later. (For example, a routine that calculates positions along a transect when a certain distance between stations is specified; see “Define Section” in Perplex-V5.) This would also make it easier for users to include their own applications or modify existing ones.