Short: Next Generation Planetarium (1.7.2) Author: astegema@ix.urz.uni-heidelberg.de (Achim Stegemann) Uploader: astegema@ix.urz.uni-heidelberg.de (Achim Stegemann) Version: 1.7.2 Type: misc/sci Replaces: misc/sci/DAlmanac_NList.lha Requires: misc/sci/DAlmanac_Data.lha ********* This is Digital Almanac II ********* ########## Requires ########## * MC68020/68881 * OS 3.0 * Harddrive (20 MB space) * 6 MB free FastRAM * MUI 3.8 * DAlmanac_Data.lha of version 1.0 ########## Additional archives ########## These archives are add-ons. You don't need to install them, if you don't like to. * DAlmanac_Ast.lha: Contains the asteroid catalog. * DAlmanac_DS.lha: Contains the deep-sky object catalogs. * DAlmanac_Maps.lha: Contains the surface textures of planets. The old maps from previous data archives are obsolete. DO NOT USE THEM !!! ########## Recommended ########## * MC68040 or MC68060 * OS 3.1 * 16 MB FastRAM * Graphic card with CyberGraphX V3 ########## Supported software ########## * CyberGraphX for true/hicolor screens. * mpeg_encode (included) to create MPEG movies. Requires ixemul.library V39 or higher. * Xpk system to store images in IFF-RGFX format. A datatype for this new graphic format is available at Aminet:util/dtype/rgfx-dt.lha. * Turboprint V3 or higher. ########## Installation ########## * Download this archive and at least DAlmanac_Data.lha. * Unpack the exe archive. * Read the chapter 'Installation' in the guide carefully before you proceed !!! * Start the installer script and follow its instructions. The add-ons will be installed by the script too. ########## Supported languages ########## * German * English * French (catalog only, no docs !!) Note: Some french expressions are still missing in the catalog. ########## INTRODUCTION ########## Digital Almanac is one of the best programs for hobby astronomers and professionals available for the Amiga ! It offers: * Star database with ca. 500,000 stars up to 16m. * Cross-index for SAO, PPM, HD, YBS und GC catalogs. * About 40000 deep-sky objects (Messier, NGC, IC, UGC, Abell, Zwicky and other misc objects). * About 55000 minor planets and asteroids as well as the comets Halley, Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp. * Highly accurate calculation of Moon and planets with JPL's integration tables (DE404). Accuracy partly <0.1'' over a period of some thousand years !! * Moons of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. * Textures for all planets and most moons. * Milky way structure. * View the sky from any solar system object. * Save animations in IFF-ANIM, QuickTime or MPEG format. * Loading and saving of configuration files. * Highly optimized algorithms for maximum speed, mostly written in assembler. Recognizes CPU for maximum speed. * Lots of configuration possibilities. * Online and menu help with HELP-key and MUI's bubblehelp. * Full Drag&Drop support. * Creation and export of ephemeris tables. * Picture galery creation. * User editable database of orbital elements. * Control program with ARexx scripts. Included in the archive are two project files of a solar and a lunar eclipse ready to watch ! ########## THIS PROGRAM IS SHAREWARE ########## Following features are restricted for non registered users: * Deep-sky catalog access limited to the Messier catalog. * All saving and printer functions are disabled. * No changing site to a different planet, only Earth enabled. * No detailed course of eclipses. * No picture galery. * Plotting stars only to 6m. * Plotting other objects only to 10m. * Fixed pixelsize. * No events in the calendar. * The program will terminate after 20 min and all 5 min a requester will appear. Read the guide file for more information and how to become a registered user or visit my homepage. Internet: http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~astegema ########## Troubleshooting ########## If you have installed Digital Almanac correctly and your computer crashes without any visible reason, please check the following statements: * I run a MC68040 and I have installed the original 68040.library from Commodore. * I run a MC68060 and I have installed the latest 68060.library. * I have installed the original math-libs from Commodore, i.e I do not use any replacement libs or patches concerning these math-libs. If you negate any of these statements, you may find Digital Almanac not to work on your Amiga !! Please read the chapter "Troubleshooting" in the docs ! ########## Changes since Digital Almanac II 1.5 ########## Fixed bugs: * On some MUI systems the deep-sky object lists were corrupted by strange characters (NULL strings). * Little change of registration fee. * Little correction in English and French catalog. * When a star was centered from star window, the angle-of-view was set to 0 by mistake. * During ephemeris export, the object's name was forgotten to display. * Calculating ephemeris from a star with activated precession or nutation could cause a crash. * When observing the sky from Earth in locale mode, dragging another planet in the telescope window and then back to Earth, didn't set telescope window back to locale mode. * Fixed several bugs in tracking mode. * Fixed several bugs in Deep-sky handling. * The project icon was not saved. It was searched in SAVEDIR and not in PROGDIR. * Fixed a bug in displaying of IC objects. * Fixed some minor bugs at odd dates in date calculating. * Marking deep-sky objects by picture didnt work. Fixed. * A created MPEG movie was accidently deleted, because of a bug in the OS documention. Fixed. Improvements: * Added some small dockicons, also an improved project icon. * DA now uses the MUI-NList classes per default. Therefor the special NList executable has been removed from the Aminet. * The GSC catalog is back in a new format for faster access. * No more support of tower.library for JPEG. Uses jpeg.library (included). * Improved creation of picture galery. Easified filename handling. If you have a picture galery installed, please read the docs !! * Icon style changed to GlowIcons. * Pixelcheck gadget will be ghosted on hi/truecolor screens. * Orrery mode completely rewritten. Fixed many bugs in it. It behaves now like the other view modes.