GraphDark version 2.05 ----------------------- 1) Overview 2) Installation 3) Disclaimer 4) Version history 1) Overview ============ GraphDark is a tool which allows you to work out when an astronomical object will be visible from your location and when moonlight, twilight or low haze will affect its visibility. Clicking on a timetable can provide a simple skymap for that instant, a list of coordinates or a world map showing night and day. The sky map shows all the naked eye stars plus Milky Way and Zodiacal light if desired. The visibility of a single object, such as a comet, can be shown over a period of months or years. Alternatively a number of objects on a single night can be displayed. Additional displays available include a lunar calendar covering months or years and a world map showing night and day at any given time. Other options allow for printing timetables, importing object elements, setting display preferences etc. The timetables can be useful for planning a series of observing sessions for deep sky objects or meteors so that moonlight can be avoided, working out when a comet will be visible from your location at a reasonable altitude, when a variable star will be visible, or when a series of objects is available for observation. Alternatively the sky display can be used just to see what is up at any given time and place. 2) Installation =============== GraphDark 2 requires at least Windows 95 and 5MB of disk space to run, most of the disk space is for standard system files which may already exist on your machine. It is not compatible with Windows 3.1 which requires GraphDark Version 1. Upgrades are released at irregular intervals, these can be downloaded from: http://www.rfleet.clara.net/graphdark/download.htm For convenience all the necessary files are supplied as a single self extracting zip file called GRAPHDIS2.EXE. If upgrading an existing version 2 then you can use the much smaller patch file GRAPHPAT2.EXE Unzip the installation file by double clicking on it in Explorer, the setup files will be unzipped to the specified source directory eg C:\WINDOWS\TEMP. From the source directory run the setup program SETUP.EXE. This will extract and copy the appropriate files to the application directory, eg C:\Program Files\GraphDark, update system files if necessary, create a program icon and an entry in the Windows Add/Remove programs option. (Users with Windows operating systems released earlier than 2001 may be prompted to reboot to allow revised Microsoft setup files to be used.) GraphDark version 1 data files are compatible with version 2. If you already have version 1 of GraphDark installed run the full installation (not the patch) as above, you will then get the option to copy your existing data to the new version. If installing over an existing GraphDark 2 it is assumed that you wish to keep the existing data files, unless you specify otherwise. Standard system files are only updated if they don’t exist or are an older version. Files needed ------------ GraphDark consists of one exe file and one help file, normally in the directory C:\Program Files\Graphdark GRAPHDARK.EXE GRAPHELP.HLP WINHELP.EXE (old version) Data files generated and used by the application are also kept in the application directory. ELEMENTS.DAT FORMATS.DAT GRAPHD.DAT POSITION.DAT SITES.DAT HORIZON.DAT LIST.DAT ALTMASK.DAT WORLD.DAT METEOR.DAT SKY.DAT If there is a problem with one of these then rename or delete the file, restarting the program will automatically create a new blank version so you can enter fresh data (this does not apply to world.dat or sky.dat). None of these files are intended to be user editable outside the application, sample data files are provided with the application. The following Windows system files are used by the program, these may already exist on the system but will be copied in if required. MSSTDFMT.DLL TABCTL32.OCX MSFLXGRD.OCX MSCOMCT2.OCX COMDLG32.OCX Any of these missing will cause a crash at some point with a "File not found " error, or worse ! The setup program SETUP.EXE requires various supporting files but these are automatically loaded and removed by the setup utility. Uninstalling ------------ Go to Settings, ControlPanel, Add/Remove programs and select GraphDark 2. This will remove all application files registered during installation. Shared system files are not removed nor are any files in the application directory which may have been created after installation. 3) Disclaimer ============= In an ideal world this wouldn’t be necessary but... The program GraphDark was originally written for the personal use of the author, Richard Fleet. It is released on the understanding that it is not a commercial product and that there is no obligation on the author to provide additional information or support for use of the software. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy it remains the user’s responsibility to check the accuracy of any conclusions made as a result of using the software. This software is made available ‘as is’ without any warranties, express or implied. In no event shall the author be liable in any way for damages arising from use or misuse of the software or inability to use the software for whatever reason. Loading or using the software constitutes acceptance of these conditions. 4) Version History ================== 2.05 13/05/2007 Enhancements: Sky display; Added planets to general star background for all object types. Added star tints. Added extinction option. Revised twilight magnitude limits. Double click, or drag, on sky and horizon display to move display. Allow graph, sky maps and world map to be maximised when first shown. Old style selection button now hidden unless required. Bugfixes: Fixed crash on invalid moving object input. Fixed date error when importing moving objects in some formats. Import fixed objects from text file now working properly. Text entry in magnitude limits now works correctly. Increased hours from GMT limits in polar regions. 2.04 11/01/2004 Enhancements: Improved sky display; Stars to magnitude 6.5 Milky Way added Zodiacal light added Bright star names to magnitude 2.5 Constellation names Zoom to 2x New object type - meteor stream Bugfix: Switch decimal symbol automatically for European users importing MPC data 2.03 14/05/2003 Enhancements: World map showing night and day as the main display. World view as alternative to horizon and zenith views. Bugfixes: Zenith, daytime, if no user horizon - sky colour wrong. Fixed crash when input bar position of 'none' is used. 2.02 27/01/2003 Enhancements: Added zenith centred display as an alternative to existing horizon display. Horizon display; Added equator, ecliptic and other markers Now resizeable and direction can be changed Bugfixes: Corrected small error in precession routine Corrected List mode, Fixed object initialisation Improved magnitude calculation for moving objects 2.01 30/12/2002 Bugfixes: Correct general planet magnitudes error (was OK in 1.06) Improve Saturn magnitude calculation Prevent crash if printer not properly set up Minor tidy ups for XP 2.0 29/09/2002 Bugfix: Correct small error in Earth position which affects apparent positions of close approach asteroids. 2 Beta1 10/08/2002 Enhancements: Allow for more than one object rise/set per day Allow import conversion from unix type files Added conversion from MPC date format Minor import/export tidy ups 2 Beta 30/06/2002 New 32 bit version - requires Windows 95+ Enhancements: Revised form layout with graphs displayed on main form Preferences collected together on a single form. Timetables are now resizeable Object selection by means of an input bar Drop down calendar for date selection Day and night modes now available Objects can be shown by day or by night or both. Colour coded altitude masks for most object types. New export option Automatic display of preferred object on startup Page orientation set independently of printer settings Single planet display Separate Sun and Moon display Transit times added Lunar phase orientation can be changed Multiple objects on horizon display when Lists are used Revised coordinate display Background colours for graph Choice of grid line styles 7 or 10 day grid spacing Selection of regular marked days, eg weekends Tooltips on main controls Only one icon appears in the task bar Half hour time zones now accepted Number entry corrected for European users Plus numerous minor fixes and improvements. 1.06 25/09/2000 Last 16 bit version for Windows 3.1 + 1.05 21/05/2000 1.04 04/05/2000 1.03 04/04/2000 1.02 27/02/2000 1.01 06/02/2000 1.0 31/01/2000 Windows 3.1 compatible version, initial release. Richard Fleet rfleet@clara.co.uk January 2004