
COPERNICUS 1.54va (28 Feb 2001/29 July 2003)

NOTE:
This version is runs on RISCOS 3.1 or later.
Including VirtualA5000, RISCOS 4 and Iyonix.
 
A versions for earlier machines can be downloaded
from www.skymapper.co.uk  
 

If you need help use the Guidebook application.
The rest of this file is for advanced users only.





See below for some ways of customising Copernicus.
This is provided for users who have become familiar with Copernicus
and are confident about altering files. 

COPERNICUS Version 1.54va
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                     !!!!! IMPORTANT !!!!!!
      Do not alter files on your original copy of Copernicus.
     Keep the original as a back-up to get you out of trouble
  in case any alterations to these files make Copernicus unuseable.  
                     !YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
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THE !Run FILE:

If Coprnicus$LimbAngle is set to 'no' the moon's image on the
   World Map page will not be rotated to show the correct angle
   of its bright limb.
   When used as a teaching aid the rotated moon could cause
   confusion by adding an extra complication.
   
Setting Coprnicus$AllowEdit to 'no' - probably a good idea for
   classroom use! - will remove 'Edit diary' from the 'Misc'
   sub-menu.
   
To permit editing of ALL the files from within the program both
   Coprnicus$AllowEdit and Coprnicus$EditAny must be set to 'yes'.
   An extra sub-menu will then be added to the bottom of the Misc
   sub-menu with entries for each editable file.
   A warning message is displayed whenever any files (apart
   from the relatively bomb-proofed Dates file) are accessed.
    
To suppress automatic sensing of summer-time so that the program
   always starts in GMT (or other local mean time) set the variable
   Coprnicus$AutoBST to 'no'.   
   
     DO NOT ALTER ANY OF THE OTHER VARIABLES IN THE !Run FILE
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The following files are in the !Copernicus.Files directory:   
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The 'CONST' file contains the constellation patterns.
     Each constellation is stored as follows:
    
         1st line:   "name",ra,dec  
                               where ra = right ascension in hours
                               and  dec = declination in degrees.
                               Used for placing the name on the map.

 subsequent lines:   ra1,dec1,ra2,dec2                                   
                               giving the coordinates of either end
                               of a line in the pattern. 

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The DATES file is sufficiently well documented within the file.                              

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The EUROPE, UK and WORLD files are all in the same format and 
    contain the cities used in the location menus.
    
    The first line in each contains, as its third comma-separated
    entry, the number of cities in the file. The rest of the 
    first line should be left unaltered.
    
    Subsequent lines:  
      "name",latitude,longitude,"country",time zone,"Y" or "N"
       
      name must be 12 characters or less to fit into the menu
      latitude & longitude are in degrees (south & west being negative)      
      time zone is in hours
      "Y" is used if the country uses summer time 
      "N" is used if the country makes no use of summer time
      
  It is easy to add the odd item so that, for example, your local town
  appears on the location menus but don't overdo it!
  
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Formats for the other files:

              ADS file       HD catalogue number:ADS catalogue number
                             eg.   560:122                      

              NAMES file     Bayer designation in contracted form with no spaces:star name
                             eg. AlpAnd:Alpheratz
                                 MuDra:Arrakis
                                 Alp2Lib:Zuben El Genubi
                                 
              NGC file       Each line has the fields:
                             NGCnumber     Characters 1 - 4
                             Constellation Characters 6 - 8
                             Type          Character  10  
                             RA hours      Characters 12 - 13
                             RA minutes    Characters 15 - 18
                             Dec sign      Character  20
                             Dec degrees   Characters 21 - 22
                             Dec minutes   Characters 24 - 25
                             magnitude     Characters 27 - 30
                             Messier no.   Characters 32 to newline
                             
                             Definition of Type field:
                                           1=open cluster
                                           2=globular cluster
                                           3=diffuse nebula
                                           4=planetary nebula
                                           5=galaxy
                                           
                             
              VARID file     HDnumber:variable ID OR *
                             eg 123:V640 Cas
                                358:*
                              31996:R Lep                    


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