StarChart
                             Version 1.2
                                 by
                             Ray R. Larson


                         RELEASE DOCUMENTATION 


    This disk contains the version 1.2 release of StarChart. The primary 
difference between this version and 1.1 is the addition of a 16 color 
screen, so that shades of gray (or colors) can be used to represent stars 
of different magnitudes. 

    With this release I am turning the source code over to whoever
wants to tinker with it. The current executable file was compiled using
Manx Aztec C v. 3.6a with 16 bit integers. It should compile under Lattice
also, but I haven't tried that.

    The StarChart.Manual file included on this disk is simply the output
of the help files included in the program.

    The program, both executable and source, may be freely distributed,
but not sold without the author's permission. Feel free to modify or
borrow code as needed, but I would appreciate it if you send me a copy 
of the modified program.
   
    If you need a much fancier version of this program, with more stars
and options, you might want to check out "Galileo II" by Mike Smithwick,
distributed by Infinity Software. Oddly enough, although we released 
the first versions of these programs about the same time, and live in 
the same part of the country, we still have not met.


Ray R. Larson
6425 Central Ave. #304
El Cerrito, CA 94530

BITNET:  LARSON@UCBCMSA or LARSON@CMSA.BERKELEY.EDU



    
APPENDIX:  Release 1.1 docs - still make some sense.


    This disk contains the latest version of StarChart, which is still
being modified to add some additional features. The main additions (so far)
to the version 1.0 are a 'control panel' requester for changing the colors 
used in the program, and routines to read the system clock when starting.
I'm planning to add some other features before releasing the new version.
These will include DPaint-style file requesters for loading and saving
parameter data, and (hopefully) a world map so users can click on an
observing location, and not have to look up their latitude and longitude in
an atlas.

    A few things you should know about the code:
    1) I have been using a beta-test version 3.30e of the Manx compiler.
       It supports all of the new AmigaDOS 1.2 features, such as drawing
       circles, and automatic activation of string gadgets. Supposedly
       the release version of the compiler will be out shortly. This
       is just to warn you that earlier versions of the compiler will
       not be able to compile all of the code (you could, of course, 
       modify the program to fix this.)

    2) Some of the code in the Star directory is there for future use and
       is not used in Starchart proper. Some of that stuff has problems, and
       may not work as-is. The real sources for StarChart can be found
       by checking the makefile in Star.
    
    3) if you intend to print out the source for study, be warned that you
       will end up with about an inch high stack of paper.

    4) the main routine of the program is in Star1.c, and Star.h defines
       the data structures used throughout the program. Starglb.c (for global)
       contains most of the routines that do calculation of star positions
       siderial time, and so on. 
  
    5) If you are planning to add more stars to the program, note that the
       star table (found in startab.c) is ordered by Right Ascension, also
       that the tables in srchtabs.c provide indexes to the main star table
       for star names, constellation, and greek letters. These are in order
       by the name. (a binary search is used to search these tables, so they
       have to be kept in order.)

That's about it. Enjoy poking around in the code. 
    

 Credits for Star Chart:
       Robert L. Hill of the Orange County, CA. Amiga Friends User Group
                      wrote an original version of StarChart in AmigaBasic
                      The star data and many of the main functions of this
                      version are based on that program.

       Ray R. Larson  wrote the c version 1.0 of StarChart, 'intuitionizing'
                      and enhancing the speed and functions of the original.

  Copyright (c) 1986 by Ray R. Larson
  
  This program may be freely distributed and copied, but may not be sold
  without the permission of the author. If you modify or enhance it, 
  please include the above credits (and please send me a copy!).

Ray R. Larson
6425 Central Ave. #304
El Cerrito, CA 94530

BitNet  LARSON@UCBCMSA