Xplns Version 3.3.1 - Planisphere on X Window System Copyright(C) 1995-2003 by osam-a@astroarts.co.jp http://www.astroarts.com/products/xplns/ Xplns reproduces real starry sky on your display of X Window System. It calculates the position of many celestial objects (stars, galaxies, nebulae, constellations, planets, comets, etc.) very accurately. You can enjoy the past and future sky on the desk top as if you have traveled all around the world. In solar system projection mode, you can examine motion of solar objects. You can observe motion of the stars with tracking an object. The information display function let you know the rise, set and meridian time of solar objects, when dusk ends, when dawn starts, moon age, etc. These functions are helpful for observing stars under the real sky. There are fourteen projection mode in Xplns, "Horizontal View Mode", "Equatorial Mode", "Ecliptic Mode", "Galactic Mode", "Planisphere Mode" and "Solar System Mode". PACKAGE FILES ------------- You must download the executable package first. Optionally you can download star data package, orbital element package for comets/minor planets and image data package. Each package file names varies depending on your system. (1)Red Hat Linux (linux i386 glibc 2.1/2.2/2.3) Executable(glibc2.1) xplns-3.3.1-1glibc21.i386.rpm Executable(glibc2.2) xplns-3.3.1-1glibc22.i386.rpm Executable(glibc2.3) xplns-3.3.1-1glibc23.i386.rpm Star data package xplns-cat-3.3.1-1.i386.rpm Orbital element package xplns-elm-3.3.1-1.i386.rpm Image data package xplns-img-3.3.1-1.i386.rpm (2)Slackware 3.X (linux i386 libc5 ELF) Executable package xplns-3.3.1-1-linux.tar.gz Star data package xplns-cat-3.3.1-1-linux.tar.gz Orbital element package xplns-elm-3.3.1-1-linux.tar.gz Image data package xplns-img-3.3.1-1-linux.tar.gz (3)FreeBSD 4.X (FreeBSD i386 ELF) Executable package xplns-3.3.1-1.tgz Star data package xplns-cat-3.3.1-1.tgz Orbital element package xplns-elm-3.3.1-1.tgz Image data package xplns-img-3.3.1-1.tgz PACKAGE CONTENTS ---------------- (1)Executable package Required package to run Xplns. xplns Executable file README This file README.ja Japanese version of README (ISO-2022-JP) XPlns.ad Default resource file XPlns.ad.fr resource file in French XPlns.ad.nl resource file in Dutch XPlns.ad.ja Resource file in Japanese xplns.obs Site data starname.dat Star name data starname.dat.ja Star name data (Japanese) consname.dat Constellation name data consname.dat.ja Constellation name data (Japanese) skymark.adf User definable data file for sky mark skymark.adf.ja User definable data file for sky mark (Japanese) adf/* Samples of user defined object data file. install.sh Install script (linux libc5 package only) uninst-xplns Uninstall script (linux libc5 package only) (2)Star data package This package includes SAO star catalog and GSC index data file. If you want to display GSC star data, you need GSC CD-ROM. xplns.sao SAO star catalog data xplns.gsc GSC star data index (3)Orbital element package This package is required if you want to display comets or minor planets. comet.elm Orbital elements of comets mp.elm Orbital elements of minor planets (4)Image data package This package is required if you want to display images by "image" button on the "Object Information" box. xplns.cdf Image setting file for Object Information Dialog image/* Image files for Object Information Dialog INSTALL ------- (1)Red Hat Linux You can install or upgrade with rpm command as follows: # rpm -Uvh xplns-3.3.1-1glibc2x.i386.rpm # rpm -Uvh xplns-elm-3.3.1-1glibc2x.i386.rpm # rpm -Uvh xplns-cat-3.3.1-1glibc2x.i386.rpm # rpm -Uvh xplns-img-3.3.1-1glibc2x.i386.rpm (2)Slackware 3.X a) If you have old version installed, delete it. To uninstall xplns-3.2.0 or later. # uninst-xplns Uninstalling Xplns...Completed. To uninstall before xplns-3.2.0. # rm -r /usr/local/share/xplns # rm /usr/local/bin/xplns # rm /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/app-defaults/XPlns b) Extract the packages you downloaded. # tar zxf xplns-3.3.1-1-linux.tar.gz # tar zxf xplns-cat-3.3.1-1-linux.tar.gz # tar zxf xplns-elm-3.3.1-1-linux.tar.gz # tar zxf xplns-img-3.3.1-1-linux.tar.gz c) Install the new package. # cd xplns-3.3.1 # ./install.sh -n # ./install.sh -x Installing Xplns...Completed. To uninstall Xplns, run 'uninst-xplns'. d) You can delete extracted files. # cd .. # rm -rf xplns-3.3.1 (3)FreeBSD 4.X a) If you have old version installed, delete it. # pkg_info | grep xplns : (You must delete old packages displayed here) : # pkg_delete xplns-cat-3.2.0-1 # pkg_delete xplns-3.2.0-1 b) Install the new package # pkg_add xplns-3.3.1-1.tgz # pkg_add xplns-cat-3.3.1-1.tgz # pkg_add xplns-elm-3.3.1-1.tgz # pkg_add xplns-img-3.3.1-1.tgz RUNNING XPLNS ------------- To start xplns, type the following command on shell prompt. $ xplns If it won't start or it causes problem, please read the FAQ page of Xplns (http://www.astroarts.com/products/xplns/faq.html). MENU ---- (1)File Open Load the saved settings file (*.stl) Save Save the current settings as the previously named file Save As Save the current settings to file Save Image Save the current star window into xpm image file Exit xplns Exit the xplns (2)Settings Date/Time Show date and time settings dialog Site Show site settings dialog Play Turn on or off the continuous drive Time Step Show continuous drive settings dialog Trace Turn on or off the trace mode Initialize Initialize all settings to xplns intrinsic default Save As Default Save the current settings as default Environment Show environment dialog (3)View Projection Set the projection mode Width Set the view window width in degrees Direction Set the direction center of the view Rotate select normal/rotate 180 deg./flip Grid Show/hide grids Daylight Turn on or off the daylight Status bar Show/hide status bar at the top of star window Horizon Straighten the horizon (4)Object Sun Show sun settings dialog Moon Show moon settings dialog Planets Show planet settings dialog Comets Show comet selection dialog Minor planets Show minor planets settings dialog Jovian satellites Show jovian satellites settings dialog Star Show star settings dialog Constellation Show constellation settings dialog Nebula/Galaxy Show nebulae and galaxies settings dialog Sky mark Show/hide the sky marks User object Select user defined object Milkyway Show/hide milky way (5)Center Sun Center the sun Moon Center the moon Planets Show dialog to select planet to center Comets Show dialog to select comet to center Minor planets Show dialog to select minor planet to center Jovian satellites Show dialog to select jovian satellite to center Star Show dialog to select star to center Constellation Show dialog to select constellation to center Nebula/Galaxy Show dialog to select nebulae/galaxies to center Sky mark Show dialog to select sky marks to center User object Show dialog to Select user defined object to center (6)Options What's today Show daily astronomical information dialog Step box Show/hide time stepping tool box Command box Show direct command dialog box (7)Help About xplns Show version information of xplns Copyright Show copyright information MOUSE OPERATION --------------- (1)Left button click Clicking the celestial objects with left mouse button will display information window about it. This window has four buttons. These buttons acts as following (from left to right): a)Close the window. b)Blink the mark around the object. c)Center the object in the window. d)Lock the object in center of the view, to unlock, click the button again. e)Object graphics image displayed, if image file is registered for the object. (2)Left button drag You can change the direction of view point by dragging the mouse with pressing left button in the window. (3)Right button click You can examine equatorial, ecliptic, and horizontal coordinates by clicking right mouse button in the star window. Settings menu will appear with it if there is object under the pointer when you click. KEYBOARD OPERATION ------------------ (1)PageUp/PageDown Zoom up or down the current view.(except for planisphere mode) (2)Up/Down/Right/Left Move up/down/right/left the view. (3)Shift+Up/Shift+Down Change magnitude limit of star. (4)Ctrl+SPACE Open command input dialog described in "COMMAND" section. DIRECT COMMAND -------------- Hit the space key with pressing control key will display "command window". You can input one or more commands by delimiting the commands with semi-colon. Followings are some of the commands. There are more commands available (ex. "stime", "inctime", etc.) supported in StellaNavigator for Windows (please refer to http://www.astroarts.co.jp/). Save menu item in File menu will save using the following commands. (1)DRIVE DESCRIPTION Redraw entire view of the window. All commands except for "DRIVE" and "LOOK" changes the setting without redrawing the window. (2)LOOK DESCRIPTION Redraw entire window with centering the object specified with argument "coordinate". This command has the same effect as "VIEW CENTER ; DRIVE". EXAMPLE look jupiter center the Jupiter and draw look moon center the Moon and draw look cons Ori center the Orion and draw look star alphaOri center the Beterugius and draw look eqt 2200,4500 center 22h00m, 45o00' and draw look hrz 0,45 center south, alt. 45deg and draw (3)VIEW CENTER DESCRIPTION Set the center of the window to "coordinate". EXAMPLE view center jupiter center the Jupiter view center moon center the Moon view center cons Ori center the Orion view center star alphaOri center the Beterugius view center eqt 2200,4500 center 22h00m, 45o00' view center hrz 0,45 center south, alt. 45deg (4)VIEW ANGLE DESCRIPTION Set the width of view to degree. EXAMPLE view angle 10 Set the width of view to 10 degrees. (5)MAG STAR DESCRIPTION Set the limit of magnitude for drawing stars. EXAMPLE mag star 6.5 draw the stars up to 6.5mag(all) (6)TRACK DESCRIPTION Lock the "coordinate" to center of the window. To unlock it, specify "off" for "coordinate". EXAMPLE track jupiter Lock the Jupiter to center track moon Lock the Moon to center track star alphaOri Lock Beteruigus to center track off Unlock current tracking object (7)SHOW / HIDE DESCRIPTION Show or hide the object EXAMPLE show planet Show all planets show cons_line Show constellation figures hide star Hide stars (8)MODE DESCRIPTION Set projection mode to "". Valid "" is one of the followings: PLNS Planisphere HRZ Horizontal View EQT Equatorial ECL Ecliptic GAL Galactic SOL2 Solar System Mode EXAMPLE mode plns Planisphere mode mode hrz Horizontal view mode mode eqt Equatorial mode (9)DATE DESCRIPTION Set the date. Date format is "year, month, day, hour, minute, second". EXAMPLE date 1998,6,1,22,30,0 Set the time to June 1, 1998 22:30:00 (10)PERIOD DESCRIPTION Set the time step of continuous drive mode. Period format is "year, month, day, hour, minute, second". EXAMPLE date 0,0,0,0,5,0 Set time step to 5 minutes (11)CONTINUE DESCRIPTION Turn on and off the continuous drive. (12)EXIT DESCRIPTION Exit xplns. SYSTEM REQUIRED --------------- Linux 2.4 with libc5(ELF), glibc 2.1/2.2/2.3 on i386 FreeBSD 4.62/4.7/4.8 on i386 XFree86 4.1 (256 or more colors) KNOWN BUGS ---------- (1)If your system doesn't supported "locale" correctly, you can't input multi-byte characters into the text box of the dialog-boxes. (2)I couldn't check xplns on many systems. So, it may not run in some systems. SUPPORT ------- AstroArts Inc. will not support this software at all. Use it at your own risk. But, your suggestions are welcome. Please send e-mail to . There are some answers of frequently asked questions on the WEB page (http://www.astroarts.com/products/xplns/faq.html). If you have problems, read it first, please. COPYRIGHT --------- Xplns is a free software, and you can use it freely. You can only redistribute complete original tar-ball of xplns. I distribute xplns in binary only, because it includes a lot of commercial source code produced by AstroArts Inc. Enjoy.