SOLUN Version 4 for EPOC32 (Beta test)

© Copyright 1993, 1998 David Rushall

Introduction

Solun is your "Pocket Planetarium": a convenient tool for the amateur astronomer, providing both almanac and planetarium functions.

Features include:

Solun for EPOC32 runs on the Psion Series 5 and other compatible machines, such as the Geofox 1.

Note: Solun is also available for the Psion Series 3 range including the Series 3a, Series 3c, Sienna and the Acorn Pocketbook II.

Visit the Solun home-page, at http://www.piecafe.demon.co.uk/, for latest news and screen shots.

One line package description:

"S5/Geofox1 Advanced planetarium and almanac."

Freeware Beta-test Software

This Beta-test version of Solun EPOC32 is Freeware.

This version of Solun for the Series 5 machine and may contain bugs and missing features. It is released to the public under a conditional license to allow early use and to encourage feedback.

Please read the conditions listed below before using this software.

Please note that this Beta-test release has a limited lifetime. You will have to upgrade the software to use it after a certain date. See the notes at the end of this file.

Note: The SIBO/EPOC16 version of Solun, for the Series 3 family of machines, remains Shareware and is covered by a separate license.

New Features

The following lists some of the new features to be found in the most recent versions of Solun.
Version 4.1 beta (for EPOC32)
Gallilean moon display; Key constellation names on "Quick" views; General display improvements; Full pen-enabled interface.
Version 4
New "Quick observation" views; New "Report" mode, including eclipse prediction; Point-and-click pan and zoom; Greater accuracy for Sun and Moon calculations; Multisize labels; Full support for Psion Sienna.
Version 3.5
Configurable grey-level on star chart displays; Left and right flushed as well as centred labels; User interface improvements.
Version 3
High-resolution graphics for the Series 3a; Basic lunar month and rise and set reports; Point-and-click chart object information; Primitive animation.

Conditions of Use

  1. Solun for EPOC32 is Freeware and copyright; it is not public domain. The rights to this package remain the property of the author.
  2. To limit proliferation of the public beta-test version of this software, until a completed version is available, public distribution (via public ftp, CD, etc.) of this release (for EPOC32) is prohibited, except by prior arrangement with the author. However, limited private distribution is allowed provided the distribution contains all, and only, the unaltered files of the original *.zip archive.
  3. Use of Solun is entirely at the user's own risk. The user must accept responsibility for any direct or indirect loss or damage arising from the use (or misuse) of the package. Solun is supplied "as-is".
  4. Warning: Both the plotted positions of "fixed" objects and the calculation of the objects of the solar system are not intended to be highly accurate. Whilst these may be sufficient for most amateur astronomical purposes, Solun should not be used for navigation.
  5. Note: The OPX files employed by this software (and included in this distribution) are copyright Otfried Cheong and RMR Software. Please see their WWW site, http://www.rmrsoft.com/, for more details.
  6. Some of the files provided along with the Solun application are derived from the Yale Bright Star Catalogue and as such are not covered by this declaration of copyright and conditions. These files are identified by their *.str and *.sol suffixes, and are provided for your convenience.
  7. Note: This Freeware license does not cover Solun for the Series 3 family (SIBO/EPOC16). That version is Shareware. The registered version of Solun for that platform may be used on the registered user's machine, only. Further distribution is forbidden.

Using This Demo

The following sections outline how to install and use this beta-test version of Solun 4. Please follow these instructions carefully, then see below for details of how to get more information.

Installation and removal

To install this demo version of Solun 4, simply use the following steps:
  1. Preferably, unpack the *.zip distribution file with the "preserve directories" option of your unzip program. For example, use "PKUNZIP -D". If you do this, the directories you need to copy to the EPOC32 machine will be created automatically. If you do not, you will have to isolate individual sets of files for individual directories.
  2. Using PsiWin2 or the "Add/Remove" icon on the EPOC32 control panel, install the following *.sis files: Note: These files install the third-party OPX files used by Solun are copyright Otfried Cheong and RMR Software. Please see their WWW site, http://www.rmrsoft.com/ for more details.
  3. Create a the following directories on your EPOC32 machine and copy the listed files into them:
    C:\Solun
    All files having the suffix, *.lab.
    C:\System\Apps\Solun
    All remaining files in the distribution (including this Readme file for future reference (e.g. via the Message Suite web browser), but not including the *.sis installation files used above).
  4. Finally, look in the "Extras" draw on the machine for the new "Solun 4" icon.

Please consult you Psion manuals for more details of these operations.

After you have finished with this software you can remove the application as follows:

  1. Make sure the Solun application is not running.
  2. Delete the following directories and their contents:
  3. Delete the following files, if present:

After you have completed these steps, Solun will have been removed from your machine's memory and "Extras" bar. However, the small OPX files will remain for any other programs that may be using them.

A quick tour

Once you have installed the Solun 4 demonstration application, you are ready to take a quick tour...
Starting Solun
To start the tour, just choose the "Solun4" application icon on the Extras bar. After a few seconds you will be presented with an information screen. Read the screen and press the "I Accept" button if you accept the conditions. After closing the "About" box that follows you will see the welcome screen, including a small display representing the current moon phase.
Display a star chart
After Solun has finished initialising and the welcome screen has been displayed, press the "View" button on the tool bar and then select "Star Chart" from the pop-up menu.
The first time you display a star chart, Solun calculates a trigonometry table, which can take a while. When the table is complete, you are given the option to save the table to disk for next time (as C:\System\Solun.dat). Press Y and Solun will continue to draw the chart.
When the chart is complete, you will see a representation of the current sky as seen from your home city, facing South. By default, Solun displays the planets and the outlines of the constellation shapes and a few stars.
Changing the star chart display
From the menu, select "Chart:Detail..." to display the Chart Details dialog. Enter '500' into the number of stars field and set all other fields to 'Black'. Now, press the "Choose lines" button to choose which lines to plot. Set all the lines to 'Grey' and press Enter twice (once to return to the Chart Details dialog, and a second time to return to the main menu mode).
From the menu, again, choose "Chart:Fast Planetarium..." to display the Fast Planetarium menu, and then select "West" from the pop-up menu.
Solun will begin to redraw the chart with your new settings.
The day/night world map
To display the day/night map, press the 1 (number one) key, or select the "World map" option from the "View" menu. An outline map of the world will be displayed, with a curved line representing the areas where the moon is rising or setting, and a shaded area representing the areas in darkness.
The quick visibility display
To quickly see which planets are currently above the horizon from your home city, press the 5 (number five) key, or choose the "Quick visibility" option in the "View" menu. A grid is displayed representing your horizon along the bottom, and showing the symbols for the planets.
To view the meanings of the planet symbols in an inset window, press the L key.
The moon information panel
To display a panel of information about the moon, choose "Info:Moon..." (or press Cntl-M) from the main menu. The displayed panel includes the rise and set times for the moon, as seen from your location today, and the current moon phase.
A report display
From the main menu, choose "Info:Report mode" (Cntl-R) to enter the Report mode. The tool bar changes and pressing the Menu key here displays the Report menu. Press the "Moon" button to display the Moon Phase report.
Solun will calculate the date and times for the quarter moon phases for the next few weeks. In addition, an indication is displayed of the likelihood of an eclipse at each new and full moon.
When the report is complete, press Esc or the "Return" button to return to the main menu.
That was, of course, a very quick tour and Solun has many more features, as you'll find if you explore the application menus. Unfortunately, though, online help is not yet available in the Beta-test version.

For more information, including screen shots and a full Online Manual (although this is currently targeted at the Series 3a version it should be near enough to help), please visit my home-page, at the address below.

Beta-test expirey date

As mentioned above, this release of Solun is a Beta-test release and contains some incomplete functions and probably a few minor bugs. To encourage people to use the latest levels of this software, until a complete release is ready, this release has a limited lifetime.

This release expires on the 1st February, 1999.

Each time this software is started, the number of days remaining is displayed.

If the number of remaining days is less that 21 then you are warned that the software is about to expire. By this time a new version should be available on my WWW site (address below) and you are recommended to upgrade as soon as possible

If you attempt to start Solun after the lifetime has expired Solun will refuse to start and you will have to upgrade to the newer version.

At the end of the period of Beta-test versions, an unlimited lifetime version of this software will be released under a separate license.

Getting In Touch

If you have any comments or suggestions about this application then I can be contacted at the following locations:
Email:
dave@piecafe.demon.co.uk
World Wide Web:
http://www.piecafe.demon.co.uk/
For the latest information about Solun, please visit my home-page on the World Wide Web, or send me an email.

I hope to hear from you, and in the meantime I hope you enjoy using Solun as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

David Rushall, October 1998