Hi, newbie feedback and questions

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Hi all,

I am an astro amateur who is observing using a telescope (a 150mm diameter Newton) and I used KStars running on an eeepc 701 which is a notebook with à 7 inch (800x480 pixels) screen and a Celeron at 600MHz.

I like KStars because it is free, accurate and runs smoothly on my netbook (compared to other sky chart softwares that are quite slow).

There are some functionalities that missed me or that I don't know how to activate:
- I didn't find a way to hide the tools panel, when I uncheck them in the menu, they are hided but when I restart KStarts, they came back.
- A lot of configuration windows are quite too big for my screen, I can move them using Alt key, but it is very boring not to see the entire window on my screen, doing fine windows manipulation in the dark is not very easy.
- I did not find a way to show Messier or NGC objects names on the screen, ok the object are plotted but not their name. I'd liked to show any object until a certain magnitude, then show all these object and there names on the map. The goal is to see an unknown object not too far of my scope current pos, and to try to observe it.
- it  could be fine if there was some colours schemes that use the current colours but less luminous, because netbooks screen luminosity can be lowered to a certain point but not less, and it still too much for a scope observer, and the reddish style is clearly not useable.

Regards
Fabien

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[Akarsh Simha-2]

Hi Fabien

Glad to know you liked KStars!


>    - I didn't find a way to hide the tools panel, when I uncheck them in the
>    menu, they are hided but when I restart KStarts, they came back.

This seems fixable; please report it as a bug on our Bugzilla,
http://bugs.kde.org - that's easier to keep track of.

>    - A lot of configuration windows are quite too big for my screen, I can
>    move them using Alt key, but it is very boring not to see the entire
>    window on my screen, doing fine windows manipulation in the dark is not
>    very easy.

IIRC, this is a bug already filed on our bugzilla, but I have no clue
how to fix it... maybe others could pitch in.

>    - I did not find a way to show Messier or NGC objects names on the screen,
>    ok the object are plotted but not their name. I'd liked to show any object
>    until a certain magnitude, then show all these object and there names on
>    the map. The goal is to see an unknown object not too far of my scope
>    current pos, and to try to observe it.

Same with this. This should be implementable too.

>    - it  could be fine if there was some colours schemes that use the current
>    colours but less luminous, because netbooks screen luminosity can be
>    lowered to a certain point but not less, and it still too much for a scope
>    observer, and the reddish style is clearly not useable.

I don't know how to fix this off hand - maybe Med would know?

Regards
Akarsh
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Hi,

Thank you for subscribing me to this list.

For the small screen size, I think there is no other way than rearranging the way the settings screens are displayed. Perhaps by using more tabs or similar system on screen, less option per panel taht enables to keep smaller windows.

I am also using Stellarium and I see there was like a cooperation. I used both softwares, just say why if it could help :

I like Stellarium because it is realistic and beautifull & fullscreen, and runs on severall platforms (I used a desktop windows and a linux eeePC).
I don't like Stellarium because it is slow (on an eeepc with a basic graphic card, openGL?), there is not so much data, I'd like more photos (RealSky DSS via network or a local database or disk cache), sometimes my OpenGl layer on linux is buggy (too much hurry updates on repo) and openGl fails, whereas KStars still works.
I like KStars beacause it is light, more configurable, there is a configurable finder that display. It works even if OpenGL is not working on the system.
I don't like KStars beacuse it runs on Linux only.
I used a lot Redshift but left it because of its GUI that changed way too much for me. I used Cartes du Ciel and like its features but dislikes its GUI.

It should be nice to have a preview window that displays a thumbnail/ small photo a the selected object. It will enables the user to keep a complete view and limit the need to zoom. This preview should have a scale and should have some settings (size, position, transparency etc.)

It should be fine to distinguish between two usage, the first is casual for Desktop, and another one which is on the field with a scope. Because most of the settings are very differents, perhaps be able to recall a complete configuration from a list should do or choose it on startup in a list of available ones.

I would also appreciate a way to input my scope diameter size, and KStars to keep away any object that is outside the theorical optical limit of my telescope. I'll then desactivate this option for desktop use.

Regards
Fabien

---

De : Akarsh Simha <akarshsimha@...>
À : Fabien <pogzy@...>; KStars Development Mailing List <kstars-devel@...>
Envoyé le : Vendredi, 18 Septembre 2009, 12h23mn 26s
Objet : Re: [Kstars-devel] Hi, newbie feedback and questions

Hi Fabien

Glad to know you liked KStars!


>    - I didn't find a way to hide the tools panel, when I uncheck them in the
>    menu, they are hided but when I restart KStarts, they came back.

This seems fixable; please report it as a bug on our Bugzilla,
http://bugs.kde.org - that's easier to keep track of.

>    - A lot of configuration windows are quite too big for my screen, I can
>    move them using Alt key, but it is very boring not to see the entire
>    window on my screen, doing fine windows manipulation in the dark is not
>    very easy.

IIRC, this is a bug already filed on our bugzilla, but I have no clue
how to fix it... maybe others could pitch in.

>    - I did not find a way to show Messier or NGC objects names on the screen,
>    ok the object are plotted but not their name. I'd liked to show any object
>    until a certain magnitude, then show all these object and there names on
>    the map. The goal is to see an unknown object not too far of my scope
>    current pos, and to try to observe it.

Same with this. This should be implementable too.

>    - it  could be fine if there was some colours schemes that use the current
>    colours but less luminous, because netbooks screen luminosity can be
>    lowered to a certain point but not less, and it still too much for a scope
>    observer, and the reddish style is clearly not useable.

I don't know how to fix this off hand - maybe Med would know?

Regards
Akarsh

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On Friday 18 September 2009 10:11:08 Fabien wrote:
> I don't like KStars beacuse it runs on Linux only.

No. Kstars also works under *BSD, MS Windows and Mac OS X, at least.

Regards,

Médéric
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I am sorry, I didn't know it was possible to run kstars on other platform than Linux. Where is the installer or KStars binary for Windows? ;-)

Last time I tried KDE for Windows, I didn't get it to work, I think I am not smart enough to make it work and it should be reserved for advanced users. I don't wan't to put an entire KDE system on top of my Windows system which I find slow enough. I just want to run KStars.
But that is not an issue for me, KStars is unique, other softwares are unique and I prefer to leave in a world where there are plenty of softwares to choose, try and participate.

Regards
Fabien

---

De : Médéric Boquien <mboquien@...>
À : kstars-devel@...; Fabien <pogzy@...>
Cc : Akarsh Simha <akarshsimha@...>
Envoyé le : Vendredi, 18 Septembre 2009, 16h19mn 41s
Objet : Re: [Kstars-devel] Re : Hi, newbie feedback and questions

On Friday 18 September 2009 10:11:08 Fabien wrote:
> I don't like KStars beacuse it runs on Linux only.

No. Kstars also works under *BSD, MS Windows and Mac OS X, at least.

Regards,

Médéric

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On Friday 18 September 2009 11:40:37 Fabien wrote:
> I am sorry, I didn't know it was possible to run kstars on other platform
> than Linux. Where is the installer or KStars binary for Windows? ;-)

http://www.winkde.org/pub/kde/ports/win32/installer/kdewin-installer-gui-
latest.exe

> Last time I tried KDE for Windows, I didn't get it to work, I think I am
> not smart enough to make it work and it should be reserved for advanced
> users.

That's quite straightforward. Just select the kdeedu package in the installer,
wait a few minutes and that's it. KStars is in the windows menu.

> I don't wan't to put an entire KDE system on top of my Windows
> system which I find slow enough.

There is no need to install the enitre KDE system. Just the libs basically.
The installer takes care of that anyway.

Regards,

Médéric
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Well, I've tried this on two places, at my work on a spare PC (with proxy settings) and at my home (direct access through ADSL)

At work it doesn't work at all, no way to configure the proxy, I've tried any possible way through the installer, and I won't download by hand each package to make this thing work.

At home, the installer connects, download about 100MB! (I've just checked kdeedu, no kstars alone available), Install freezed before the end (I don't know why). There is a KDE folder in my Program Files with 260MB in there which nothing working (I've tried severall .exe such as kstars).
So perhaps it is working on some other config but not mine, I do not want to give some time to make this huge thing working on XP and I think (I am probably wrong but it is my point of view as a user) that KDE is fine for Linux but it is not simple to make it works under XP. I find easier to run kstars on an XP computer using VirtualBox and Ubuntu than using kde-win-installer.

But apart from that, I am using KStars because it is fast, small, versatile and easy to use.

Regards
Fabien

---

De : Médéric Boquien <mboquien@...>
À : Fabien <pogzy@...>
Cc : kstars-devel@...; Akarsh Simha <akarshsimha@...>
Envoyé le : Vendredi, 18 Septembre 2009, 17h46mn 31s
Objet : Re: [Kstars-devel] Re : Hi, newbie feedback and questions

On Friday 18 September 2009 11:40:37 Fabien wrote:
> I am sorry, I didn't know it was possible to run kstars on other platform
> than Linux. Where is the installer or KStars binary for Windows? ;-)

http://www.winkde.org/pub/kde/ports/win32/installer/kdewin-installer-gui-
latest.exe

> Last time I tried KDE for Windows, I didn't get it to work, I think I am
> not smart enough to make it work and it should be reserved for advanced
> users.

That's quite straightforward. Just select the kdeedu package in the installer,
wait a few minutes and that's it. KStars is in the windows menu.

> I don't wan't to put an entire KDE system on top of my Windows
> system which I find slow enough.

There is no need to install the enitre KDE system. Just the libs basically.
The installer takes care of that anyway.

Regards,

Médéric

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Hi,

I am owning a SkyWatcher HEQ5 Goto mount. Is there a way to control this mount using KStars? I know it is possible to use Ascom drivers with my mount with EQMod and a direct connectors (no handpad).

Is there a way to connect KStars/INDI client to Skywatcher EQ mounts?

If not, which mounts available in any astro retailers are compatible with KStars/INDI?

Regards
Fabien

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On Monday 21 September 2009 10:13:58 Fabien wrote:

> Well, I've tried this on two places, at my work on a spare PC (with proxy
> settings) and at my home (direct access through ADSL)
>
> At work it doesn't work at all, no way to configure the proxy, I've tried
> any possible way through the installer, and I won't download by hand each
> package to make this thing work.
>
> At home, the installer connects, download about 100MB! (I've just checked
> kdeedu, no kstars alone available), Install freezed before the end (I don't
> know why). There is a KDE folder in my Program Files with 260MB in there
> which nothing working (I've tried severall .exe such as kstars). So perhaps
> it is working on some other config but not mine, I do not want to give some
> time to make this huge thing working on XP and I think (I am probably wrong
> but it is my point of view as a user) that KDE is fine for Linux but it is
> not simple to make it works under XP. I find easier to run kstars on an XP
> computer using VirtualBox and Ubuntu than using kde-win-installer.

Report the bug on http://bugs.kde.org then with as many details as possible.
The Windows team will have a look at that. It has always worked out of the box
for me.

Médéric
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On Monday 21 September 2009 10:22:07 Fabien wrote:
> If not, which mounts available in any astro retailers are compatible with
> KStars/INDI?

http://www.indilib.org/index.php?title=Devices
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Hi Fabien,

 

You can control SkyWatcher from KStars. Just select “Celestron GPS” in the Telescope Wizard and you should be able to control it.

 

Regards,

Jasem

 

From: Fabien [mailto:pogzy@...]
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 5:22 PM
To: kstars-devel@...
Subject: [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

 

Hi,

I am owning a SkyWatcher HEQ5 Goto mount. Is there a way to control this mount using KStars? I know it is possible to use Ascom drivers with my mount with EQMod and a direct connectors (no handpad).

Is there a way to connect KStars/INDI client to Skywatcher EQ mounts?

If not, which mounts available in any astro retailers are compatible with KStars/INDI?

Regards
Fabien

 

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Kstars-devel@...
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OK thank you for this precise answser.

I will give it a try, as soon as I've got some time.

Regards
Fabien

---

De : Jasem Mutlaq <mutlaqja@...>
À : Fabien <pogzy@...>; KStars Development Mailing List <kstars-devel@...>
Envoyé le : Lundi, 21 Septembre 2009, 22h22mn 36s
Objet : RE: [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

Hi Fabien,

 

You can control SkyWatcher from KStars. Just select “Celestron GPS” in the Telescope Wizard and you should be able to control it.

 

Regards,

Jasem

 

From: Fabien [mailto:pogzy@...]
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 5:22 PM
To: kstars-devel@...
Subject: [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

 

Hi,

I am owning a SkyWatcher HEQ5 Goto mount. Is there a way to control this mount using KStars? I know it is possible to use Ascom drivers with my mount with EQMod and a direct connectors (no handpad).

Is there a way to connect KStars/INDI client to Skywatcher EQ mounts?

If not, which mounts available in any astro retailers are compatible with KStars/INDI?

Regards
Fabien

 

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Kstars-devel mailing list
Kstars-devel@...
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kstars-devel

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Hi,

Thank you for the tips. Did you did it, I suppose any DB9 to USB connector should work (my eeePC Ubuntu KStars does only have USB connectors), I will try so.

Is there somewhere on the web where there are some docs or any feedback of some users controlling their mount with KStars, http://edu.kde.org/kstars/ is not responding since 2 days.

Regards
Fabien

---

De : Jasem Mutlaq <mutlaqja@...>
À : Fabien <pogzy@...>; KStars Development Mailing List <kstars-devel@...>
Envoyé le : Lundi, 21 Septembre 2009, 22h22mn 36s
Objet : RE: [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

Hi Fabien,

 

You can control SkyWatcher from KStars. Just select “Celestron GPS” in the Telescope Wizard and you should be able to control it.

 

Regards,

Jasem

 

From: Fabien [mailto:pogzy@...]
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 5:22 PM
To: kstars-devel@...
Subject: [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

 

Hi,

I am owning a SkyWatcher HEQ5 Goto mount. Is there a way to control this mount using KStars? I know it is possible to use Ascom drivers with my mount with EQMod and a direct connectors (no handpad).

Is there a way to connect KStars/INDI client to Skywatcher EQ mounts?

If not, which mounts available in any astro retailers are compatible with KStars/INDI?

Regards
Fabien

 

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Kstars-devel mailing list
Kstars-devel@...
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kstars-devel

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Hi all,

I purchased a DB9 to USB connector with a nice linux penguin on it so I though it should be Linux compatible.
I run KStars, my first issue that there were no Device menu, after a few google search I saw there was a package mismatch between KStars and INDI 0.5/0.6 in Ubunto repo, after solving this point I connected my mount but KStars was not able to connect to the mount, I don't know the port name and tried with no port name but noting happens. I do not know how to check that my DB9/USB connector is recognised by the system.

Regards
Fabien

---

De : Jasem Mutlaq <mutlaqja@...>
À : Fabien <pogzy@...>; KStars Development Mailing List <kstars-devel@...>
Envoyé le : Lundi, 21 Septembre 2009, 22h22mn 36s
Objet : RE: [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

Hi Fabien,

 

You can control SkyWatcher from KStars. Just select “Celestron GPS” in the Telescope Wizard and you should be able to control it.

 

Regards,

Jasem

 

From: Fabien [mailto:pogzy@...]
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 5:22 PM
To: kstars-devel@...
Subject: [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

 

Hi,

I am owning a SkyWatcher HEQ5 Goto mount. Is there a way to control this mount using KStars? I know it is possible to use Ascom drivers with my mount with EQMod and a direct connectors (no handpad).

Is there a way to connect KStars/INDI client to Skywatcher EQ mounts?

If not, which mounts available in any astro retailers are compatible with KStars/INDI?

Regards
Fabien

 

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Kstars-devel mailing list
Kstars-devel@...
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kstars-devel

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Hi Fabien,

 

Try /dev/ttyUSB0 for the device port. Unless you have other USB to Serial devices plugged in, this is the first node created.

 

Regards,

Jasem

 

From: Fabien [mailto:pogzy@...]
Sent: Friday, September 25, 2009 12:01 PM
To: Jasem Mutlaq; KStars Development Mailing List
Subject: Re : [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

 

Hi all,

I purchased a DB9 to USB connector with a nice linux penguin on it so I though it should be Linux compatible.
I run KStars, my first issue that there were no Device menu, after a few google search I saw there was a package mismatch between KStars and INDI 0.5/0.6 in Ubunto repo, after solving this point I connected my mount but KStars was not able to connect to the mount, I don't know the port name and tried with no port name but noting happens. I do not know how to check that my DB9/USB connector is recognised by the system.

Regards
Fabien

 

---

De : Jasem Mutlaq <mutlaqja@...>
À : Fabien <pogzy@...>; KStars Development Mailing List <kstars-devel@...>
Envoyé le : Lundi, 21 Septembre 2009, 22h22mn 36s
Objet : RE: [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

Hi Fabien,

 

You can control SkyWatcher from KStars. Just select “Celestron GPS” in the Telescope Wizard and you should be able to control it.

 

Regards,

Jasem

 

From: Fabien [mailto:pogzy@...]
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 5:22 PM
To: kstars-devel@...
Subject: [Kstars-devel] Mount control with KStars

 

Hi,

I am owning a SkyWatcher HEQ5 Goto mount. Is there a way to control this mount using KStars? I know it is possible to use Ascom drivers with my mount with EQMod and a direct connectors (no handpad).

Is there a way to connect KStars/INDI client to Skywatcher EQ mounts?

If not, which mounts available in any astro retailers are compatible with KStars/INDI?

Regards
Fabien

 

 

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Kstars-devel mailing list
Kstars-devel@...
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kstars-devel

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Hi,

I am doing a small chart atlas generation forms using php & html. My (quite far) goal is to generate a user defined star atlas by writing pdf files, depending on the user taste and needs, and perhaps scope aperture or other funny things.

I am for now using only BSC and SAGUARO catalogs, and also constellation boundaries, like many do. I was asking myself if I could use some job already done inside kstars. What is your inside catalog format, is it usable as a standalone catalog source and well documented? If so could you tell me how it works or when to view some docs?

For my own needs, I am doing a two pass job. The first one is to fill a SQLite DB (single file) by parsing original text base catalog files. Then I do sql requests to retreive needed RA/DEC/Magnitude object type of data.
I don't think my way to do this job could interest anybody else, but in case. The DB system can be tuned (index and so on) to be more relevant than my code to retreive needed data quickly.

Regards
Fabien

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[Akarsh Simha-2]

Hi Fabien

>    I am doing a small chart atlas generation forms using php & html. My
>    (quite far) goal is to generate a user defined star atlas by writing pdf
>    files, depending on the user taste and needs, and perhaps scope aperture
>    or other funny things.
>
>    I am for now using only BSC and SAGUARO catalogs, and also constellation
>    boundaries, like many do. I was asking myself if I could use some job
>    already done inside kstars. What is your inside catalog format, is it
>    usable as a standalone catalog source and well documented? If so could you
>    tell me how it works or when to view some docs?
>
>    For my own needs, I am doing a two pass job. The first one is to fill a
>    SQLite DB (single file) by parsing original text base catalog files. Then
>    I do sql requests to retreive needed RA/DEC/Magnitude object type of data.
>    I don't think my way to do this job could interest anybody else, but in
>    case. The DB system can be tuned (index and so on) to be more relevant
>    than my code to retreive needed data quickly.

As far as stars are concerned, I have the entire USNO catalog in text
files (which is HUGE) and on a MySQL database (hopefully). I should be
able to send them across.

You might otherwise want parse the binary USNO catalog we have for
download http://download.kde.org/apps/kstars/USNO-NOMAD-1e8-1.0.tar.gz

The format is documented in data/README.binfileformat
Some additional info in skycomponents/README.stars should be useful

The reading of the binary file is done explicitly in
StarBlockList::fillToMag() in skycomponents/starblocklist.cpp You
should also take a look at binfilehelper.cpp and
skycomponents/starcomponent.cpp

As far as the deep-sky object catalogs are concerned, you are better
off using SAC. I can give you a SQL dump of SAC in case you need the
same :)

It's a really nice program you're writing! :) I hope you plan to open
source the machinery?

Regards
Akarsh
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