Previous page  Page 41   Next page    Table of Contents 

   Alternatively,  clicking on "Slew Guide" will cause it to read the
encoders once,  resulting in the chart being redrawn at the current
telescope position.

   Adding still more alignment stars can improve pointing accuracy
considerably.  If you find that the accuracy is poor in a given part of
the sky,  it's advisable to find a nearby bright star and to add it as
another alignment star.  This gives Guide an idea as to the amount of
error in that part of the sky;  it can then compensate accordingly.

   At present,  there is no command to delete the alignment data;  and
this is something you'll want to do if you move the scope or shut down
the encoders.  To clear alignment data,  delete the file ALIGN.DAT in the
Guide directory.

12:  PRINTER SETUP AND PRINTING     

   The "Printer Setup" menu is in the File menu. A standard printer setup
menu is shown.
                                                 
   In Portrait mode,  the chart will make the "top" be the short edge;
in Landscape mode,  it will be on the longer edge.
                                                      
   By default, there are half-inch margins on all sides. The Margins
menu (found under "Settings") lets you reset these values.  For
example, in making the cover for this manual,  the back cover was
printed with the right-hand margin set to 5.8 inches. The front cover
was printed with the left-hand margin set to 5.8 inches and the top
margin set to 3 inches (to make room for the title).  All other
margins were left at default values.

   The Margins menu also provides check-boxes to determine which sides
get RA/dec labels.  You may decide,  for example,  that the top and
left sides should get RA/dec labels,  or all four sides,  or all
except the left side (each possibility is used by at least one "standard"
printed star atlas).  Keep in mind that this is only used if "side
labels" are turned on in the first place (see page 26).

   One subtlety in how printing is done shows up in the Backgrounds
dialog (see page 28).  When in "normal mode",  all printing
is in black and white,  even on color printers.  Only in "chart mode"
(where the chart on-screen has a white background) are charts printed
in color.

   If stars come out at sizes other than those you would want,  you
should check the "Min Size",  "Max Size",  and "Mag Range" options in
the Star Display dialog (see page 17.)  It often happens that the
sizes that look wonderful on-screen are less appealing on the printed
page;  and preferences as to star size vary widely.

13: Postscript charts   

 Previous page  Page 41   Next page    Table of Contents