David Higgins Jun 1, 2003
--- In guide-user@yahoogroups.com, Bill J Gray <pluto@p...> wrote:
> Hi David,
>
> As Oliver indicated, "Go To... User-Added Dataset... MPC
> Observatories" has no real meaning except in geographic mode.
> That function does work in terms of "going to", i.e., recentering
> the chart, on a given part of the sky. I suppose extending it
> to include the idea of "reset my viewpoint to a given location"
> might be a sensible extension. Though as I'll explain, it's
> not really necessary; there are easier ways to go about it.
>
> You _can_, while in the usual "star charting" mode, use
> "Settings... Location", then "Enter Location Name", and
> enter (say) "E14" to reset your viewpoint to that of any MPC
> station. Or, when in geographic mode, you can click on
> "Go To... Enter Location Name", and again enter "E14"
> to have the chart recenter on that MPC station. (Note:
> this is case-sensitive.)
>
> I just checked, and the list you downloaded was last
> updated a couple of months ago; some new MPC stations
> have been added since then. Revisit
>
> http://www.projectpluto.com/extras.htm#MPC_stations
>
> and download that file again, and you'll be all set.
>
> Also, don't put these in the Text folder; all files for
> download from the Web site are intended to go directly into
> Guide's own folder. (After all, some people haven't installed
> Guide to the hard drive; they don't even _have_ a Text folder.)
>
> "...The zip file contains 4 files but Guide 8 seems to only
> need 2 (.TDF and .DAT files)." True. The .DDF ("Deutsche
> Definition File"; German speakers will please excuse the
> mixed "Deutlish") enables display of MPC stations in German.
> The .CPP file is the C++ source code used to convert the
> MPC locations, expressed in terms of parallax constants,
> into latitude/longitude/altitude form. Somebody asked me
> for this a long time ago... don't remember who it was. Most
> people can safely ignore both files.
>
> -- Bill