Bill, my version of Guide 8 seems to behave a little differently
than what you described. When I use Alt-J to set GROUND_DRAWING=1,
ecliptic and the milky way disappear over the ground area, but not
any of the constellation figure lines. When I set GROUND_DRAWING= I
get the same behavior, except that now the ecliptic and milky way
are shown over the ground area. Finally, GROUND_DRAWING=2 gives me
a totally solid brown ground with no stars or other data shown over
the ground area. Is there any way to turn off the constellation
lines over the ground area while still seeing planets that are below
the horizon?

Also, what file in my Guide8 directory does Guide write Alt-J
changes to? I am curious what else I have have set using Alt-J.
Thanks.

--- In guide-user@yahoogroups.com, Bill J Gray <pluto@p...> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I was about to provide a URL to documentation of how to alter
this
> display. Then I realized that there is no such documentation
(except
> perhaps somewhere in the archives of this user group.)
>
> By default, the ground blocks certain items but not others.
The
> idea was that it can be helpful to see that, say, Jupiter is just
> barely below the horizon. So even though a totally "realistic"
display
> would have a totally opaque ground*, Guide would show you a few
things
> below the horizon.
>
> Some people asked for a way around this. If you hit Alt-J and
enter
>
> GROUND_DRAWING=2
>
> the ground becomes completely, 100% opaque. This can be
annoying
> if you want to look at Jupiter and it isn't up yet; you either
have
> to adjust your date/time, or turn off the ground. But some
people like
> it that way, because in reality, the ground _is_ opaque.
>
> If instead you enter
>
> GROUND_DRAWING=1
>
> then the ground becomes completely transparent. And if you
enter
>
> GROUND_DRAWING=
>
> then the ground reverts to its default, semitransparent state.
>
> -- Bill
>
> * With one exception: in theory, objects observed via neutrinos
> should still be visible while below the horizon.