Alrighty...

I'm running Jan 2006 Guide 8... ...actually I think it's a slightly
later one that didn't have it's date changed, probably April 2006.

The coords you note below are for stuff in the provided sdssdr4 data
file, which I supplied for merely testing the TDF, consisiting of a
small subset of data in a small region. You've triangled the stars,
but that's all the same thing.

If you've got s.exe in the right place, and the batch file has run, it
should work.

Incidentally, if you've got a large field selected it won't work, as
you'll be trying to download millions of stars. I forgot to mention,
probably best to stick to fields of one degree or so across or
smaller, although fields of less than half an arcmin don't always work
for some reason.

What you can do is backup the gsc22.exe in the Guide directory to
gsc22.bak, copy s.exe to the Guide directory, and rename it to gsc22.exe.

You see, if the original gsc22.exe is still there, and has not been
replaced by s.exe, coz the batch file ain't executed properly, then
you are merely downloading ucac2 stars, and if your north of 40+
degrees, you ain't downloading a thing.

So, that's the first test.

I've never bothered proffering this before because of the problem of
switching gsc22.exe files in a simple way for nonDOS systems or those
nonfamiliar with dos systems.

s.exe is based on an old gsc22.exe, by the way, and not the later
versions, but should still run with Guide 8, as the upgrade of Guide 8
I'm using came with a later download progress bar happy version and I
fell out with said, so went back to old gsc22.exe.

In fact, now that I think about it, this is the problem for you,
you're getting a dialogue box telling you stuff is (not) downloading.
That shouldn't be happening, so s.exe has not replaced default
gsc22.exe in the Guide directory.

Either you can't run dos boxes on your setup, or .bat files are not
allowed to execute, so basically you've to copy s.exe to the Guide
directory, and rename it to gsc22.exe, and run Guide again. I know
not of XP and DOS, I have heard vista don't have it, but that's its
problem, not mine.

Ensure you always have a copy of your original gsc22.exe in the utils
directory, or elsewhere, so you can readily copy it back to the Guide
8 directory, but it looks likely that in your case you'll have to
delete gsc22.exe from the guide directory, copy s.exe to the guide
directory, then rename to gsc22.exe, when you want sdss stuff, and
then copy original gsc22.exe over that new gsc22.exe to return to
normal, which is neither elegant nor fun, but it should work. You may
or may not have to relaunch Guide, shouldn't have to though.

Yeh, that should do it.

Famous last words...


Other oddies and soddies : the data is returned to the file sdssdr4,
and added to anything already in that file, so said will grow, but is
editable via ascii editor, so bits can be deleted, as the data is laid
down in a row per object format.

SDSSdr4.tdf is a standard tdf, if the sdss data is there for a region,
you should be able to GO TO TDF SDSSdr4 then enter J172644.63+583745.8
and it'll go to it, but this is so similar to GO TO RA
172644.63+583745.8, which'll also go there, I don't bother with it
personally.

There is no sdss.dat, there's 180+ million of these things according
to vizier, that why download of needed bits from internet seemed like
a useful option.

Oh, I think I've misunderstood you. You want to know a region SDSS
data will be available in.

GO TO BZ UMa, that's a field that's definitely in the SDSS data
release 4 region, so you can test downloading of stuff for that
region. If you end up downloading 'em mulitple times just either edit
or delete the sdssdr4 datafile.

Here's their reference coverage map for date release 4 (the RA is in
decimal degrees, looks to be about 8h to 18h, note also varying
declinatin coverage) :-

http://www.sdss.org/dr4/dr4photo_big.gif

Cheers

John

--- In guide-user@yahoogroups.com, "Roger Pickard" <rdp@...> wrote:
>
> Hi John,
> Nearly, but not quite there.
> I followed the procedure easily enough and went to GO TO RA
> 172644.63+583745.8 (although you don't mention this again). However,
> there was a little star at the right position. Note I say star. I
> had to change the
> type 6 as follows to show a triangle (not sure which of the "type"
> lines I needed so copied over both from another tdf!
> # type 6
> type sC00fcfc;e0,0,12;
> type sc5;e0,0,10,c15
>
> However, I go to the location of another SDSS star and hit the SDSS
> toolbar and the info says some small file is being downloaded but
> nothing appears - even at mag 23!
>
> I'm running XP BTW.
>
> Assuming it's something silly on my part what about a SDSS.dat star so
> that you can go to any chosen such star?
>
> Cheers,
> Roger
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "duble.stars" <duble.stars@...>
> To: <guide-user@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 1:17 PM
> Subject: [guide-user] A kludge enabling internet download & display of
> SDSS data release 4 in Guide 8
>
>
> >
> > This is not for the faint hearted, so any doubts whatsoever do not
> > even attempt it.
> >
> > It is actually quite simple and straightforward, but if you don't
> > understand it it's likely best not to try it.
> >
> > Now, this past couple of days VizieR has upgraded the SDSS data
> > release 3 photometric catalogue to data release 4, dr 4.
> >
> > This will show a way of downloading and displaying these objects,
> the
> > display giving the SDSS magnitudes, their errors, positional
> > information, date of observation, a link to a more in depth page on
> > the SDSS server, inclusive of an image, and the automatically
> > estimated type of object.
> >
> > First you need to download sdss.zip from the Guide-user yahoo groups
> > file section http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/guide-user/files ,
> > it's been successfully passed on a virus test this end, but feel
> free
> > to test it again.
> >
> > Now to the procedure :-
> >
> > [Note that if any of this goes wrong, simply reinstalling the latest
> > Guide 8 update you are using from Guide8.zip will fix all and return
> > things back to as was.]
> >
> >
> > Find gsc22.exe in your Guide directory and _copy_ it to the UTILS
> > subdirectory that lies within the Guide directory. It is important
> to
> > ensure you do not move it, you need to have gsc22.exe existing in
> both
> > the GUIDE directory and the GUIDE/UTILS directory. Think of it as
> > your backup of gsc22.exe.
> >
> > Copy s.exe to this UTILS directory.
> >
> > Copy sdssdr4.tdf to the Guide 8 directory.
> >
> > Copy sdss.bmp to the Guide 8 directory.
> >
> > sdssdr4 can be copied to the Guide 8 directory or not, it is merely
> > some predownloaded data for testing the TDF and is not essential.
> > Future downloaded data files will be appended to this file, but if
> it
> > does not exist a new one should be made. However, if that doesn't
> > happen for whatever reason, including this file will give further
> > downloads something to append to. GO TO RA 172644.63+583745.8 to
> > test, clicking on coloured stars
> >
> > Now to make some dos batch files, this is simple enough, and works
> on
> > my machine using win2k. Whether it works in ME or XP I don't know,
> > but it should work in any Windows flavour that is capable of
> launching
> > a dos box. The batch files will be accessed via
> >
> > START in bottom left of screen, normally, far left of Task Bar
> >
> > RUN
> >
> > In RUN entering s in the dialogue box and pressing okay will turn on
> > SDSS download, entering g will put things back to default.
> >
> > Open Notepad
> >
> > enter the following lines, adapted for your computer
> >
> > @echo off
> > copy d:\fullpath\guide\utils\s.exe d:\fullpath\guide\gsc22.exe
> >
> > if you store guide in a drive different from D:, edit accordingly,
> and
> > replace the words "fullpath" with the full file path to your Guide
> > directory.
> >
> > The simplest version would be c:\guide\gsc22.exe for example for
> > someone who has isntalled Guide directly to drive C:
> >
> > Save those two lines as a file named s.bat in your Windows
> directory!
> >
> > That'll be in c:\windows or c:\winnt or similar. It can
> alternatively
> > be saved in the system32 directory. Basically any directory that is
> > listed in the system variables' path will suffice for those in the
> > know, otherwise just do the above.
> >
> > Do all the above with a second file except in Notepad type
> >
> > @echo off
> > copy d:\astro\guide\utils\gsc22.exe d:\astro\guide\gsc22.exe
> >
> > and save it as g.bat in the windows or other appropriate directory.
> >
> > Now to edit TOOLBAR.dat. You may wish to make a copy of this and
> call
> > it toolbar.bak first, however it is usually replaced with Guide 8
> > upgrade zipfiles anyway, so recoverable. Unless, of course, you
> keep
> > a personally modified version, then back it up.
> >
> > At the top of Toolbar.dat is a number. In your text editor,
> possibly
> > notepad will suffice, increment this number by 1. ie if it says
> 0304
> > change it to 0305.
> >
> > You can add the following line anywhere, but if you add it near
> other
> > internet download toolbar buttons it'll be easier to find in future.
> >
> > So, in notepad for example, EDIT->FIND usno.bmp or gsc22.bmp or
> similar.
> >
> > Insert a line and add in this line
> >
> > 2550 !sdss.bmp SDSS data via Internet
> >
> > such that the local arrear of this list now looks something similar
> to
> > this
> >
> > # 2161 !rs.bmp RealSky image
> > # 2119 !dss.bmp DSS image
> > # 2378 !gsc22.bmp GSC 2.2 data via Internet
> > # 2410 !web_dss.bmp Grab DSS image via Internet
> > # 2411 !web_a20.bmp A2.0 data via Internet
> > 2550 !sdss.bmp SDSS data via Internet
> > 2457 !usno.bmp B1.0 data via Internet
> > 2458 !2mass.bmp 2MASS data via Internet
> > # 2413 !a10.bmp Get A1.0 data from CD-ROM
> > # 2414 !a10.bmp Get A2.0 data from CD-ROM
> >
> >
> > You will likely also have an UCAC2 data via Internet link, which I
> > have removed.
> >
> > Save toolbar.dat
> >
> > Basically this simply works because s.exe is a version of gsc22.exe
> > which has been hex edited to get sdss dr 4 data from vizier instead
> of
> > getting ucac2 data from vizier.
> >
> > OPERATION
> >
> > Guide will now have an SDSS toolbar button, possibly also an ucac2
> one
> > depending on personal preference.
> >
> > When s.bat is run by using START->RUN->s the file s.exe copies over
> > gsc22.exe such that when the SDSS toolbar button is pressed SDSS
> data
> > release 4 data is returned via VizieR. Incidentally, SDSS data
> > release 4 data will also be returned if the UCAC2 button is pressed
> in
> > this cirumstance. This is a dirty little kludge and simply replaces
> > the ucac2 fetch with an sdss fetch. There is no download progress
> box
> > for SDSS retrieval, incidentally.
> >
> > To return Guide 8 to UCAC2 download simply use START->RUN->g which
> > copies the default gsc22.exe stored in the UTILS directory back into
> > the Guide directory and returns the normal situation. Again, in
> this
> > situation pressing on the SDSS button returns UCAC2 data as does
> > pressing on the UCAC2 button. The 2550 tells you that in
> toolbar.dat
> >
> > This is a _kludge_, not a fix or addition.
> >
> > The SDSS data is returned as coloured stars where g' and r' are
> > interpreted as B and R using "photo" in the TDF as this seems to
> give
> > the most accurate matches. The stars are plotted to the r', or red,
> > mag. Right click gives mag info and object type and more info
> > additionally errors on mag and date when imaged and a link to the
> SDSS
> > data release 5 summary page and image for that star at the SDSS
> webserver.
> >
> > SDSS data fills half the northern sky, plus an near complete
> > equatorial strip, is good between mags about 15 and 20+, and is of
> > decent astrometry, and better than USNO B1.0, so makes a nice
> > complement to UCAC2 where it is available, but avoids dense star
> > regions so lies mainly away from the Milky Way.
> >
> > High quality V can be calculated for good g' and r' values using
> >
> > V = r' + 0.44*(g'-r') - 0.02
> >
> > for stars that are not too red.
> >
> >
> > Again, if you can see a need for this, try it, if it works, fine, if
> > not reinstall your personal latest upgrade file and ignore.
> Therefore
> > there must be a willingness and ability to reinstall the latest
> > upgrade file the user is using before any attempt is made to try
> this,
> > ie it's the users own responsibility, it's a kludge, if it doesn't
> > work you've to be aware of how to return to where you were.
> >
> > On the other hand, it's simple and straightforward enough, if a
> little
> > fiddly, and it works a doddle, I've been using it ages (albeit with
> > vizier SDSS data release 3 until the data release 4 upgrade
> yesterday).
> >
> > Finally, for those who can hex edit files, you could replace the
> sdss
> > vizier url, and download file name (sdssdr4), in s.exe with any
> other
> > vizier list, such as DENIS or CMC14, easily enough, but you'll have
> to
> > write a TDF to plot up the downloaded datafile in Guide and create a
> > .bmp file for the toolbar using 2550 as anchor, but most of the rest
> > of the above will be just the same, though s.bat and s.exe will no
> > longer be mnemonic, of course.
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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