New 64 bit 1.7 version suggestions and bugs

[john71]

I think I found a new bug: if your are on an exoplanet or in a faraway star system, you cannot search from THERE for nearby stars and planets. The results are always showing Earth as the center of the search... (64 bit Windows Celestia 1.7.).

[John Van Vliet]

click the refresh in the browser window
now this is the qt4 GUI

Screenshot_20170804_002841.png

i use Glese 411 for tests
it is easy to type and remember

[selden]

John71,

It works fine for me, too. I'm using the Windows directory downloaded from Github plus Alex's current binaries. See below.

Please provide a screengrab and describe what you're doing in more detail.

capture_027_04082017_010144.png

[john71]

This is the screenshot:

screen C.png

Celestia 1.7 doesn't "see" add-on stars it seems.

But why?

Added after 4 minutes 16 seconds:
And yes, I clicked on the "Distance" tab a few times.

[selden]

Where is your viewpoint?
It's not at the Pistol Star, which is more than 900 LY away according to your HUD.

Celestia shows star distances relative to the viewpoint's current locaton, not relative to the selected object.
You need to GoTo the star if you want to see distances relative to it.

Added after 15 minutes 47 seconds:
No matter: it's a bug in the Windows version of v1.7. Someone will have to fix it.

I defined two stars, one with a HIP number and one without. After I goto the first, the star browser lists no stars closer than about 85 LY away. Celestia v1.6.1 works fine.

capture_031_04082017_074047.png

[john71]

It is at the Pistol Star, I only moved the viewpoint to show that there are a LOT of stars between my viewpoint and the "stars.dat" stars. Celestia 1.7 does not recognize stars from the extras folder it seems. I did this search on many-many stars from the extras folder and I experienced the same result. Celestia 1.6.1 on the other hand recognized the stc files from the extras folder when searching for nearby stars... .

[selden]

Here's the STC that I used, and a screengrab of Celestia v1.6.1 so you can see what it should be showing.

Code: Select all

Star "Test1:no HIP"
{
   RA 1
   Dec 1
   Distance 100
   SpectralType "G2"
   AbsMag 4.5
}

Star 500001 "Test2:with HIP"
{
   RA 1
   Dec 1
   Distance 102
   SpectralType "G2"
   AbsMag 4.5
}


capture_032_04082017_074546.png

[john71]

No, it is not working in Celestia 1.7. As if the Test1 and Test2 stars would be nonexistent for "nearby star" search. But they are there, they can be found by searching for them by name on the main search tab.

Added after 4 minutes 27 seconds:
There is no problem in Celestia 1.6.1, but the problem is in the 64 bit new version...

[selden]

Yup. That's what I'm seeing, too.

[john71]

So we have 3 bugs so far in Celestia 1.7 64 bit Windows:

1.) "red texture flashes" when speeding up time

2.) constellation diagrams (asterisms) are not seen from far away exoplanets

3.) nearby stars from the "extras" folder are ignored when searching for them in the "Star Browser".

Not that bad, but they should be fixed.

[Janus]

Quick notes for anyone who cares.

Using the VS2010 branch on github, I have been working on backporting 64 bit.
I have been able to trace and confirm that VS2013 is the oldest VS compiler that can create 64 bit executables using uncustomized sourcecode.
There are severe string:: and 'new' issues that preclude multiplatform compilation using common code.
Even VS2013 needed some updating so it could compile something besides unicode programs, M$ only shipped unicode libs, though the others can be downloaded once you know to look for them.
I will be putting them up so others can find and use them.

I started by trimming out all of the sound stuff because it was getting in the way.
While fmod may be nice software, it is proprietary and caused all sorts of random issues, so I cut it out by commenting it out of compilation.
If anyone cares about it, they can put it back later.
However, it appears to want some sort of custom development software which I will not have on my system.
If sound is that strongly desired, then 'openal soft' would likely be a better choice.

I have also gathered the source for all of the included libs, and recompiled them in 32/64 bit mode.
I also set everything I could to static linkage to get away from needing VS redists or additional support dlls, but that still needs testing.
So far libintl has been resistant, but I am learning.
I am also having texture issues with jpg, but that is just a matter of time to fix, unless someone out there knows how to compile libjpg with VS.

I updated the sln & vcxproj to work with VS2010/12/13.
Then I updated the QT4.x to QT5.4/5.6/5.8, with the above VS versions.
All now work in 32-bit mode.

I just finished getting a VS2013 version in 64-bit working.
I tested by using a fresh install of celestia 1.6.1, then copied celestia-x64 & libintl over, the only extra files needed.
It runs just fine.

My next goal is to figure out to how to do 64 bit compiles using VS with Qt creator.
Maybe I will get brave see if I can use mingw to do a compile as well.


Janus.

[selden]

It sounds like you're making great progress!

Will you be providing a public repository of your results, perhaps on Github?

[Janus]

My intent is to send the code to Alexell so it can be merged into the VS2010 branch, or make a new one since this is going to be VS2013 or later.

If you would like, I can zip celestia-x64 & libintl up and attache it here, or put it on my site.

I have to warn you however, it still has issues.
Help about crashes it, which is frustrating, working on that.


Janus.

[selden]

There's no rush, unless you'd like to provide the executable for someone else to poke at to try to find problems.

Personally I'm reluctant to invest the time in getting VS to run on my system. I've had enough problems with it in the past.

Not to mention that I'd like to actually get some work done on some Lua scripts I'm writing for another addon....

[Janus]

Ok, if you want to take a few minutes to look at it, help yourself.
Setup I did was from a fresh 1.6.1 install, and simply dropped the two files in, then ran celestia-x64 to test.

Here it is in all its oddness.

Compiled with VS2013 in 64-bit mode.
LibIntl.dll is compiled with VS2012 64-bit.
I will sync up VS versions later.

Let me know if you also have have issues with jpg textures.
png appears to work though.

Once I can figure out how, even libintl will be static linked in.
The other libs dropped right in, but not this one, really annoying.


Janus.

[Janus]

Okay, doing 64-bit in QT is a real pain to get started.
Their documentation is weird, and structured confusingly.

However, perseverance and stubbornness does eventually pay off.
I now have a version of the source code that will compile, though not as nicely as I would like.

It compiles with VS2010/12/13 in 32-bit.
It compiles with QT5.4/5.6/5.8 w/the above VS versions, in 32-bit mode.
It compiles with VS2013 in 64-bit mode.
It compiles with QT5.4/5.6/5.8 w/VS2013, in 64-bit mode.

I have been trying to get VS2015Buildtools working, but no luck so far.
[No,. I do not have VS2015, nor do I have VS2017 either.
VS2015 will not be considered until I can be sure I have its telemetry disabled.
VS2017 is just spyware with a compiler on the side.
Besides, when I tried just the VS2017buildtools, they broke my VS installs.
It also started a chain reaction that forced a wipe and reinstall of Win7.
I freely admit I run a non stock system, it is modded to give me back nearly all of my preferred XP interface.
ClassicShell, 7+taskbar tweaker, network activity indicator{Blinky network lights}, explorer++{Because the builtin one is broken by design}, and more.
When a compiler breaks your desktop, the compiler itself is broken.]

No luck yet with QT's Mingw 5.30, but that was just for laughs, I did not expect it to work.

So, for the moment I have achieved my goals.
I should note that although the above compiles and runs, there are still glitches to run down.
Help:about crashes in VS 64-bit mode, no clue yet, yet works in QT 64-bit mode.
I am sure there are other oddities I have not spotted yet.

Has anyone heard from Alexell lately?
I am waiting to hear back so I can upload this, then he can use it to update the VS2010 branch on github.

Unless there is enough interest from others, then I can put the code up on my site for whomever wants it.


Janus.

[DOJOMO]

Hi,
I've installed 1.7.0 in my old 1.6.0 Celestia folder on my Win10 laptop. It runs ok.
However, initially it didn't and after some hit and miss trials I found that Johnvv addon Mercury2neptune stopped it loading during the initial splash screen. Taken out of the extras folders all works correctly.
The disadvantage is that this addon more accurately positions the planets and so most of my numerous favourites no longer work.
Is anyone able to help?
David.

[selden]

David,

Please provide a link to the Addon you're having problems with. I did a quick Web search and couldn't find it.

My WAG is that it might be using SPICE orbits and you might be using a version of Celestia that doesn't include SPICE support.

[John Van Vliet]

i think it is this one
https://github.com/JohnVV/MyCelestiaBuild/blob/ma ... arSystem/SolarSystem.SPICE.ssc

this folder is by default disabled on the code from git

easy to enable but you also need the spice kernels in the readme's ( read all of them ,they are a few in different folders )
https://github.com/JohnVV/MyCelestiaBuild/blob/ma ... a/SpiceSolarSystem/data/README

and check the texture names in the ssc

also ONLY!!!!! the lores images in the lores folder are uploaded to github


as to the splashscreen
it needs to be in the same folder with the celestia binary
"make install" dose this as part of the install

[DOJOMO]

Hello,
Many thanks for the replies. I'm not sure where John VV's add-on came from. I think it was sometime in 2012.
The problem occurs when I run 1.7.0. Celestia stops loading while still in the splash screen phase. Saturnspice.ssc is indicated on the splash screen.
I don't have the competence to workout what the problem is.
Strangely when I run 1.6.0 in the same celestia folder all is ok.
David.