LUA plug-in: Ephemeris(?) A work in progress...

[Fenerit]

This would be my first small plug-in. I don't know how to call him and is in develop.

- Planetary elongations has been modified and now accounts for West and East directions;
- Added light-time delay;
- Restrict the use within the Solar System (the objects' selection out of SS doesn't load the display in both directions).



As next step is in sight the display for Venus' text when Morning Star or Evening Star;


P.S.
In the rarest case someone would have something to say, is welcome.

[Fenerit]

- Added apparent visual magnitudes...

[BobHegwood]

P.S.
In the rarest case someone would have something to say, is welcome.

Just FYI...
I very much LIKE the descriptions and the measurements.
Would be even more interesting if I could figure out an easier way to install
this type of plug-in though. Not your fault, but mine.

Keep 'em coming.

Thanks, Brain-Dead

[Fenerit]

P.S.
In the rarest case someone would have something to say, is welcome.

Just FYI...
I very much LIKE the descriptions and the measurements.
Would be even more interesting if I could figure out an easier way to install
this type of plug-in though. Not your fault, but mine.

Keep 'em coming.

Thanks, Brain-Dead

Supposed you must be out for a while, try to follow the next thread of this forum, because into it has been aroses some difficulties concening add-ons of this kind (plug-ins). Basically they are yet ready, but we wait for Vincent's assessments. So far, they must be placed in the /extras folder and does prompts automatically at Celestia's start.

[BobHegwood]

Supposed you must be out for a while, try to follow the next thread of this forum, because into it has been aroses some difficulties concening add-ons of this kind (plug-ins). Basically they are yet ready, but we wait for Vincent's assessments. So far, they must be placed in the /extras folder and does prompts automatically at Celestia's start.

I am here every day my friend, but I'm not as smart as others here.
I have indeed followed the next thread with yourself and Martin, but I still
need more work before I can get the LUA tools installed correctly.

Just not a big fan of some of the hoops one has to go through with LUA.
Give me some more time though, and I'll figure it out correctly.

Thanks, Brain-Dead

[Fenerit]

For a while no messages by you, though. Precisely, what is you problem during the installation of the "plug-ins"? Crashes, they doesn't appear on screen, boxes (windows) out of dimensions?

[BobHegwood]

For a while no messages by you, though. Precisely, what is you problem during the installation of the "plug-ins"? Crashes, they doesn't appear on screen, boxes (windows) out of dimensions?

No crashes...
It's just understanding (and installing) everything that is needed in order to
get the LUA routines in place.

I already have a real boatload of add-ons installed, and I'm just trying to
make certain that I can use all of them with the requirements that are
necessary in order to install and use the LUA routines.

Again, this is my fault, not yours. I'm just a bit slower than others.

Thanks very much though. I'll be trying it again shortly. -Brain-Dead

[Fenerit]

Well, the "affidavits" are just the lua5.1.dll and luahookinit.lua in your main Celestia's root and the add into celestia.cfg of the line LuaHook "luahookinit.lua" as below:

Code: Select all

Configuration
{
   LuaHook "luahookinit.lua"
.
.
.


The lua5.1.dll is either in ../windows/dll/x86 of SVN root or is shipped within the LUA EDU TOOLS
http://www.shatters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=13162&start=45 while luahookinit.lua is both in these latters as well as within the plug-ins' zip.

EDIT (very) LATER:
The lua5.1.dll is installed by default with the official Celestia' distribution.

[BobHegwood]

Many thanks for this very much simplified explanation.
I may have another go at it here shortly.

Your explanations here may also help others who have also had problems,
so again, many thanks.

-Brain-Dead Bob

[Fenerit]

...And remember that such explanation is for LUATOOLS' installation tout court. The problems with the plug-ins, as you could have seen in the other topics, is that these latters "overrides" (not overwrites) the LUATOOLS' settings, so that they "takes the precedence" upon what is then showed (LUATOOLS desappears). Once removed the plug-in(s), the LUATOOLS simply restarts as it were.

[Fenerit]

- Added conjunctions (superior/inferior) +/- 15° elongations;
- Added elongations' visibility;



Now, my business deal with the planet visibility due to the altitude and this move the plug-in toward the coordinates and measures plug-ins. Of course, I do not repeat the features of this latters, but I think that they could stay together.
Any suggestions is appreciated, expecially perhaps for better words.

[Fenerit]

I should have added the moonphase picturebox that show the lunar phases picture after picture accordingly with real situation. Both the boxes are moveables with the positions automatic saved, but I'm unable to fix the stretching of the boxes when in full screen, thing that should be irrevant for the textbox if completely transparent, but not for the pictures, which are unreadables.

Vincent, if you are here, please up-to-date me about progress upon boxes behaviour.

[Fenerit]

Below there is a link to a Celestia's video showing the behaviour of the moonphase box:


http://marauder.webng.com/files/moon_p.avi (2.0 Mb Xvid)

EDIT LATER:
The final release will have versions for nothern a southern emisphere.

[symaski62]

Below there is a link to a Celestia's video showing the behaviour of the moonphase box:


http://marauder.webng.com/files/moon_p.avi (2.0 Mb Xvid)

EDIT LATER:
The final release will have versions for nothern a southern emisphere.

http://www.celestiaproject.net/forum/viewtopic ... 23&t=15705

ou? LUA plug-in 1.2 version
no magnitude & illumin fraction ?!?

[Fenerit]

ou? LUA plug-in 1.2 version
no magnitude & illumin fraction ?!?

Sorry symaski62, there must have been a misinterpretation: the plug-in is an independent work, not relate (yet) with the LUATOOLS. It follow the rules settled here:
http://www.shatters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=15705
and is still in develop.

[Fenerit]

The screendump below show the ephemeris plug-in together the Vincent-Cham plug-ins. They works seamlessly. Now, since symaski62 "can't wait" I've decided to post an alpha version. The installation is simple and require the plugins above.



1) Download and extract the zip into the ..extras/ folder. The plugin will placed where already are the Vincent/Cham plugins. A file called extended_config.lua is already set with the new entries, so backup the extant config.lua and activate the new by removing the "extended_" string; no change has been made upon Cham/Vincent' ones

2) The ephemeris HUD is moveable and the position will be automatically saved within a file in the main Celestia's root called ephemeris_prefs.lua; the moonBox IS NOT saved in such a manner, but you can configure where to place it by editing the file ephemeris_cfg.lua within the ../lua_plugins/celxx folder

3) Due to the box border, when placed with the mouse, the ephemeris' HUD rest 2 pixels toward the center of screen; for having the ephemeris' HUD well-aligned with the Celesti'a HUD you must edit the file ephemeris_prefs.lua in the main Celestia's root and typing "0" (zero) in the relevant setting. BUT NOTE: this act as the HUD were "glued" to the screen left, and the movement will be allowed in vertical only, not in orizontal; so you must edit newly such file by typing "2" or more for the complete mouse control again. (This are peer-user setting).

4) The moonBox (on the right bottom in the screendump) is configurable in dimension; the Moon pictures are 128x128 px max and comes from the NASA site. (I downloaded it few years ago and I'm unable to retrieve the link). Final version will have the due websites' credits (usually Selden's resources links)

5) Saturn's magnitude doesn't account for rings; there are formulas but are commented; illuminated fraction usually is the fraction between 0 and 1, but I think thus is more readable (anyhow, simply remove 100 in the due function). Moreover the illuminated fraction is observer based (for trip purpose) while the moonphases NO (calendric purpose), so you could to find in the position of observing a Moon completely full when in real is, if only, new. The moonBox is showed only when the Moon is selected and the HUD will be automatically hide when the selection is not within the Solar System. Minormoons, asteroids and dwarfplanets show only the illuminated fraction and the light time delay.

http://marauder.webng.com/files/ephemerides.zip

[BobHegwood]

The screendump below show the ephemeris plug-in together the Vincent-Cham plug-ins. They works seamlessly. Now, since symaski62 "can't wait" I've decided to post an alpha version. The installation is simple and require the plugins above.

Thanks again for this add-on Fenerit my friend.
The installation is once again very easy to accomplish, and both the ephemeris displays and the Moon phases
work seamlessly on my Vista system.

Just one note in case it becomes important for some reason...
I can now move the picture box from the lower right portion of my screen, to
the upper left portion of the screen. This I can do by click-dragging the picture box while
it is being displayed. However, I really don't want to be able to move it there,
and I cannot move it back to the lower right area without restarting Celestia.

Just FYI...

Again thanks for another remarkable addition to my favorite program.

Take care, Brain-Dead

[Fenerit]

The screendump below show the ephemeris plug-in together the Vincent-Cham plug-ins. They works seamlessly. Now, since symaski62 "can't wait" I've decided to post an alpha version. The installation is simple and require the plugins above.

Thanks again for this add-on Fenerit my friend.
The installation is once again very easy to accomplish, and both the ephemeris displays and the Moon phases
work seamlessly on my Vista system.

Just one note in case it becomes important for some reason...
I can now move the picture box from the lower right portion of my screen, to
the upper left portion of the screen. This I can do by click-dragging the picture box while
it is being displayed. However, I really don't want to be able to move it there,
and I cannot move it back to the lower right area without restarting Celestia.

Just FYI...

Again thanks for another remarkable addition to my favorite program.

Take care, Brain-Dead

Thanks to you for the feedbacks, Bob. In these matters they are absolutely necessary. Yes, the moonBox behaviour is that, for two main reasons:
1) to avoid the "return" of the box to the default position when in full screen (as you can see, when you accomplish such operation the box rest where is; and it will rest everywhere you wish the box be (by editing ephemeris_cfg.lua).
2) because the automatic position's saving of the moonBox causes its stretching when one switch to full screen. (my fault in fix such behaviour). My suggestion is that one, once has played a bit in search where to place the moonBox for its best purpose, do set manually its position.

Now, just a last minutes mumble:

...and I cannot move it back to the lower right area without restarting Celestia.

do you mean that box is "out of mouse control", that is, became "hung" or that the thing is simply as explained at the points above? (as Vincent/Cham plugins does)

[BobHegwood]

Now, just a last minutes mumble:

...and I cannot move it back to the lower right area without restarting Celestia.

do you mean that box is "out of mouse control", that is, became "hung" or that the thing is simply as explained at the points above? (as Vincent/Cham plugins does)

Just so you understand here...
I am talking about Martin's "Picture Box" and NOT your Moon Phase display. That works perfectly.
Again, I can move the Picture Box only once, and it stll works as far as I can tell, but I simply
cannot move it back to where it originated unless I restart Celestia. No big deal, but I just thought
I'd let you know what I experienced.

Again, thanks very much, Brain-Dead

EDIT:
I can also move your Moon Phase Box to the same place via my mouse, but - it too - will remain
where it is (in the upper left-hand corner) until I restart Celestia.

[Fenerit]

Bob, I'm unable to reproduce this bug; both in SVN 4590 as well as 1.6 official. I've Xp, though. All boxes work perfectly when moved, even when the boxes overlying theirselves. I have a 4:3 monitor, you 16:9 (if I'm not wrong) but I do not think is matter of monitors. Do you have some customization software, docklets, widgets that could interfere with? Something that "rule" the left screen, e.a sidebars, dockbars, etc?