Celestia Forums

I'm not sure if this is the correct section for this, but I'll ask it anyway hoping an answer

I downloaded Activity 3.3 and 4.3 from fsgreg.org, and when I run it it says something about star database.
I checked the cfg file which it replaced, and it says
instead of in the original cfg.
Where do I get this bigstars.dat file? It wasn't included in the zip files.[/code]

Hi guest Mike A,

you are right. This activitiy replaces the config-file, but do not have the bigstars.dat within zip-file.

So I think, Frank Gregorio (developer of the activities) will answer your posting...

I suspect Frank is rather busy teaching. And giving tests. And grading papers...

bigstars.dat would be one of the extended stars databases created by Pascal Hartmann. His Web pages are at http://perso.wanadoo.fr/celestia.stars/index.html

Download the one that you think is appropriate and rename it to be bigstars.dat

Selden, thank you for this hint.
But at least it's nothing more than a "workaround".

Nevertheless the problem is still the missing bigstars.dat within
this add-on. So everybody gets this "silly" error-message, while
the program doesn't run anymore.

And in particular all the newbies do not know how to correct this.
In particular when the config is overwritten (without making a
backup before installing the add-on).
They would have to install Celestia once again.

Frank would have to stop to strain his pupils...
... and he would have to insert the missing file into
the zip-archive.

I think, that's the better solution.

I am surprised that the question about the missing file
wasn't asked earlier.

Adirondack

Yep, damned! You're right. Bigstars.dat is not part of the add-on files that come with the Activity. I need to fix it fast, but my website is currently down for some of its own repairs. I will get it taken care of ASAP. Bigstars.dat is a large file so you can either use it, or change the Celestia.cfg file as Selden suggested.

Thanks everyone for the tip. In the meantime, edit the Celestia.cfg file and change bigstars.dat to just stars.dat.

I am really sorry about this.




Frank

OK, I fixed the Celestia.cfg file in the 3.3E and 4.3E add-on. It now makes no reference to bigstars.dat.

Thanks again for the tip.

Frank

You fixed this in Activity 3.2 and 4.2 E,but I am having problem with Activities 3.2 and 4.2 A,B and C.The same error message.Something like "Can?t read stardatabase"

fsgregs wrote:OK, I fixed the Celestia.cfg file in the 3.3E and 4.3E add-on. It now makes no reference to bigstars.dat.

Thanks again for the tip.

Frank