Newest Version of Celestia 1.6

[Are]

I think that the error is caused by the fact that I built some of the libraries with MSVC 2008 and you don't have the the VC++ 9.0 runtime libraries installed on your system. I built Celestia itself with MSVC 2005 to avoid just the sort of problem you're reporting, but forgot to use the same compiler to make the support libraries.

Ive just installed 2008 redistributables and its working now.

[PlutonianEmpire]

How do I install the compiled svn executables by abramson onto my computer?

[selden]

Rename your original celestia.exe to a new name (e.g. celestia_151.exe) so you can run it, too.
Unzip if necessary, then copy celestia.exe to the Celestia directory, replacing your current copy.

You'll also need to download from SourceForge the current version of celestia.cfg
http://celestia.svn.sourceforge.net/vie ... g?view=log
and the updated data catalogs that it references.
http://celestia.svn.sourceforge.net/vie ... stia/data/

[BobHegwood]

Just wanted to report that I very much like this new version of Celestia.
After I installed it and copied my old add-ons, etc to it, I noticed that
the ambient lighting settings seem to have been improved somehow.

Dunno if this actually happened or not, but on my Vista system the
lighting can be controlled in a very nice way now. Didn't have as
much effect before, but now is finely tunable using the selections.

Very nice, and thanks again.

[PlutonianEmpire]

Rename your original celestia.exe to a new name (e.g. celestia_151.exe) so you can run it, too.
Unzip if necessary, then copy celestia.exe to the Celestia directory, replacing your current copy.

You'll also need to download from SourceForge the current version of celestia.cfg
http://celestia.svn.sourceforge.net/vie ... g?view=log
and the updated data catalogs that it references.
http://celestia.svn.sourceforge.net/vie ... stia/data/

The data catalogs, how do I know which ones to download, or do I download all of them?

Also, the readme said I'd need "additional files." Where do I put those additional files? And the readme said to add some files from "a recent celestia distribution". does that mean the files from the 1.5.1 installation on the main celestia download page? If not, where do I find the most recent celestia distribution?

[selden]

It'd actually be a lot easier to download and install Celestia v6.0 RC0 for Windows and replace its executable. (Celestia.exe in RC0 was accidentally linked to the wrong runtime libraries, so it can't work for you, but otherwise RC0 for Windows is fine -- it has all the files Celestia v1.6 needs.)

Don't forget to give your current Celestia directory a different name before you install RC0.
E.g. rename your directory named Celestia to be Celestia_151. Then install RC0 to the default
directory Celestia.

The link to Celestia v1.6 RC0 for Windows is in a previous post in this thread.

[abramson]

If not, where do I find the most recent celestia distribution?

The most recent celestia files are always the ones at the SVN repository. You need those. I am just distributing the most recent executable alone, for the people that would like to try it but do not know how to compile it. Those who do not know how to get an SVN tree should either learn it or wait until the new version is published, which shouldn't take so long, after all. Instructions to use TortoiseSVN to get the files are in my webpage.
G

[Reiko]

Any estimate on when the final release will be ready?

[mikej]

Plutonium Empire wanted to know how to install the latest celestia files. I suppose the answer you gave works for YOU! How about for us less than "brain dead" types? Obviously "brain dead Bob" is NOT so brain dead He got it to work. I downloaded and installed the RCO version, got an error message.
You said to " replace its executable" as there was a problem. What does this mean? Please be specific.
There are MANY of us out here who really enjoy Celestia but who are not "computer friendly" Please, either release a new version or teach us how to use what you are all talking about
Thanks!

[chris]

Plutonium Empire wanted to know how to install the latest celestia files. I suppose the answer you gave works for YOU! How about for us less than "brain dead" types? Obviously "brain dead Bob" is NOT so brain dead He got it to work. I downloaded and installed the RCO version, got an error message.
You said to " replace its executable" as there was a problem. What does this mean? Please be specific.
There are MANY of us out here who really enjoy Celestia but who are not "computer friendly" Please, either release a new version or teach us how to use what you are all talking about
Thanks!

A new version will be coming in a day or so that fixes the problem. There was no official announcement of 1.6.0rc0 because of the dependency problems. When the next release candidate is ready and verified to work, there will be an announcement here on the forums.

--Chris

[abramson]

You said to " replace its executable" as there was a problem. What does this mean? Please be specific.
There are MANY of us out here who really enjoy Celestia but who are not "computer friendly" Please, either release a new version or teach us how to use what you are all talking about

As I have already explained before, this is for people that know how to do it, or can learn to do it by themselves. Celestia has an official line of development and at a regular pace new versions are released. So eventually, and in short time, every version that I compile will be superseded by an official release. So, if anybody does not know hwo to use a precompiled executable, they do not need to worry. They are not being left behind. Just wait a few weeks. Celestia will continue to be released officially, thanks to its dedicated developers. That's all I have to say.

Guillermo

[Chuft-Captain]

You said to " replace its executable" as there was a problem. What does this mean? Please be specific.
There are MANY of us out here who really enjoy Celestia but who are not "computer friendly" Please, either release a new version or teach us how to use what you are all talking about

As I have already explained before, this is for people that know how to do it, or can learn to do it by themselves. Celestia has an official line of development and at a regular pace new versions are released. So eventually, and in short time, every version that I compile will be superseded by an official release. So, if anybody does not know hwo to use a precompiled executable, they do not need to worry. They are being left behind. Just wait a few weeks. Celestia will continue to be released officially, thanks to its dedicated developers. That's all I have to say.

Guillermo

Mikej,
To understand what's going on, you need to have a basic understanding of how the software development lifecycle works. Below is a crude diagram which approximates what's happening.

On the left are the official stable Celestia releases which are periodically available at http://shatters.net/celestia. These are well tested stable releases which are pre-packaged in a self extracting installer which ensures correct installation on your machine.
If you want a stable version which will install with minimum fuss you should download the current latest version from the official website.

After each release (and often well before) the developers are working in parallel on features intended for the next (and future) releases. It is these features and versions that are the subject of much of the discussion in this forum, and in this thread specifically. This is represented by the right hand side of the diagram.
These development versions are referred to as SVN (subversion) versions, and they almost always will have more bugs in them than the official version (it's the nature of the beast).
Many people in the forum like to help with the development by testing these new versions and ironing out the bugs in new features. The downside of using one of these versions is that you must be prepared to deal with the occasional bug or crash, because they are "in development" versions.
You must also understand how to install them manually, and this procedure can vary somewhat, depending on the particular version and features you are installing. It really requires a degree of understanding of how the software is constructed, which most newbies will not have.
However, the good news is that as you can see in the diagram, the development work is (at the DEV team's discretion) periodically merged back into a new official release.
The discussion in this thread is currently all about the 1.6.0 dev versions which are soon to be incorporated into the next official release (1.6.0).

If you do not have a secure understanding of all this, then you should probably stick to the current 1.5.1 official version, and wait for the forthcoming 1.6.0 official release. As abramson said, Celestia will continue to be released officially.

Code: Select all

Official releases          Development versions
 1.4.0   
   |                                             
   +--------------------------> 1.4.1 dev versions
   |                                   |
   |                                   |
 1.4.1 <--------------------------------+
   |                                   |
   +--------------------------> 1.5.0 dev versions
   |                                   |
   |                                   |
 1.5.0 <--------------------------------+
   |                                   |
   +---------------------------> 1.5.1 dev versions
   |                                   |
   |                                   |
 1.5.1 (current official release)  <----+
   |                                   |
   +---------------------------> 1.6.0 dev versions
   |                                   |
   |                                   |
 1.6.0 (next offiicial release) <-------+



[ElChristou]

Mikej,
To understand what's going on...

Chuft, you're a king (as always), but seems it would be better beginning by the basis: what is a computer, what means "binary","hardware", "software", "operating system","executable" etc...

[t00fri]

Mikej,
To understand what's going on...

Chuft, you're a king (as always), but seems it would be better beginning by the basis: what is a computer, what means "binary","hardware", "software", "operating system","executable" etc... :|

I think CC did a great job here.

Why should he further reduce his explanations to the level of "analphabets"!? We are living in "modern times", where a VERY basic knowledge of computers is as much a signature of basic education as is to know who happens to be the President of the UnitedStates (Bush? ) etc.

Seriously, I have little understanding for some people's snobbism to coquette with their total ignorance of computers...Which surely is not to imply that I expect everyone to be a computer buff...

Fridger

[John Van Vliet]

--- edit ---

[mikej]

Thanks for all the help Especially Fridger
John, I do not play WOW or any other games.
Your replies are most condescending and not unexpected. You have become a small clique and you wonder why no one participates in this forum!
No need to reply, I already know what you have to say!

[Chuft-Captain]

**EXPECTED CONDESCENDING REMARKS DELETED**

[selden]

Mikej is in the right and you guys are in the wrong.

If you do not want to provide a helpful answer,
*DO NOT ANSWER A POST*

Sarcasm and snide remarks ARE NOT APPROPRIATE.

I've gotten sick of these attitudes and I'm going to have to take a hard line on this.

People who provide an inappropriate, sarcastic or intentionally unhelpful response will be banned for a period of time yet to be determined. It doesn't matter who you are.

[Reiko]

I've noticed something about the newer builds, in this case 4701. When you load up Celestia it no longer shows version 1.6.0 on the splash screen, it's back to showing 1.5.0.
I know that has nothing to do with how it runs but thought I would point it out.

[BobHegwood]

I've noticed something about the newer builds, in this case 4701. When you load up Celestia it no longer shows version 1.6.0 on the splash screen, it's back to showing 1.5.0.
I know that has nothing to do with how it runs but thought I would point it out.

I'm still seeing the 1.6.0, but I haven't continued updating from SVN.
After I downloaded the exe file listed at the beginning of this thread, I stopped
getting the SVN builds.