README CONTENTS PLANETWATCH SHAREWARE version 2.1d 17 March,1995 What is PlanetWatch? System Requirements Registration Revision History PlanetWatch Package Contents Installation Un-Installing In case of problems Known bugs Legal Mumbo Jumbo (Must read!) ============================================================================ WHAT IS PLANETWATCH? PlanetWatch is a reference program that combines animated maps, color photographs, and planetary information into an easy to use desktop atlas/ simulation of our Solar System. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: PlanetWatch requires an IBM compatible 286 or better, running Windows 3.1, and VGA display. A 386-33 or better and SVGA display are recommended. To install and run properly, a minimum of 2MB of RAM and 1.5MB of hard disk space is required. REGISTRATION: PlanetWatch shareware has not been limited in any manner, there are no time limitations or nasty "begware" requests. All I ask is if you like it, consider ordering the enhanced "Pro" version. PlanetWatch Pro has a larger set of 256-color photo images, an enhanced atlas, and you also will receive a "mini-manual". Cost is $20 U.S. (includes shipping). Online registration is available on CompuServe, GO SWREG and and select id# 2693. Credit card orders accepted through Public Software Library (PsL): MC, Visa, Amex, & Discover are accepted. Call 800-242-4775 or 713-524-6394 to order, specify "PlanetWatch" order #11580. THESE NUMBERS ARE FOR ORDERS ONLY! See "In case of problems" section for technical help and questions. PlanetWatch may also be registered by mail directly from the author, mail to Raben Software & Graphics, 3915 B Street, Greeley CO 80634 USA. When ordering by mail, please make payment in U.S. funds. REVISION HISTORY 1.0 - Original release 2.0 - New user interface, added toolbar, Moon plotting, saving preferences, support for international dates, smart help feature, much more... 2.1 - Added auto-sizing windows, index feature to help file. Updated help, atlas, and registration info. 2.1a- Bug fix for iconized maps causing GPF. 2.1b- Bug fix for outer solar system calculations - improved accuracy! 2.1c- Updated registration info in help file for credit card ordering. 2.1d- Bug fix for "disappearing" lunar info in ephemeris window. PLANETWATCH 2.1 (SHAREWARE) PACKAGE CONTENTS: In the zipped distribution you should find the following files... earth.bmp jupiter.bmp mars.bmp mercury.bmp moon.bmp neptune.bmp plnwch.exe plnwch.hlp pluto.bmp readme.txt saturn.bmp sun.bmp threed.vbx uranus.bmp vbrun200.dll venus.bmp Note: vbrun200.dll may not appear in all distributions of the PlanetWatch shareware. Some bbs's will assume you have vbrun200.dll and remove it to make the distribution smaller. PlanetWatch will not run without vbrun200.dll installed. You should be able to find it from wherever you downloaded this distribution, ask your sysop if you cannot locate it. INSTALLATION: 1) Create a directory named \PLNWCH on your hard drive. Unzip the PlanetWatch files to this directory. 2) If it you don't already have it, copy the file VBRUN200.DLL to your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory (if you are on a network you may not have a SYSTEM directory in which case you put it in your \WINDOWS directory). (do NOT remove any other VBRUNxxx.DLL files you find there!) 3) Install the PlanetWatch icon with the Windows Program Manager. To do this, click on the group box you want to put PlanetWatch in. Next select "File" from the Windows Program Manager menu, then select "New...". Click the button labeled "Program Item" then click the "OK" button. A new dialog box will open, click the "browse" button, use the file dialog to find PlanetWatch (if you copied it to your c: drive and used the suggested PLNWCH directory your path should be "C:\PLNWCH\PLNWCH.EXE"). When you've located the file "PLNWCH.EXE" highlight it and click "OK". The PlanetWatch icon should now be installed in the group box. 4) Double-click the PlanetWatch icon to start PlanetWatch. UN-INSTALLING: Remove the following files from your PlanetWatch directory.. earth.bmp jupiter.bmp mars.bmp mercury.bmp moon.bmp neptune.bmp plnwch.exe plnwch.hlp pluto.bmp readme.txt saturn.bmp sun.bmp uranus.bmp venus.bmp Do NOT delete VBRUN200.DLL or THREED.VBX from your \WINDOWS directories! They may be used by other programs on your computer! IN CASE OF PROBLEMS: If you experience system lockups, GPF's or other problems when attempting to run PlanetWatch, check the following: * Is your CPU a 286 or better? * Are you using a VGA (or VGA compatible) graphics card? * Are you using Microsoft Windows 3.1 or better? The program will run in Windows 3.0 but the Help and Atlas will be unavailable. Behavior with Windows 95, Windows NT or OS2 is unknown at this time - should be okay. * Are you using MSDOS 3.X or later? * Do you have at least 2mb of RAM memory installed? 4MB or more suggested. * Is Windows running in either STANDARD or ENHANCED mode? - check the Program Manager "About" box (within the Program Manager Help menu) - it will display what mode is being run. * Are all PlanetWatch files in the appropriate directories? * THREED.VBX version - there are several versions of this vbx out there, some of which are incompatible with PlanetWatch and other programs! If you see ODD 3d shading effects in PlanetWatch windows or a GPF when attempting to run PlanetWatch this is a likely cause. Check your copy of THREED.VBX in the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory - it should be dated 7/16/93 (earlier dates may fail - later dates may not be official Microsoft releases!) If you have a "bad" version - rename THREED.VBX in your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory to THREED.BAK and completely exit Windows. Reboot Windows and try starting PlanetWatch. If PlanetWatch starts okay you may wish to copy the THREED.VBX in the \PLNWCH directory to your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. If you don't experience any odd effects or a GPF when running other programs then nothing more needs to be done! If however you now experience problems with other programs then delete the replacement THREED.VBX and rename THREED.BAK to THREED.VBX to restore your previous version. The next major release of PlanetWatch will no longer use this otherwise neat vbx! Lesson: huge mega-corporations can write troublesome software too... Although every effort has been made to eliminate program bugs, there is always something I may have overlooked. I would appreciate your help in making PlanetWatch better by reporting any problems you encounter! Please contact me either via e-mail or postal mail if you experience problems with PlanetWatch... Compuserve e-mail: 73717,510 Internet e-mail: galenr@hpgrla.gr.hp.com Galen Raben Raben Software & Graphics 3915 B Street Greeley, CO. 80634 USA KNOWN BUGS No known catastrophic bugs... * With some 16-color display drivers, the PlanetWatch "Diagnostic" help function reports "0 colors". Although incorrect, this does not affect normal operation of PlanetWatch in any way. * Sometimes animations refuse to run. Easiest fix is to quit the Animation Dialog and then open it again. If you have the ephemeris window open, try closing it. I'm looking for this problem but thus far this one is elusive! :-( LEGAL MUMBO JUMBO (ACK! GAG!): SOFTWARE LICENSE - Please read before using PlanetWatch! You may use and distribute the shareware version of PlanetWatch as long as you observe the following conditions... PlanetWatch shareware must be distributed with all files complete, intact, and unaltered (see the README.TXT file for a listing of files). No fee, charge, or other compensation may be requested or accepted beyond reasonable cost for duplication without express written permission of the author. No one may modify, or patch the PlanetWatch files in any way, including but not limited to decompiling, disassembling, or otherwise reverse engineering the program. No version of PlanetWatch may be distributed in conjunction with any other product without a specific license to do so from the author. You may include PlanetWatch shareware as part of a shareware collection as long as all files, shareware notices, and information for contacting the author are intact and no fee beyond reasonable cost for duplication is requested. PlanetWatch copyright (c) 1993-1995 by Galen Raben/Raben Software & Graphics - all rights reserved. VBRUN200.DLL copyright (c) 1987-1992 Microsoft Corporation, MSDOS, Windows 3.0, Windows 3.1, and MSDOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. A limited license is granted to distribute the shareware version of PlanetWatch for trial use by others, subject to the above limitations. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY In a nutshell you use this program at your own risk. No warranty for PlanetWatch 2.1 shareware is given or implied. Galen Raben (the author and his company) assumes no responsibility for any damage, loss of data, or loss of income (including without limitation damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information and the like) arising from the use or inability to use this product even if the author has been advised of the possibility of such damages. In no event will the author be liable for any amount exceeding the fee paid directly to the author for this program, if any. Use of this product for any period of time constitutes your acceptance of this agreement and subjects you to its contents.