New version of Stellarium out.

[stephenb]

If you missed it (and I did) Stellarium 0.10.2 is out: http://www.stellarium.org/

Finally they have given better access to date/time adjustment. That was a real pain to access if you wanted to advance the date/time.

[toryglen-boy]

didnt this come out ages ago?

[Barrykgerdes]

Version 0.10.2 has been available since January. The next release is well underway and has a lot of improvements especially in the area of plug in modules.

Barry

[stephenb]

Oops, sorry about that. I have been behind the times then. :ashamed:

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Stellarium users and experimeters.

For those who have downloaded and installed version 0.10.2 and would like to have a look at the current development of version 0.10.3. Download the following zip file.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/uploads/4747.zip

Unzip the file to find the two executives libstelmain.dll and stellarium.exe
overwrite the existing files in version 0.10.2

also find a folder "modules" containing sub folders for six modules. Place the main folder "Modules" in the stellarium folder. This will then allow the modules to load automatically.

Thanks to Mike for the use of the ftp service that allows this download.

For Mike: Please delete the old file 4685.zip from the uploads as it is now obsolete.

Barry

[toryglen-boy]

Hi Barry

Have just tried this, and i get a runtime error, and it kills the machine

:(

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Duncan

Did a clean installation of 0.10.2 work OK.

To test the zipped file I installed a clean copy of 0.10.2 and then followed the instructions that I wrote there.

Stellarium 0.10.3 ran correctly for me.

Usually the runtime error comes up with the following errors:-
faulty ssystem.ini file
Stars.ini file not agreeing with the installed files
Incorrect driver for the video card

Barry

[toryglen-boy]

Hi Barry

I dont get anything like that, just the attached error. No mention of video drivers.

I love Stellarium, its a great little program, but TBH this "will it, wont it" thing with it working is really getting up my nose. Its a pretty bad day when people have to upgrade thier video drivers everytime a new release comes out.

I think i would rather use something else, that i know is stable on whatever platform, even though i dont like it as much.

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Duncan

You did not say whether version 0.10.2 worked. There have been no changes to video requirements since then.

In regard to the run time error there is no other pointer to the problem
those suggestions I gave are some of the causes of the message.

The video card manufacturers are often a bit tardy in implementing the advances in video display technology. MS Direct X usually gets priority treatment but the freeware OpenGl is not so high in the update requirements. Other problems come from the development program QT4 which is also undergoing advances. These problems should become less of a problem over time as the main program stabilises. In the meantime Stellarium is incorporating some of the new features of video displays that are not available in all video drivers yet.

Barry

[koputai]

0.9.1 still works fine for me! It's excellent for a free app.

Cheers,
Jason.

[stephenb]

Barry, can you give us a quick run down on the what has been added to 0.10.3 development version? Is there any noticeable features, or is it more 'back of house' updates?

I always had the Windows Error message box when exiting 0.9.1... "Windows has encountered a problem and will end/close... etc..", but I do not have this issue with 0.10.2.

I honestly love this new version. For me it beats my copy of Starry Night Enthusiast hands down, although I still don't think I've used Stellarium to its full potential yet.

I'd like to make a landscape one day also, doesn't look too hard...

Also (not that I've looked to hard as yet), but is there an easier way to add user ephemeris into the config file? Or is this procedure still the same?

[Tallstock]

Duncan,
I found the following comments from Barry in another IIS thread re Stellarium Ocular dated 30 May to be invaluable;

"There were quite a few differences with version 0.10.2. It was built with a later version of Qt and a few of the older files are not compatable with the new platform. If you have version 0.10.1 it should have been uninstalled before you installed the new version. If you did not do this you will need to erase all the files manually before you install the new version."

Doesn't matter what version (be it 9.1, 10.1, 10.2) -- get rid of the lot before re-installing Stellarium. The need to "erase all the files manually" cannot be overstated!

That will mean some work on your three computers but it should be worth it in the long run.
Good luck.
Peter

[toryglen-boy]

And i would agree with you, but this was carried out under Barry's strict instructions.

dont think me ungrateful, i think i was a little terse in my last reply, its only because its such a little gem, and i want it to work.

Maybe Barry can supply us with some change revision notes, so we know what to look forward to?

;)

[Barrykgerdes]

There is not much obvious in version 0.10.3. A lot of clean up has been done and improvments in display texturing. The main modules will become static and be distributed in the package. I have only included one static module, ocular, the rest are still dynamic and all the necessary *.ini files are included in the modules folder of the download.

There are further additions to the script engine.

The menus have been improved and there are some extra items but not all implemented yet.

The log.txt file is now written to the root folder instead of the documents and settings area

Some bugs from 0.10.2 have been fixed.

Remember however the download is not the complete version, just enough to make version 0.10.2 work with the 0.10.3 executables. Just make sure you have a clean, working installation of 0.10.2 before you add the new items.

It is quite possible that version 0.10.3 will not be issued. The new release will probably be 0.11.0. However there are still some hurdles to get over before version 1.0.0 is finally released.

Barry

[Tallstock]

Duncan,
Like you I had previously followed Barry's instructions to the letter but still had problems updating to v0.10.3 that were not related to my video card.
Now in this thread Barry mentions the ssystem.ini file and the Stars.ini files as possible problems.
Unfortunately, I still do not fully understand what he means by a "clean, working installation".
Thankfully by erasing all prior Stellarium files I was able to install v 0.10.3 and now have no problems. The Modules are all working and I am also happily writing educational scripts.
Peter

[Barrykgerdes]

A clean working installation is had by removing the old config.ini file, and all the sub sections in that folder. Then erase the old version of Stellarium so that you start of with everything new.
You can usually get away with the previous config.ini file if it is not too old and I install Stellarium on a separate partition.

Barry

[GrampianStars]

G'day Baz
have had a coupla goes at d/load ver 10.2 from SourceForge
no luck however :shrug: all 3 attempts have been corrupted and will not execute :rolleyes:

[stephenb]

Thanks Barry, I might leave 0.10.2 as it is for the time being, I'd rather not tempt fate.

Can't that mobile mechanic fix your neighbour's car yet??? I swear he's been there for months :rofl:

[BC]

Hi,

I downloaded and installed the latest copy 0.10.2 and when I open the configuration window it tries to connect to the web. I block the connection because I want to use it on a standalone laptop without a web connection. It then freezes up and it takes quite a few goes to kill the locked task in the task manager window. So my question is, can this software operate without a web connection?

Thanks,
Bruce

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Bruce

Yes you can operate without it trying to connect to the web. Just don't load the satellites. The satellite program is set to look for new orbit parameters when you start up these change every 72 hrs I think. Look in the modules folder and find the *.ini file for the satellites and set load at start up to false.

Barry

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Bruce
Further to the last. If you let the satellites update when you first turn on the clock will set and it won't look for an update for 72 hours. This delay time is set in the *.ini file where it can be changed.

Barry

[BC]

Thanks very much Barry, I will give that a go.

Bruce

[gammaburst]

My system likes update 4685 but apparently not 4747.

I did a clean install of 0.10.2 - I uninstalled the old version, deleted the Stellarium folders in Program Files and Documents and Settings, and then installed 0.10.2. It runs fine. Then I added update 4747.zip. Now Stellarium gives a Runtime Error when the startup splash screen says "Loading NGC catalog 9600/13226". The instruction "0x6228dbac" referenced memory at "0x00000044". The memory could not be "read".

0.10.2 with update 4685-exec.zip runs fine for me.

I'm running 32-bit WinXP SP4 on an 8-core Xeon system with 4GB of RAM (about 3GB usable).

[seanliddelow]

Does anyone know when version 10.3 will be out?

[Barrykgerdes]

That is interesting. I just downloaded version 0.10.2 and made a clean install. Then downloaded 4747.zip and copied the stellarium.exe and libstelmain.dll from this over the 0.10.2 versions.
I then removed the modules folder from 0.10.2 and copied the new modules folder in its place and it worked perfectly.
Did you remove the old modules folder from the 4685 version because it won't work with 4747. You need the new one that is included with 4747.zip

Barry

[Barrykgerdes]

Latest info is it won't be out for a couple of months yet.

Barry

[BC]

Hi,

Sorry to side track a bit, but after Barry's recent suggestions to my problem, I looked for the modules folder and can't find it anywhere. Then I searched on 'modules' and searched *.ini file contents for 'satellites'. Any clues where the modules folder sits? I know that sounds silly, but hey...

Bruce

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Bruce
The zip file 4747 contains a subfolder called "modules". This sub folder also contains the six plugin folders.

Place the full modules folder in the stellarium folder and if there is one there already remove it.

Also check \documents and settings\<yourname>\application data\stellarium and remove the folder "modules."

This should fix your installation.

Barry

[BC]

Thanks Barry,

Very helpful and quick response. I'll work through the steps.

Bruce

[toryglen-boy]

on the DSO's, it doesnt show thier designation, just thier position, and then if you move slightly the bar that controls the amount of DSO's present, then all the "M" names and "NGC" names pop up

is this a bug?

:shrug:

[gammaburst]

Hi Barry,

You described removing your modules folder after doing a clean install of 0.10.2, but a clean install doesn't create a modules folder for me. The modules folder is only in the 4747.zip update. (When I do a clean install, I uninstall the app and then totally nuke the Stellarium folders in Program Files and Documents and Settings.)

I tried a clean install of 0.10.2 and then copied only the EXE and DLL from 4747.zip (no modules), and I still get the Runtime Error. I then replace those two files with 4685-exec.zip, and Stellarium runs fine.

The 4685 that I downloaded doesn't include a modules folder. It's called 4685-exec.zip.

By the way, my graphics card is GeForce 9600GT with 178.24 drivers. The drivers are about a year old, but I haven't yet found a newer driver that's as stable.

Kirk

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Kirk
There have been some changes between 4685 and 4747.

If you have the 4685-exec.zip wou will also need the modules zip and install the modules folder into the main stellarium folder if you want to use the plugins. However as the plugins are dynamic the modules folder does not need to be present.

The 4747.zip has the new modules folder included. It needs to be installed into the stellarium main folder. However the ocular module is static because the dynamic module does not load. This means that the modules folder Modules\oculars must be present.
If you have the wrong modules folder (pre-4685,4685 or 4747) The program probably won't start because the module dll's are not compatable

If you start with a clean 0.10.2 installation then add the exec's from 4747.zip and the new modules folder from 4747.zip the installation should work OK. It does for me with SiS, intel and Nvidia cards.

Just make sure you have removed the old modules folders to avoid conflict.

Barry

[gammaburst]

Hi Barry,

Thank you, I have tried all those things. 4747 simply doesn't like something about my big XP system. 4747 runs fine on my little XP netbook. I also tried the latest NVIDIA 186.18 driver, but no difference. Oh well, 4685 is working great for me.

Ahhh, I just remembered that 4685 has modules in a separate zip file.

Kirk

[Jules76]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I've got a question regarding Stellarium which I figured I should ask here instead of making a new thread.

What do you have your FOV set to as default?

I use Stellarium on my Netbook, which I take with me outside and use it as a reference when star hoping, but I just can't seem to find the right FOV to accurately represent what I'm seeing in the sky. I currently have it set to 40 degrees, but last night I found it was still out as zooming in brought out some of the stars I could see in the sky.

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi
The default FOV is 60 degrees and that suits me OK. Zooming in and out changes the number of stars visible. I zoom in and out all the time with the keys.

Barry

[toryglen-boy]

*cough*

:P