README.TXT                  WinOrbit 3.5           16 Sep 97

An artificial earth-satellite tracking and display program for 
Windows 3.1, OS/2, Win95 or WinNT.

Installation
------------
UNZIP the file.  Be sure that you use the proper settings for
UNZIP to retain [relative] path names.  Some subdirectories
should be created.  (For PKUNZIP, use the -d option).  Start 
the program with "Run" from Program Manager or File Manager 
(or double-click the filename in File Manager).  

See below for additional required file: VBRUN300.DLL. 

Documentation
-------------
In addition to the files *.TXT, which should get you started,
there is a very extensive Windows Help file (WinOrbit.Hlp).  
Read it!  Choose "Help:Help", and start by reading the 
instructions in "Setting up the Program".  In case of trouble, 
see the hints below.

Upgrade installation - customization files
------------------------------------------
If you have previously edited the .QTH files, be sure to save 
them (or answer NO to the unzip question about duplicate 
files).  The .INI file will be automatically updated when you 
Save Settings.  If upgrading from 2.x to 3.0, read the file
UPDATE.TXT.  If you have 3.x, back up your SAT\DATABASE.2LI
file before unzipping the new software, otherwise it will be
overwritten.

A note about SVGA displays
--------------------------
WinOrbit presents a lot of information on the screen.  Some older 
displays may not have enough resolution to fit it all in.  Every 
attempt has been made to make it usable on a minimum display of 
640x480 at 15 twips/inch. Choose "Help:System Info" to find out 
what your display resolution is.  If you cannot see all the 
features on the maps, try "Setup:Colors..."

The program works fine on 16, 256, and 16-million-color displays. 
In the past there has been a problem with the maps on 32k and 
64k-color displays.  Try changing the colors to see if that helps.
If it does, let me know.  (The ocean is supposed to be blue and the 
landmass an olive-green, in the default color settings.)  I believe
this has been fixed in 3.x, but there are now some problems with
256-color (palette-based) displays.


A note about date and time formats and the "millenium bug"
----------------------------------------------------------
Windows allows the user to customize the date and time format (for
example 12 vs. 24 hour time, or European vs. American date order).
Unfortunately, this makes the programmer's job a bit harder.  I 
haven't tested every combination of formats.  However, the 
following should work:
     12 or 24 hour time (with or without AM/PM annotation)
     Short Date formats "DMY" and "MDY"
If you find a particular format that fails, please let me know.

In version 3.x, I have attempted to be sure that the program will
continue to work after Jan 1, 2000.  One major uncertainty is how
the kep epochs will be handled after that date.  I'm assuming that
they will become either 00001.0001 or 100001.001 (after 99365.999).

To change date and time formats, use the "International" Control 
Panel that is part of Windows.

Windows 95 and NT
-----------------
The program does run under Windows 95.  There may be some problems
with long directory names.  To be on the safe side, stick with 
the old DOS 8.3 name conventions.

OS/2
----
WinOrbit works under OS/2.  Set it up as you would any Windows
program.

International users (including Canadians)
-----------------------------------------
WinOrbit should work correctly with any setting of the Country
in the Windows International Control Panel.  Please read the 
above about date/time formats.  Also, please note that the 
Number Format in the International Control Panel must use 
different "decimal separator" and "1000s separator" characters. 
(This is the normal condition, i.e. "."/"," or ","/".", but 
not "."/"." or ","/",".  Please report any strange 
occurrences (numbers rounded or truncated, for example). Thanks.  
If you have difficulty with the program, I'd appreciate hearing
the specifics - what went wrong, what the Control Panel settings
were, and what (if anything) you changed to fix it.

Getting updates
---------------
I will try to post updated versions to ftp.amsat.org and 
ftp.seds.org.  Look for WINORBxx.ZIP, where xx is the version
number (e.g. version 2.3 --> WINORB23.ZIP).  Also check out the
WinOrbit web site (see the Help file).

In case of trouble
------------------
1) if the program ran once, but won't run now, delete the file
       C:\WINDOWS\WINORBIT.INI (or rename it) and try again
2) read the help file (WINORBIT.HLP) using Windows Help:
       -Start Help by choosing Help in Notepad, FileManager
         or Program Manager, [or WinOrbit if it is running].
       -Choose the "File:Open" menu item and select "winorbit.hlp"
       -Read about "Setup" and "Troubleshooting"
3) contact the author (as described in the help file).


Files included in distribution (WINORB28.ZIP)
---------------------------------------------
(See UPDATE.TXT for directory info)
WINORBIT.EXE - the program
WINORBIT.HLP - the help file (manual)
LATLONG.QTH  - sample observer location database
LAUNCH.QTH   - Worldwide satellite launch points (for map)
README.TXT   - this file
READMExx.TXT - update file (e.g. README21.TXT)
CMDIALOG.VBX - Visual Basic library file
GRID.VBX     - Visual Basic library file
WINORB.DLL   - Windows Dynamic Link Library file
DIBAPI.DLL   - Windows Dynamic Link Library file
USERALGO.DLL - Windows Dynamic Link Library file

DATABASE.2LI - Satellite Database file
AO-10.ATT    - Attitude file for Oscar 10
AO-13.ATT    - Attitude file for Oscar 13
DO-17.SKD    - Automation schedule file for DO-17 (sample)
MIR.SKD      - Automation schedule file for MIR (sample)

ORBS-xxx.KEP - sample satellite data file in AMSAT format
ORBS-xxx.2LI - sample satellite data file in NASA format
STS73.VEC    - sample data file in Vector and AMSAT formats

Additional file *** REQUIRED ***
--------------------------------
VBRUN300.DLL - Visual Basic run-time library file 
     This is a big file, so I left it out of the program archive,
     but it is available from many places (as VBRUN30x.EXE,
     self-extracting archive file).  
     For example: ftp.amsat.org: /amsat/software/windows/
                  oak.oakland.edu: /pub3/simtel-win3/dll/
                  http://www.sat-net.com/winorbit

WARNING
-------
This program is free.  There is an old adage: "you get what you 
pay for".  Do NOT assume that the orbital calculations are 
correct.  Always check the results of this (or any program) 
before making any critical decisions.  I make absolutely no 
guarantees of any sort.  Commercial use is prohibited.


Copyrights and stuff
--------------------
The program and associated files are copyrighted by the
author.  You have permission to use these files non-
commercially.  If you redistribute, please include all the
files in the original .zip file.

Visual Basic and Windows 3.1 are products of Microsoft.  The 
author of this program has licensed copies of both products.  

VBRUN300.DLL and CMDIALOG.VBX are products of Microsoft.  They 
are provided free of charge to users of WinOrbit by the author, 
under the terms of the Microsoft license.  Same for GRID.VBX.
DIBAPI.DLL is based on sample code provided by Microsoft, but 
they are not responsible for my implementation of it.

This package was archived with the Info-Zip program Zip 2.0. 
Info-ZIP's software (Zip, UnZip and related utilities) is
free and can be obtained as source code or executables 
from various anonymous-ftp sites, including: 
	ftp.uu.net:/pub/archiving/zip/*, and
	oak.oakland.edu:/pub/msdos/zip/*

