                           InstantTrack 1.22
                   Initialization File Documentation
       Copyright (c) 1990, 1998, 1999 Franklin Antonio.  All Rights Reserved.
       Copyright (c) 2000, 2002 Paul Williamson. All Rights Reserved.


At startup, InstantTrack reads the file IT.INI to determine the values of
several customizable parameters.  This documentation file explains the 
purpose of each parameter in the IT.INI file, and how to alter it for your
specific installation.

The IT.INI file supplied with InstantTrack contains reasonable default 
values for each of these parameters, so MANY USERS CAN USE THE FILE AS IS
WITHOUT ANY EDITS AT ALL.  Please read the purpose of each parameter before
editing your IT.INI file.  It is strongly suggested that you make changes ONE
parameter AT A TIME, and remember to set a parameter back to the default value
if the change doesn't do what you want!

Each parameter is specified on a single line in the file.  This line contains
the name of the parameter (which you must spell exactly correctly), followed
by an equal sign, then the value of the parameter.  Each line must end in a
carriage return character.  Lines that begin with # are comments and have no
effect.


Parameters which are presently recognized in IT.INI files are...

  Parameters for NIST time service...
           nist_port
           nist_port_address
           nist_port_irq
           nist_baud
           nist_dial
           nist_hangup
           nist_maxtime

  Parameters for video hardware...
           vga_resolution
           cga_mapcolors
           hgc_mapcolors

  Parameters for non-standard video hardware...
           force_bios_chargen_g
           force_greyscale
           greyscale

  Parameters for rotor/radio-control TSRs...
           kct_int_number
           radiodrv_int_number

  Parameters for reading satellite element sets...
           nasa_checksum_type
           check_amsat_checksum
           auto_read_kepsfile
 
  Parameters for controlling fast-forward mode...
           fast_forward_delay

  Parameters for controlling how we use the printer...
           printer_lines_per_page
           printer_formfeed_at_end
           printer_columns

  Parameters for controlling time...
           timezone
           timezone_offset_seconds

  Parameters for modifying how the maps are drawn...
           orthographic_latlon
           win98_idledetect_workaround
           

Each of these parameters is described below.  


nist_port
---------
This parameter tells InstantTrack which serial port on your computer to use to
talk to your modem.  The possibilities are COM1, COM2, COM3, or COM4.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
              nist_port = COM2


nist_port_address
-----------------
This parameter tells InstantTrack the hardware i/o address of the serial port.
You should leave this zero, unless you have a non-standard serial port.  A value
of zero will cause the standard addresses to be used.  If you specify this
value, you must specify it in hexadecimal.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
              nist_port_address = 0


nist_port_irq
-------------
This parameter tells InstantTrack the hardware interrupt request number of
the serial port.  You should leave this zero, unless you have a non-standard
serial port.  A value of zero will cause the standard irq to be used.  <Note:
many computers contain non-standard ports COM3 and COM4.>

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
              nist_port_irq = 0


nist_baud
---------
This parameter tells InstantTrack what baud rate to use when communicating
with your modem.  NIST runs at 1200 baud, so this parameter will normally
be set to 1200.  A few brands of modems, want us to talk to them at a fixed
baud rate (sometimes 2400) however, and this parameter allows you to do that.
The allowable values are: 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600.  Any other value will
result in 1200 baud operation.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
              nist_baud = 1200


nist_dial
---------
This parameter tells InstantTrack what command to send to your modem to make
it dial NIST.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
              nist_dial = ATDT1-303-494-4774


nist_hangup
-----------
This parameter tells InstantTrack what command to send to your modem to make
it hangup the phone.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
              nist_hangup = ATH


nist_maxtime
------------
This parameter sets a maximum duration of a phone call to NIST to avoid
large phone charges if something goes wrong.  Specified in seconds.  The value
zero means no limit.  The typical NIST phone call lasts about 20 seconds, but 
this parameter counts the total time from the start of the dial command.  Some
folks using pulse dialing, and who dial long distance access codes require
over a minute.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
              nist_maxtime = 0



vga_resolution
--------------
This parameter controls the resolution of the map display on VGA displays.
When set to 1, maps are displayed in 640x350 resolution.  When set to 2,
maps are displayed in 640x480 resolution.  The higher resolution maps look
nicer, but they are slower to draw, and require about 32K more memory.
If you have a slow computer, or are short of memory, you might want to stick
with the lower resolution maps.

This parameter has no effect on displays other than VGA.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
               vga_resolution = 2



cga_mapcolors
-------------
This parameter controls whether maps on a CGA display are displayed in
black on white or white on black. When set to 0, the maps are black on white.
When set to 1, the maps are white on black.

This parameter has no effect on displays other than CGA.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
               cga_mapcolors = 0


hgc_mapcolors
-------------
This parameter controls whether maps on a HGC (Hercules monochrome) display
are displayed in black on white (or amber or green whatever color your
monitor is) or white on black. When set to 0, the maps are black on white.
When set to 1, the maps are white on black.

This parameter has no effect on displays other than Hercules.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
               hgc_mapcolors = 0


force_bios_chargen_g
--------------------
This parameter is for users who have certain models of EGA or VGA display 
adapters which do not implement some EGA features correctly, and for users
running in emulated video environments that aren't quite compatible.  Set this
variable to 1 if you want to force InstantTrack to use the BIOS character
generator while in graphics modes (that is, on the map screens).  The
default value of 0 tells InstantTrack to use its fast internal character
generator.

There are DISADVANTAGES to using the BIOS character generator, especially on
older and slower computers.  The BIOS character generator may SLOW DOWN
InstantTrack by more than a factor of 2 and causes flicker on many older
machines.  It is also somewhat incompatible with many versions of the mouse
driver under DOS, which can cause characters to flash white when you move the
mouse.  The BIOS character generator may not implement some features that
InstantTrack uses, such as reverse video.  So, don't set this parameter to 1
unless you really need it.
  
You need to set this parameter to 1 if:

  * You see garbage characters at the bottom of the map screen in EGA mode,
    and can't or don't wish to switch to VGA mode using the vga_resolution = 2
    parameter setting, or if vga_resolution = 2 doesn't fix it. Or,
    
  * You are running under Windows 95 or Windows 98 and are troubled by the
    cylindrical map screen freezing, going black, or displaying vertical lines
    when you move the mouse. This behavior happens on most Windows 9x machines,
    but it may not bother you unless you move the mouse a lot.
    
  * You have some other problem that corrupts the display only without
    otherwise changing the behavior of the program. There is no guarantee that
    this parameter will fix it, but it costs nothing to try.
    
If you don't have any of these problems, you should probably set this parameter
to 0.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...

              force_bios_chargen_g = 0



force_greyscale
---------------
greyscale
---------
These parameters allow users who have BLACK & WHITE analog displays connected
to a VGA display adapter to specify which shades of grey are used to represent
each color.  Usually, the only folks who would want do this are people running
on laptop computers with liquid-crystal (LCD) displays.  (Or Steve Roberts, 
N4RVE who has an LCD display on his Winnebiko bicycle!)

This is only guaranteed to work on VGA compatible display adapters.  I know
many users have EGA LCDs on laptops.  The standard EGA BIOS doesn't have the
functions to allow me to set the greyscale, but it might be implemented on
your particular BIOS.  So, EGA users may try this function, but realize that
it may not work on your machine.

You may set force_greyscale to 1 to force a nonstandard mapping of colors to
shades of grey.  The default value, 0, lets the BIOS use its standard
color or greyscale values.

The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
              force_greyscale = 0

greyscale specifies the non-standard greyscale values you want to use.
There must be 16 numbers after the = sign, each separated by a comma.
Each number is in the range [0,63], with 0 specifying blackest black, and 63 
specifying brightest white.  These numbers are all base-10.

The IBM standard greyscale values are...
	      greyscale = 0,5,25,29,13,17,25,42,21,26,46,50,34,38,58,63
The default IT.INI file contains the statement...
              greyscale = 0,5,34,29,13,25,30,42,21,20,46,50,40,38,55,63

This is probably a either reasonable on your LCD display, or at least better
than the standard IBM default grey values.



kct_int_number
--------------
This parameter allows you to specify which software interrupt is used by
InstantTrack to communicate with the OrbitDRV and RotorDRV TSRs.  The default
value of 63 (hex) is also the default used by ...

     the OrbitDRV TSR supplied with InstantTrack
     the DummyKCT TSR supplied with InstantTrack
     the Kansas City Tracker TSRs which are available from L.L.Grace

You should ONLY alter this parameter IF interrupt 63 is used by some other
software on your PC, causing a conflict.  We have noticed that a few users 
have non-standard floppy disk drives which contain a BIOS extension which uses
interrupt 63, causing a conflict.  This parameter was added to solve that
specific problem.

If you do have an interrupt conflict, then you must select a new software 
interrupt number, and specify that number in IT.INI, AND ALSO TO EACH OF THE
OTHER TSRs involved.  If you are a Kansas City Tracker user, there is 
additional information in the KCT manual.  The interrupt number is specified
IN HEXADECIMAL.

It is strongly suggested that you pick an interrupt number from those IBM has
specifically reserved for users, i.e., 61 through 66.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...
              kct_int_number = 63


radiodrv_int_number
-------------------
This parameter allows you to specify which software interrupt is used by
InstantTrack to communicate with the RadioDRV TSR. The default value of
64 (hex) is also the default used by ...

     the OrbitDRV TSR supplied with InstantTrack
     all radio control TSRs designed to be compatible with InstantTrack

You should ONLY alter this parameter IF interrupt 64 is used by some other
software on your PC, causing a conflict. We are not aware of any particular
device or program that causes conflicts with interrupt 64. This parameter
was added in case you run into one.

If you do have an interrupt conflict, then you must select a new software
interrupt number, and specify that number in IT.INI, to OrbitDRV, AND ALSO
TO THE RADIO CONTROL TSR. Check the manual for your radio control TSR. The
interrupt number is specified IN HEXADECIMAL.

It is strongly suggested that you pick an interrupt number from those IBM has
specifically reserved for users, i.e., 61 through 66.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...
              radiodrv_int_number = 64  


nasa_checksum_type
------------------

The algorithm used to compute the check digit in NASA-format satellite
orbital element sets has changed twice in recent history.  The changes
affect the way "+" signs are handled in the checksum computation.  There 
is some evidence that the original cause of this confusion was a change of
computer systems at NORAD in 1979.  The new computer used the EBCDIC
character set.  The old computer used BCD.  This resulted in + signs sent
by NORAD being received as an illegal character, and discarded, by NASA.
NASA later attempted to correct for this discrepancy by changing the checksum
algorithm.  I have not been able to verify this story fully.  NASA
documentation re the checksum algorithm is incorrect.

Set nasa_checksum_type to one of the following values...

   1    Plus signs have the value 0 in checksum calculations.  This
        algorithm works for element sets distributed by NASA prior to
        1989, and after 1991.

   2    Plus signs have the value 2 in checksum calculations.  This
        algorithm works for element sets distributed by NASA in 1989,
        1990, and part of 1991.

   3    Last resort.  Don't test the checksum at all.

   4    Plus signs have either value 0 or value 2 in checksum calculations.
        Either checksum will be accepted.  This algorithm works for all
        element sets distributed by NASA to date, but is not as good at
        catching other kinds of errors in the element set.

If you have a problem with checksum errors on lines that contain + signs,
then you should experiment to see whether changing the value of this
parameter will help.  Many different sources now generate element sets using
the NASA format.  Some of these sources may not have changed algorithm at
the same time NASA did in 1991.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...

              nasa_checksum_type = 4


check_amsat_checksum
--------------------
Some AMSAT format Keplerian element sets come with a Checksum line added
to the traditional format. Some sources get this checksum wrong. If you
encounter such an element set, you can prevent InstantTrack from checking
the checksum (and rejecting the element set) by setting this parameter
to 0. Set this parameter to 1 normally, to allow InstantTrack to catch
corrupted element sets by checking the checksum.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...

              check_amsat_checksum = 1
              

auto_read_kepsfile
------------------
If you want InstantTrack to automatically read in a Keplerian elements
file (in Update mode) when it starts up, specify the filename in this
parameter. The filename may be up to 40 characters long, and may not
include any spaces. This can be useful if you regularly download a fresh
set of Keplerian elements, and don't want to bother with reading them
into InstantTrack from the Update Satellite Elements menu. The file can
be in NASA 2-line format or AMSAT verbose format, or any combination.

The default IT.INI contains the commented-out statement...

              # auto_read_kepsfile = C:\DOWNLOAD\NASA.ALL


fast_forward_delay
------------------

This parameter allows you to control the speed of the fast-forward
mode on the realtime map and realtime text screens.  Set this value
to the number of extra milliseconds you'd like InstantTrack to wait
between each screen update.  If you set this value to zero, the program
will run as fast as it can.  If you have a fast computer, you will find
that this is too fast to follow.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...
              
			  fast_forward_delay = 100


printer_lines_per_page
----------------------

This parameter allows you to specify how many lines of text your printer
can fit on a single page, when used in plain text mode. If you set this
value to match your printer, the satellite position table (ephemeris)
output can be paginated neatly for your printer, with a header line at
the top of each page.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...

                          printer_lines_per_page = 59


printer_formfeed_at_end
-----------------------

This parameter allows you to control whether InstantTrack sends a
formfeed (new page eject) to the printer at the end of each job. If you
set this parameter to 0, InstantTrack will not send a formfeed at the end
of the job. If you find a blank page at the end of each print job, you can
eliminate it by setting this parameter to 0. If, on the other hand, you find
that the last page of your schedule doesn't come out until you print some
other document, then you should set this parameter to 1.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...

                          printer_formfeed_at_end = 1


printer_columns
---------------

This parameter allows you to restrict the width in columns of text lines
sent to the printer or captured to a file. If you set this parameter to 0,
InstantTrack will send the entire line. If you find that your printer is
wrapping lines, printing too close to the right margin, or generating extra
pages for the rightmost columns, you can eliminate this problem by setting
this parameter to the number of columns your printer can handle. Try 65 as
a good starting point. Some text may be truncated if you set this parameter
too low.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...

                          printer_columns = 0
                          

timezone
--------
This parameter allows you to describe your local timezone to InstantTrack,
overriding any description from the TZ environment variable. The value
should be set to a string of characters, as follows:
  * three letters, the name of your local timezone during the winter
  * a number, giving the number of hours behind UTC your timezone is
  * if you keep Daylight Saving Time, three more letters giving the name
    of your timezone during the summer.

For example, if you live in the U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST) timezone,
you are 5 hours behind UTC. If you keep Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) during
the summer, your timezone parameter should be set to "EST5EDT". You would
put this statement in your IT.INI file...

                          timezone = EST5EDT

Another example: if you live in Western Australia in the HST timezone,
you are 8 hours ahead of UTC, and you don't keep Daylight Saving Time.
"8 hours ahead" is represented as "negative 8 hours behind", or "-8".
Your timezone parameter should thus be set to "HST-8". You would put this
statement in your IT.INI file...

                          timezone = HST-8

Another example: if you keep your computer set on UTC (Coordinated Universal
Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time or GMT, also known as "zulu" time)
all year round, you would put this statement in your IT.INI file ...

                          timezone = UTC0

If you don't put any timezone statement in your IT.INI file, then the value
is taken from the DOS environment variable "TZ". See the ITMANUAL.TXT file for
more details on this. And if "TZ" is not set either, the default value is
"PST8PDT" -- Pacific Standard Time for the west coast of the U.S.

Note that InstantTrack uses U.S. Daylight Saving Time rules. In areas of
the U.S. that observe Daylight Saving Time, we set our clocks forward
from 2 AM to 3 AM on the first Sunday of April, and we set our clocks back
from 2 AM to 1 AM on the last Sunday of October. If your area keeps time
differently, you should omit the last three letters, and adjust the timezone
setting in IT.INI every time your local time changes.

If your area keeps time that is not an integer number of hours offset from
UTC, see the next setting. If you live in South Australia where the timezone
is called JST and the offset is -9.5 hours, and you are not on Daylight Saving
Time right now, you should use the timezone_offset_seconds setting (see next
section) and also put this statement in your IT.INI file ...

                           timezone = JST0

In that case, when you switch to Daylight Saving Time, you'd have to change
the timezone_offset_seconds setting and change to this statement ...

                           timezone = JDT0

The default IT.INI file contains several commented-out example timezone
statements, but no active timezone statement. By default, you get the
timezone set by your "TZ" environment variable.


timezone_offset_seconds
-----------------------
This parameter allows you to set the offset between your local time and
UTC, down to one second. This is only useful for one case: when you have
a local timezone that is not an integer number of hours away from UTC,
and you run your computer clock on local time. This setting gives the
number of seconds your timezone is behind UTC. So, if you live in South
Australia where the local time is 9.5 hours ahead of UTC, you would
multiply 9.5 hours X 60 X 60 = 34200 seconds, and put this statement in
your IT.INI file ...

                           timezone_offset_seconds = -34200

This setting overrides the hours offset in the TZ environment variable
or the timezone setting in IT.INI. It also disables automatic Daylight
Saving Time switching, since InstantTrack only knows the U.S. rules.
That means if your local time changes for Daylight Saving, you need to
recompute timezone_offset_seconds and modify IT.INI at each time change.


orthographic_latlon
-------------------
This parameter controls whether latitude and longitude lines are drawn on
the globe on the orthographic projection map. Set it to 1 if you want lines,
or 0 if you don't. Lines are recommended on VGA, EGA, and HGC screens, but
you might find it easier to interpret the map on the CGA screen with the
lines disabled.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...

                          orthographic_latlon = 1


win98_idledetect_workaround
---------------------------
This parameter tunes an awkward workaround for a compatibility problem
sometimes found with Windows 95 and Windows 98. The symptom of the problem
is long pauses during the drawing of the orthographic projection map. The
cause is Windows mistakenly concluding that the program is idle. If you run
into this problem, experiment with higher values of this parameter. If you
run on an older, slower computer, you may wish to set this value to 1 (the
lowest allowable value) to maximize responsiveness when you interrupt the
program while it is drawing the map.

The default IT.INI contains the statement...

                          win98_idledetect_workaround = 20
                          

 --- end of ITINIDOC.TXT ---
