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1991-01-28
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Super QK Version 0.0a
(Preliminary Docs 1/28/1990)
This program is the outgrowth of several little programs I
wrote to complement Quiktrak 4.0 and QK programs. It deals with
managing the keplerian data files used by Quiktrak. This version is
just a preliminary version to see if my view of how a program
should work is shared by anyone else! It is designed to replace the
QK program distributed with Quiktrak
I tried to follow the Quiktrak type of data entry. You can
also enter the first letter of the menu selection or the position
on the menu list. So on the main menu of:
UPDATE
RELOAD
LIST
SORT
FILE
CLEAR
Pressing the F key or the 5 key will select the file menu. A 0 will
exit from the menu as in quicktrak.
The command line augments are similar to QK. Entering:
QK -?
will give a short help screen. So far the only other switch is -x
which will exit the program after one operation (the same as qk).
Accessing the file menu does not count as a operation. If you do
not specify filenames, SuperQK uses stnmfile and kepfile for the
default QT keplerian file names, bulletin.txt for the text file
containing the new keplerian elements, and kepdata.dmp for the dump
file.
Why SQK?
I wanted a program that would deal with multiple Bulletin
files and QT files. I wanted to have a way of loading Non-Keplerian
information into quiktrak and to reorganize the QT files without
having to reenter the non-keplerian data.
SETUP
Since Quiktrak runs on IBM and close compatibles, so does
SuperQK. This preliminary version uses simple highlighting, reverse
video, and blinking only. Color may come later. But for now if you
have a monitor that does not display the intensified colors (colors
8 - 15) then you can not see the highlighted text. This program
should work on a system using a Monochrome Display Adapter (MDA) or
Hercules.
Put SuperQK in the same directory as Quiktrak.
Main Menu
UPDATE
RELOAD
LIST
SORT
FILE
CLEAR
These are the main features of the program I will deal with them on
by one.
FILE Menu
OPEN
CLOSE/UPDATE
DELETE
VIEW
ABANDON
This menu allows you to do various operations to files. There are
three basic types of files; Keplerian Data files that contain
keplerian data in ASCII Text form. Quiktrack files that are binary
files that Quiktrack uses. A list file containing ascii dumps of
data in the binary Quiktrak files. You will notice that the
current names of the files are displayed most of the time on the
top lines of the screen. If a file has been changed it is
highlighted.
Open opens a file. Another menu appears:
Keplerian Data File
Quiktrak files
List file
Select the type of file you want opened. A prompt will appear
asking to enter a filename. A filename will be displayed as the
default. Editing is similar to Quiktrak. If you enter a filename
containing * or ? characters, a menu containing possible selections
will appear. Use the cursor keys to position on the file you want
and press return. If there is no files matching the pattern you
will be prompted to supply another name. The name entered on the
file prompt line is used as the default file name for the next
file selection of this type.
For example if you specify NASA-PB.708 as the file name, this
is used as the default. If you specify NASA-PB.*, then select NASA-
PB.708 from the list of files, NASA-PB.* will still be the default
for the next selection of that file type. If you had a group of
Keplerian files called GROUP001.TLE, GROUP002.TLE, etc..., then it
is easy to specify GROUP*.* or GROUP*.TLE and have easy menu
selection of the various files. If a file to be read does not
exist, an error message is displayed and the default file name is
unchanged. If the default name did not exist or no files exist with
the same pattern as the filename containing the ? or * characters,
then *.* is used as the default. The user can change the *.* to
another file name.
I wanted a way to be able to enter the name if I wanted to use
just one file, or use a menu selection on a group of files. The
initial default file name depends on the type of file and can be
changed by parameters on the command line.
The Quiktrak files are created if they do not exist. If they
are created, the entries are initialized as if a clear command is
done. I use default setting similar to the ones in the QT files
that came with the Quiktrak program. If a new file is selected,
any updates to the old file will be written to the file and the old
file will be closed before the new one is opened. This occurs even
if the same filename is reentered. The Quiktrak files on the disk
are only updated when any data is changed.
Close/Update is really useful for the QT files. The QT files
are not written until you exit the program, open another QT file,
or use this menu selection. The Keplerian text file is read-only.
You can "close" the Keplerian text file, but it is only opened,
read, then closed when needed. The List file acts the same way for
now, but this may change in future. The menus are the same as
described under Open.
Delete lets you delete a file. This is handy to delete the
kepdata.dmp. New data is appended to the end of the file so use
delete to start over. The menus are the same as described under
Open.
View lets you view a file. In this version the only files you
can view are QT files. The arrow keys move you through the file and
use the escape or return key to exit. The menus are the same as
described under Open.
Abandon is useful for the QT files. Abandon cancels any
changes to a file since it was opened. For example if you reload a
QT file, and then abandon it, the reload is canceled. The QT files
are not written until you exit the program, or open another QT
file. The Keplerian text file is read-only. You can "abandon" the
Keplerian text file, but it is still opened, read, then closed when
needed. The List file acts the same way for now, but this may
change in future. The menus are the same as described under Open.
UPDATE
I put update as the first selection because it is a commonly
used function. It updates the QT Keplerian files by reading a NASA,
AMSAT or formatted text file and looking for a non-case sensitive
match of the satellite name or the ID number. QK puts the ID number
and element set number in the ID string of the QK Keplerian file.
SQK does the same and assumes the ID number is the first text in
the ID field.
The next prompt that appears after selecting UPDATE is to
enter a range of entries to update. The default is 0 to 99 (The
entire file). Note that I use the "programmer's convention" and
numbered stuff starting at 0. All entry numbers assume the first
entry is entry number 0. A similar type of prompt is used in other
menu selections.
If the keplerian data file does not exist or is a wildcard, a
file selection prompt will be displayed. The filename entered
because the default filename for the Keplerian data file if a
filename with wildcards are entered, a menu of files matching the
filename specification is displayed.
Next is menu of the Keplerian data file types. Select NASA for
nasa type and AMSAT/TEXT for other types.
The names of the satellites in the QT Keplerian files are
displayed. Elements that are updated are highlighted. If a
satellite is updated more than once the name will blink. Since both
the name and ID are used to update the entry, a "swap" of names or
ID numbers (which sometimes occurs after launch) between two
satellites can cause this. Sometimes only one of the "swapped"
entries will blink. The last element set that matches the Satellite
Name or ID will be used to update the QT Keplerian files. The name
is not updated, but the ID is updated.
RELOAD
Reload is similar to the UPDATE function. The Keplerian data
file replaces the existing data in the QT Keplerian files. Prompts
are the same as UPDATE. Putting a letter i after the range numbers
will cause any position numbers (preceded by a # on the first line)
to be ignored when reading in the output of the list command. This
allows resorting of the entries without having to erase the #
entries.
LIST
List allows you to display the binary data in the QT Keplerian
files in a printable format. You can display entries on the screen
or output them to the list file or printer. The list file can be
read back in with the Reload or Update function using the
AMSAT/TEXT format. This allows a text database of non-keplerian
data to be created. If you enter a f after the range, the QT
Keplerian files are appended to the filename specified as the dump
file name. If a p is entered after the range, the QT Keplerian
files are outputed to the printer.
When viewing on the screen, the 0 or escape key will return
to the main menu. The Home key will display the first entry and the
End key will display the last entry. The cursor keys will move to
the various entries. Page Up and Page Down will move 10 entries at
a time.
PERMISSION
Permission is granted for non-commercial use of this program by
authorized users of QUIKTRAK 4.0 only. Permission is granted for AMSAT-NA
(or national AMSAT group) to distribute this program.
WARRANTY
Or lack thereof. THERE IS NO WARRANTY EXPLICIT OR IMPLICIT
WITH THIS PROGRAM. You received this program for a donation to
AMSAT and therefore it should NOT be treated as a commercial
product and we will not treat it as such.
LIABILITY
The Author, AMSAT-NA and any other group authorized by AMSAT-NA to
distribute this program assumes NO LIABILITY for any damage caused
by this program directly or indirectly. This program is sold AS
IS. Any "BUGS" will be fixed in the next release and this will NOT
entitle you to an automatic update.
AUTHOR
Eric A. Cottrell 37 Centre St, Lynn, Ma 01905
WB1HBU @ K1UGM.#EMA.MA.USA.NA.EARTH.SOL.MILKYWAY.UNIV
CIS:76327,515 Easyplex or Hamnet.
AMSAT-NA, P.O. Box 27, Washington, D.C. 20044 (301)-589-6062
Happy Keplerian Updating!!