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1996-06-30
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
Universal Version of Geographic Clock Program
Copyright 1988,1989 (C) Joseph R. Ahlgren
Version 4.0 89/11/29
GEOCLK40.ZIP - EGA/VGA/800x600 version
GEOMNO40.ZIP - CGA/HGC/MCGA/ATT400/PC3270 version
Computer Bulletin Board - 703-241-7980
Joseph R. Ahlgren
2218 N. Tuckahoe St
Arlington, VA 22205-1946
- 1 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
Table Of Contents
A. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
B. Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
B.1. EGA/VGA/SVGA version (GEOCLK) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
B.2. CGA/HGC/MCGA/ATT400/PC3270 version (GEOMNO) . . . . . . . . 4
B.3. Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
B.4. Preparing the registered version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
B.5. Upgrading from version 2.x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
C. Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
C.1. Single key functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
C.2. Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
C.3. Command line parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
D. Customizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
D.1. Time zone data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
D.2. Cities in GEOCLOCK.DAT and GEO<n>.DAT . . . . . . . . . . . 15
D.3. Default parameters in GECONFIG.DAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
E. Functions for registered users only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
E.1. Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
E.2. Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
E.3. Time display for cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
F. Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
F.1. GEOCLKnn.ZIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
F.2. GEOMNOnn.ZIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
G. Technical Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
G.1. Ephemeris Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
G.2. Use of Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
G.3. Software structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
G.4. Map Generation System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
H. Changes from previous versions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
I. Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
J. Upgrades and Enhancements for Registered Users . . . . . . . . . 26
K. Registration and License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
- 2 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
A. Introduction
GEOCLOCK shows the current time (based on the system clock) with a map
of the earth. The current sun position is displayed with a crossed circle,
and the part of the earth in sunlight is highlighted. This display is
automatically updated every 1 second (for an 8 MHz AT with an 80287) to 20
seconds (for a 5 MHz PC without an 8087). Local sunrise, sunset, and the
sun's azimuth and elevation are also displayed. A variety of map
backgrounds and other options are available. A graphics adapter and a hard
disk are required to run GEOCLOCK.
GEOCLOCK is distributed as SHAREWARE. If you use and enjoy the product,
you must register and obtain a license for the program. The license
includes a few extra features and more maps. See section K. The
unregistered version of the program may be distributed freely, provided
that the entire unmodified ZIP file is included and no fee is charged other
than a nominal amount for media and handling.
B. Getting Started
GEOCLOCK requires a hard disk, a minimum of 180K available RAM (up to
250K to use VGA and 800x600 modes), and a graphics adapter and monitor.
There are two versions of GEOCLOCK. The first is contained in
GEOCLK40.ZIP and is designed to support computers with a 256k EGA, VGA, or
super VGA board with a compatible color monitor. The second requires both
GEOMNO40.ZIP and GEOCLK40.ZIP and is designed to support CGA, Hercules,
MCGA, AT&T 640x400, and PC3270 graphics, all in the highest resolution
monochrome mode available for that card. To get the program running, do
the following:
1. Un-ZIP GEOCLK40.ZIP (and GEOMNO40.ZIP if required) to the
directory you will run from. It is best to have a directory dedicated to
GEOCLOCK.
2. Set up the program for your graphics adapter. Section B.1
describes the set up procedure for the EGA, VGA, and super VGA (800x600)
adapters. Section B.2 describes the set up procedure for the CGA,
Hercules, MCGA, PC3270, and AT&T 640x400 adapters.
3. Customize GEOCLOCK for your location. Much customization is
possible, and is described in detail in sections D and E. Before you start
running GEOCLOCK, you should edit (using any text editor) the GECONFIG.DAT
file to specify your local time zone. The value in the initial file
specifies the Eastern US time zone. You should change the PCZONE command
at the end of GECONFIG.DAT to specify your time zone.
4. If you are a registered user, you need to run the REGISTER program
to enable the special features. You may also want to use a mouse - see
section B.3.
- 3 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
5. Run the program. Just enter GEOCLK (for EGA, VGA, and SVGA) or
GEOMNO (for the other adapters) and the program will start. Function Key 1
will provide help, and Escape will terminate the program.
B.1. EGA/VGA/SVGA version (GEOCLK)
The EGA/VGA/SVGA version of GEOCLOCK requires an EGA, VGA, super VGA
(800x600) or close compatible with at least 256k memory, and an EGA, VGA,
or multiscanning color monitor. The program uses 640x350, 640x480, and
800x600 16 color graphics. The distribution GEOCLK40.ZIP file contains all
the required programs and data bases. The main program file is named
GEOCLK.EXE. It will automatically determine whether or not you have a math
co-processor (8087,80287, 80387), and use it if you do, or emulate it if
you do not. If you have a normal EGA, the program is already configured
properly. If you have a VGA or SVGA, you will need to follow one of the
procedures below:
1. Set up for VGA or 640x480x16 EGA. To enable 640x480 display, you
must include the VGA statement in the GECONFIG.DAT file. This statement
tells GEOCLOCK that you have a 640x480 display and how to enter that
display mode. You will find a commented out VGA statement at the end of
the GECONFIG.DAT file. Simply use any text editor to remove the "REM " at
the beginning of the VGA statement, so that the "V" is in column one. If
you have a 640x480x16 EGA, you will need to contact your adapter supplier
to determine the appropriate parameters for the VGA statement. See section
C.2 for a fuller explanation. You might also want to add the SHOWVGA
statement to GECONFIG.DAT. This will automatically convert EGA maps to VGA
format.
2. Set up for super VGA (800x600x16). To enable 800x600 display, you
must include the SVGA statement in the GECONFIG.DAT file. This statement
tells GEOCLOCK that you have a 800x600 display and how to enter that
display mode. You will find several commented out SVGA statements at the
end of the GECONFIG.DAT file, corresponding to the several adapters that
support this graphics mode. Simply use any text editor to remove the "REM
" at the beginning of the appropriate SVGA statement, so that the "S" is in
column one. If your adapter is not listed, you will need to contact your
adapter supplier to determine the appropriate parameters for the SVGA
statement. See section C.2 for a fuller explanation. It is not necessary
to include a VGA statement in addition to the SVGA statement unless your
adapter does not use the standard command to enter the 640x480x16 mode.
B.2. CGA/HGC/MCGA/ATT400/PC3270 version (GEOMNO)
This version of GEOCLOCK is compatible with a wide variety of graphics
boards, including all those two color modes supported by the Turbo Pascal
5.0 GRAPH unit. In particular, 640x200 CGA, 720x348 HGC, 640x480 MCGA,
640x400 ATT, and 720x350 PC3270 mode are supported. The 640x350 EGA
- 4 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
monochrome mode is NOT supported (this is a four color mode), although the
EGA emulation of HGC is supported provided your EGA board permits this.
The distribution GEOMNO40.ZIP and GEOCLK40.ZIP files contain all the
required programs and data bases.
After Un-ZIPping the program, the files configuring the system for
your graphics adapter must be built. The installation program GEOCONVT
builds these files, installs the proper drivers, and converts the maps to
the required format. This program in started by:
GEOCONVT <board type> [map file spec] [switches]
where board type is CGA, HGC, MCG, ATT, or 327. The [map file spec]
specifies which map files are to be converted to the format for your
adapter. If omitted, MAP*.EGA is assumed. The switches are zero or more
of /D (which specifies that files not required for your particular adapter
are to be deleted) and /C (which specifies that map files are to be
converted, but no other conversions are to be done). By default, neither
option is selected. Specifying /D saves space on your disk, but be sure
that you have kept a backup or the original ZIP file before selecting this
option. You should specify /C is you are already running GEOMNO and only
need to convert a new map file. For the initial setup, I recommend:
GEOCONVT CGA (or whatever adapter is appropriate)
without any options. You can do a del map*.ega to eliminate the
unneeded EGA map files after you are sure that everything is working
properly.
B.3. Mouse
Several GEOCLOCK functions require a graphics cursor for input. These
operate from both a mouse and the keyboard. To use the mouse, the INT 33
driver must be loaded. This driver, which comes with most mice, is usually
called MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.SYS. The mouse buttons and functions are
emulated on the keyboard as follows:
Left Mouse Button Control (CTRL) and Page-Up keys
Center Mouse Button Escape (ESC) Key
Right Mouse Button Alternate (ALT) and Page-Down keys
Mouse Motion Arrow and Shift-Arrow keys
All the keyboard equivalents work whether or not a mouse is available.
In particular, the arrow keys may be used to finely position the cursor
after the mouse has moved the cursor to the vicinity of the desired point,
and the Escape key can be used if your mouse does not have a center button.
B.4. Preparing the registered version
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
The registered version of GEOCLOCK includes an INSTALL batch file to
aid in setting up GEOCLOCK on your hard disk. The batch file un-Zips all
the required files (include map files), converts the maps as required, and
runs the REGISTER program which enables the special features such as Zoom,
Distance, and city time display that are available only to registered
users. If you do not wish to use this batch file, follow these steps:
a. Create a directory for GEOCLOCK on your hard disk, and switch to
it. Copy the PKUNZIP.EXE program from the distribution disk to this
directory.
b. Un-Zip the GEOCLOCK program by entering PKUNZIP A:GEOCLK40 . If
your are using the MNO version, also enter PKUNZIP A:GEOMNO40 .
c. Un-ZIP all the map files by entering PKUNZIP A:MAP* . If you
received multiple disks, you should repeat this command for every disk.
d. If you are using a VGA or 800x600, enter PKUNZIP A:VGA* . If you
are using an 800x600, also enter PKUNZIP SVGA* .
e. Un-Zip the GEODATA file.
f. If you are using the MNO version, enter GEOCONVT <code>, where
code is CGA, HGC, MCG, ATT, or 327 as appropriate. This converts all the
maps to the proper MNO format.
g. Copy the REGISTER.EXE file to the hard disk and enter REGISTER .
This enables the special features.
h. Finally, use the TED editor to customize the configuration. Enter
TED GECONFIG.DAT . Change the PCZONE command to your time zone. If you
have a VGA or 800x600, add the VGA command. If you have an 800x600, also
add the SVGA command.
B.5. Upgrading from version 2.x
Version 4.x contains many new features which require changes in some
of the 2.x files for optimum operation. 3.x files do not require any
conversion. Existing 2.x data files will work but cannot take advantage of
these new features. The conversion process effects four types of files.
a. MAP<n>.EGA. This only effects the EGA/VGA version of GEOCLOCK.
The map format was changed to reduce the sizes of the map files. While
GEOCLOCK 4.x will display both file formats, processing of the new format
is faster. The program CVTMAP.EXE, available on the GEOCLOCK bulletin
board, will convert the old to new format. To convert your existing maps,
follow this procedure:
DEL *.BAK
COPY MAP*.EGA MAP*.BAK
CVTMAP MAP*.BAK *.EGA
DEL *.BAK
b. GECONFIG.DAT. This file was required only for GEOMNO in version
2.x. In version 4, this file optionally contains a list of command line
parameters (one per line). In addition, two new commands are of particular
interest: ZONE, which defines time zone characteristics; and PCZONE, which
defines which time zone the PC's local clock is in. The GECONFIG.DAT file
- 6 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
provided should be used until you feel the need to change it. GEOCONVT
appends any existing GECONFIG.DAT file (including the one provided in
GEOMNOnn.ZIP) to the one it produces while setting up GEOMNO. See section
D.
c. GEOCLOCK.DAT and GEO<n>.DAT. The format of these files has been
enhanced to take advantage of the time zone data. The old first line,
which specifies the displayed zone and its relationship to the PC clock, is
now optional. If it is omitted, it is assumed that PC local time is to be
displayed, as specified by the PCZONE command. If a zone code is named,
that is the local time displayed. On the subsequent lines, for registered
users, the time offset (specified by +n or -n after the !) may be specified
as <space><zone code> or <space>*<zone code>, in which case the city time
is displayed in the time zone specified by the zone code. If * is
included, the time zone name is also displayed. See section D.
d. *.BGI files must be replaced with new versions, since version 4
was compiled under Turbo Pascal 5.0. These are included in GEOMNOnn.ZIP.
C. Operation
To run GEOCLOCK, simply enter "GEOCLK" or "GEOMNO". The initial
display is built, and then this display is updated continuously. The
program recognizes a variety of functions while running. Each of these is
activated by pressing a letter key. These functions are summarized below.
C.1. Single key functions
Function Key 1 - activates the help system. The first screen is a
menu listing all the GEOCLOCK parameters and keys. Select a menu item by
pressing the indicated letter displays additional information. You exit
the additional information screen and display the main menu by pressing any
key. You exit the help system and return to GEOCLOCK display or parameter
entry by pressing any non-letter key.
F - speed up the rate of change of time per display update. A prompt
asks for the number of hours (possibly fractional or negative) for the
displayed clock to be incremented during each cycle, e.g., 0.25 for 15
minutes every 1 to 20 second cycle.
U - set the interval between screen updates. A prompt asks for the
update interval in seconds. When this value is entered, the display is
immediately drawn. Subsequently, the screen in updated at the specified
interval and synchronized with the clock. Thus, if 15 is specified, the
screen will be updated at 0, 15, 30, and 45 seconds past the minute. If
your computer is not fast enough to achieve this update interval, the
smallest integer multiple of this interval which works will be used.
- 7 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
T - change the display time according to prompts in yy/mm/dd
hh:mm:ss format. This does not change the system clock. Any missing data
will revert to the current local time. Thus "///12:0:0" sets the time to
today at 12 noon, while 88 01 01 0 0 0 sets the time to midnight, January
1, 1988. All times in GEOCLOCK use the 24 hour format.
R - restore the display time to the current time, and the display
update rate to real time. R undoes F, T, and U.
P - allows changes to the command line parameters. These commands
are listed in section C.2 below. Entering "?" or "HELP" at the prompt will
activate the help system.
S - select a map. When this key is pressed, a list of available
maps is displayed with their coordinates, title, and North-South distance.
The highlighted line corresponds to the current map. The cursor keys can
be used to scroll through this list. When the <ENTER> key is pressed, the
highlighted map will be displayed. Some very early GEOCLOCK maps did not
have titles. If you have any of these maps, the FIXMAP program, available
on the GEOCLOCK RBBS (703-241-7980) will add the proper titles.
X - return to DOS.
Escape - return to DOS.
C.2. Commands
GEOCLOCK allows several command line parameters which control the
display. These parameters may also be entered in response to prompts from
the "p" function above, included on the DOS command line, included in the
GECONFIG.DAT file, or included in a GEO*.DAT file. The DCGE column
indicates any restrictions on the command. "D" indicates that this command
is the initial condition of GEOCLOCK when it is started. "C" indicates
that the command may be included on the GEOCLOCK command line. "G"
indicates the command remains in effect until overridden by another command
(otherwise the effect of the command is automatically removed when the
displayed map is changed). Finally, "E" indicates that the command has
effect only in the EGA/VGA/SVGA (GEOCLK) version.
command DCGE comments
? ---- displays list of commands.
HELP ---- displays list of commands.
- 8 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
REM -C-- remark. The rest of the parameter is ignored.
NOMAP -CG- does not display any background map.
MAPn -CG- displays appropriate map. Map1 is the default. The
GEO*.ZIP files include two maps. MAP1 is a rectilinear
projection of the entire Earth. MAP2 is a map of the 48
states. The EGA/VGA/SVGA version also includes MAP2000,
which is a North Polar projection map. Other maps are
available as detailed in section K. Polar projection
maps work only with the EGA/VGA/SVGA version of GEOCLOCK.
NOSCR ---E This command forces EGA maps to be handled the same way
VGA and SVGA maps are handled. In particular, only one
display frame is used, so the smooth animation is lost,
but the blinking that a few display adapters had is
eliminated, and the yellow sun symbol rather than the
dark crossed circle is used to indicate sun position.
SHOWVGA ---E This command causes all EGA maps to be automatically
expanded (by duplicating some rows) to VGA resolution and
displayed as VGA maps. This does not change the map
resolution, but does change the text and sunlight
resolution.
VGAa/b/c/d ---E This enables VGA display. If this command is not
included in the GECONFIG.DAT file, VGA maps may not be
displayed. The arguments indicate decimal the values to
be loaded into the AX, BX, CX, and DX registers before
the call to INT 10 to enter VGA mode. For true VGAs, the
parameters are optional: VGA18/0/0/0 is assumed. Check
with you display adapter supplier if you are not sure of
the correct parameters to use. DO NOT include this
command unless you have a 640x480 EGA, a VGA, or super
VGA adapter and a VGA or multisync monitor: your monitor
may be damaged if it does not support the vertical and
horizontal frequencies generated by the VGA.
- 9 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
SVGAa/b/c/ ---E This enables SVGA (800x600) display. If this command is
d not included in the GECONFIG.DAT file, SVGA maps may not
be displayed. The arguments indicate the values to be
loaded into the AX, BX, CX, and DX registers before the
call to INT 10 to enter SVGA mode. For the Paradise
SVGA, the parameters are optional: SVGA88/0/0/0 is
assumed. Check with you display adapter supplier if you
are not sure of the correct parameters to use. DO NOT
include this command unless you have a super VGA adapter
and a multisync monitor: your monitor may be damaged if
it does not support the vertical and horizontal
frequencies generated by the SVGA.
MARK -CG- displays markers for the cities in geo*.dat. See section
D.3
NOMARK DCG- does not display city markers or city names.
NOCITY DCG- does not display city names for the cities in geo*.dat.
CITY -CG- displays city names.
QUIET DCG- does not beep on screen update.
SOUND -CG- beeps each time the screen is updated.
NOLINE DCG- does not display any latitude/longitude lines.
LINEnn -CG- displays latitude/longitude lines every nn degrees,
unless that would result in more than 40 lines. If nn is
0 or missing, the current latitude and longitude line
intervals are not changed but lines are enabled, and thus
LINE undoes NOLINE.
TLINCnn -CG- same as LINEnn, except only affects Latitude lines.
GLINCnn -CG- same as LINEnn, except only affects Longitude lines.
- 10 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
TLSPECnn -CL- displays one latitude line at nn.
GLSPECnn -CL- displays one longitude line at nn. Up to 20 TLSPEC and
GLSPEC lines may be specified.
CLINE DCG- removes all TLSPEC and GLSPEC lines.
HIDELL DCG- does not label latitude/longitude lines
SHOWLL DCG- labels latitude/longitude lines
DRAWLINE --L- This command draws a line between (lat1,long1) and
lat1 long1 (lat2,long2) on the current map. All latitudes and
lat2 long2 longitudes are in degrees and fractions. The command
color operates on when contained in a GEO*.DAT file that is
processed for the map. Color is the color in which the
line will be drawn. See section G.2 for an explanation
of the use of color. If omitted, color defaults to 5,
which is displayed as yellow. Example:
DRAWLINE 38.9 -77.0 34.0 -118.3 0
draws a line between Washington DC and Los Angeles in
color 0.
DRAWCIRCLE --L- This command draws an ellipse centered at
latcenter (latcenter,longcenter) and with latitude (vertical)
longcenter radius latcenter and with longitude (horizontal) radius
latradius longcenter. All latitudes and longitudes are in degrees
longradius and fractions. The command operates on when contained in
color a GEO*.DAT file that is processed for the map. Color is
the color in which the line will be drawn. See section
G.2 for an explanation of the use of color. If omitted,
color defaults to 5, which is displayed as yellow.
Example: DRAWCIRCLE 38.9 -77.0 10 20 6
draws an oval centered on Washington DC that is 10
degrees from the center to the northernmost point, and 20
degrees from the center to the easternmost point, and in
color 6.
- 11 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
INCLUDE ---- When contained in a GEO*.DAT file, this command suspends
<file> reading from the file being processed, and processes all
commands in the <file>. When all commands in that file
have been processed, reading resumes from the original
file. INCLUDE may be nested up to ten levels. Include
may also be used in response to the "P" command. In this
case, the named file will be included at the end of the
GEOn.DAT file for the map currently displayed. The
effect of this command will be negated when a new map is
selected or a new file is specified with INCLUDE.
NORM -CG- highlights sunlit area.
REV -CG- highlights area not sunlit (appropriate for LCD displays)
LIGHT -CG- highlights entire screen, and does not show sun symbol.
DARK -CG- highlights no area, and does not show sun symbol.
SHOWCH DCGE display screens as they are built
HIDECH -CGE displays screens only after they are completed.
PS2BUG -CGE use if, with SHOWCH set, the display goes blank during
GEOCLOCK operation or after GEOCLOCK termination. This
works around an error in the PS/2 VGA BIOS.
NORAM DCGE use if map display is trashed. This option adds
approximately 25K to the memory required to execute
GEOCLK.
USERAM -CGE use if there is insufficient RAM to run GEOCLOCK. This
option moves the disk buffer to an area within the VIDEO
RAM. Some EGA boards, including the ATI EGA wonder, are
not compatible with the DMA-s of some computers, and this
option will cause the display to be trashed or will cause
disk errors. USERAM is also not compatible with the VGA
and SVGA, and may lead to map display errors.
SHOWMN -CG- displays the map number and name in the upper right hand
corner. This data may overlap the latitude/longitude
display.
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
HIDEMN DCG- does not display map name and number.
FULL DCG- displays local location, time, and full ephemeris data.
SUN -CG- displays location, time, and sunrise/sunset data
TIME -CG- displays local date and time at bottom of screen.
NONE -CG- displays no text data.
SUNANGLEx -CG- sets the elevation angle of the sun used to compute
sunrise and set. The default is -0.8333 degree,
corresponding to the sun just breaking the horizon
considering refraction effects. SUNANGLE-6.0 sets this
angle to -6 degrees, which defines civil sunrise and set.
-12 is Nautical sunrise and sunset, while -18 is
Astronomical sunrise and sunset. This parameter does not
effect the terminator line calculations.
ZONE --G- defines a time zone. See section D.2.
PCZONE --G- defines the time zone the PC's clock is in. See D.2.
EQUINOX -CG- allows the exact GMT of an equinox to be specified (e.g.,
EQUINOX 88/09/22 17:29). This data is used to calibrate
the sun position calculation to improve the accuracy near
the equinoxes (while degrading it far from the
equinoxes). Personally, I do not think this is a very
good idea, but I am tired of defending my position. The
current system computes equinoxes within a few minutes.
CSET --GE allows the screen colors to be changed interactively.
COLORnxxyy -CGE changes screen color without interaction. "n" specifies
the feature number (0- 7) to be changed. Feature number
n will display color xx, and feature n+8 will display
color yy. Thus COLOR56262 will cause feature numbers 5
and 13 to display as 62 (bright yellow). See Section G.2
for a explanation of how color is used in GEOCLOCK.
- 13 -
Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
FAST -CG- Forces GEOCLOCK to use a faster but slightly less
accurate algorithm for drawing the sunlit area. This is
the default for systems without an 80x87.
SLOW -CG- Forces GEOCLOCK to use the high accuracy algorithm for
drawing the sunlit area. This is the default for systems
with an 80x87. On systems with an 80x87, the difference
in speed between SLOW and FAST is negligible, while on
those systems without an 80x87, FAST is approximately
twice the speed of SLOW. These options do not effect
polar projection maps.
C.3. Command line parameters
Any of the commands (other than ZONE, PCZONE, CSET, DRAWLINE,
DRAWCIRCLE, and INCLUDE) in section C.2 above may be entered on the command
line that invokes GEOCLOCK. These commands will be in effect when GEOCLOCK
begins, and override commands placed in the GECONFIG.DAT file.
D. Customizing
After the program has been extracted and is operating, you may wish to
customize it for your computer. The primary way to customize the program
is through some special text files. These files can be customized with any
text editor. GECONFIG.DAT describes your graphics system, defines the time
zones, and gives the default setting for the program. The GEOCLOCK.DAT and
GEO<n>.DAT files specify the cities and time zones to be displayed with
each map. Sample GECONFIG.DAT and GEOCLOCK.DAT files are provided with the
program, and you examine these examples to help you prepare your own custon
versions.
D.1. Time zone data
Time zones are user defined in GEOCLOCK. Each zone (e.g., Eastern) is
specified by giving its code name (e.g., ET), the names of summer and
standard times (e.g., EDT and EST), the number of hours the time is ahead
of GMT (e.g., -4 and -5), and the times between which summer time is in
effect (e.g., 88/04/24 8:00:00 GMT and 88/10/30 8:00:00 GMT). The zones
are referenced by their code names, and thus the zone data need only be
updated once per year (sometime during the winter) and in only one place
(where the zones are specified). It is most convenient to include the zone
specifications in the GECONFIG.DAT file. If the ZONE commands are not for
the correct year, GEOCLOCK will automatically update them by changing each
date to the closest date in the correct year which falls on the same day of
the week. For example, 89/10/29 would change to 90/10/28, since both days
fall on Sunday. This update is not necessarily correct, and I recommend
that the ZONE commands be kept current.
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
The ZONE command takes 7 parameters: 1) a code name for the time zone
(referenced by PCZONE, and GEO<n>.DAT files), 2) the name of the standard
time, 3) the number of hours standard time is ahead of GMT (thus negative
for US locations), 4) the name of the summer (daylight) time, 5) the number
of hours summer time is ahead of GMT, 6) the date and time (GMT) to switch
from standard to summer time, in the format yy/mm/dd:hh:mm:ss, with
trailing data optional (e.g., 88/10/30:8), 7) the date and time (GMT) to
switch from summer time to standard time. If a zone does not change during
the year, the last four parameters may be omitted. This command is best
used in the GECONFIG.DAT file.
The PCZONE command sets the relationship between the local time on the
PC's clock and GMT, i.e., declares which time zone the PC's clock is in.
It takes one parameter - a time zone code, as defined in the ZONE command.
This command is best used in the GECONFIG.DAT file, and it must follow the
ZONE command that it references.
D.2. Cities in GEOCLOCK.DAT and GEO<n>.DAT
Cities may be overlaid on the maps. They are specified in GEO<n>.DAT
files. For map number n (e.g., 2, the 48 states map), these cities are
read from GEOn.DAT (e.g., GEO2.DAT) if that file exists. If the file does
not exist, cities are read from GEOCLOCK.DAT.
The first entry in a GEO<n>.DAT file specifies the time zone code to
be used for the standard time display. It consists of a line with a single
zone code. If this line is omitted, the code for PCZONE is used.
Ordinarily, this code should match the time zone code for the first city in
the file.
Following this time zone entry, command line parameters may be
optionally included. The command line parameters will be processed after
both the command line and the GECONFIG.DAT file parameters, and thus will
override entries there. The command REM may be used to add comments to the
file.
Subsequent entries in the file specify the name and locations of
cities to be displayed. Each entry consists of the latitude, longitude,
and name of the city. Latitude and longitude are in degrees and fractions
(NOT degrees, minutes, and seconds), with North and East positive. Thus,
most US locations have positive latitude and negative longitude. The first
city specified is used for calculating the sunrise, sunset, and the azimuth
and elevation angles for the sun.
D.3. Default parameters in GECONFIG.DAT
The GECONFIG.DAT file may be used to specify default setting and time
information. If you are using GEOMNO, the first four lines must be as
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
written by the GEOCONVT program. They give specification data for your
graphics system. Subsequent lines contain command line parameters. There
should be no leading spaces on these subsequent lines. This file is
processed BEFORE the command line parameters are executed, so the command
line will override parameters specified here. If you have a VGA or
800x600, the VGA and SVGA commands should be in GECONFIG.DAT.
E. Functions for registered users only
The following functions are available to registered users only. See
section K for details on how to register.
E.1. Zoom
This function allows the user to change the map background using the
cursor. A mouse or the arrow keys can be used. To invoke the function,
press the letter Z. The screen will be stabilize without any time or
sunlight information, and an Iron-Cross type cursor will appear. Use the
mouse and/or arrow keys (shift-arrows move 8 times faster than non-shifted
arrows) to locate a position on the map. Each press of the right or left
button on the mouse, or CONTROL or ALTERNATE keys, or Page-Up or Page-Down
keys on the keyboard, will switch to a new map containing that point. The
left button "zooms in" while the right button "zooms out." The cursor will
remain at the specified latitude/longitude during the switch. When the
desired map is displayed, press the middle button or the ESCAPE key to
return to time display. This function is available only to registered
users.
E.2. Distance and Azimuth
This function provides a display of the coordinates of three
selected points, and the distances between them, as controlled by a mouse
or the keyboard. The function is invoked by pressing the letter D. Point
1 is selected by the left button of the mouse or the CONTROL key or Page-Up
key on the keyboard. Point 2 is selected by the right button or the
ALTERNATE key or the Page-Down key. Point 3 is the current cursor
position. To return to the time display, press the middle button or
ESCAPE. To maintain smooth cursor movement, the distance and coordinate
displays are updated only when the cursor is not moving. Pressing the "."
key will display coordinates in degrees and fractions, while the "'" key
will display coordinates is degrees, minutes, and seconds. Pressing "A"
will display the azimuth between the two points (the azimuth at the first
toward the second, and the azimuth at the second toward the first, with
North 0 and East 90) and the distance in kilometers, while pressing "D"
will display the distance between the points in miles and kilometers.
These functions are available only to registered users.
E.3. Time display for cities
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
For registered users only, additional control over city placement,
color, size, and local time display is possible. All are marked by
characters appearing after an exclamation point (!) on a city line in
GEO<n>.DAT. This new data consists of an optional string of characters as
follows:
A - show city name Above mark
B - show city name Below mark
L - show city name Left of mark
R - show city name Right of mark (if none of above specified, use
best)
Y - show city name in color 5 (Yellow by default)
E - show city name in 8x14 font (8x8 by default)
number - show city name in color number (e.g., 6 shows city name in
color 6).
After these optional codes, the line may be optionally followed by a
space and a time zone code. If included, this specifies that the local
time for that city is to be displayed to the right of the city name. If a
"*" is included, the name of the time zone will be displayed in addition to
the time. For example:
ET
38.90 -77.02 Washington !E
42.65 -73.75 Albany NY !Y
35.08 -106.65 Albuquerque NM ! *MT
42.28 -83.75 Ann Arbor MI !A
33.75 -84.39 Atlanta GA
44.30 -69.76 Augusta ME
33.52 -86.81 Birmingham AL ! CT
46.80 -100.78 Bismarck ND !B *CT
F. Files
F.1. GEOCLKnn.ZIP
GEOCLOCK.DOC This file.
GEOCLOCK.DAT An example of a customization file for GEOCLOCK. See
section B.3 for the details of the contents of this file.
GECONFIG.DAT A starter for the configuration file for GEOCLOCK. See
section D for details.
GEOCLK.EXE GEOCLOCK version for EGA, VGA, and super VGA.
MAP1.EGA EGA database for MAP1 (world).
MAP2.EGA EGA database for MAP2 (48 states).
MAP2000.EGA EGA database for MAP2000 (North Polar Projection).
MAILER. Printer file to aid registration.
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
Two other ZIP files are available to support GEOCLK for the VGA and SVGA.
VGA1-2.ZIP contains MAP4001 (VGA world) and MAP4002 (VGA 48 states).
SVGA1-2.ZIP contains MAP6149 (SVGA world) and MAP6002 (SVGA 48 states).
F.2. GEOMNOnn.ZIP
README.MNO Instructions for setup of GEOMNO.
GEOMNO.EXE GEOCLOCK version for two color graphics.
GEOCONVT.EXE Installation program to select drivers and font files,
write configuration file, and convert maps to specific graphics format.
See section B.2 for instructions on the operation of this program.
*.BGI Various graphics drivers (Turbo Pascal 5.0).
*.FON Various font files.
G. Technical Information
G.1. Ephemeris Data and Accuracy.
The ephemeris data in GEOCLOCK was derived by fitting data from
"Interactive Computer Ephemeris" (ICE) to two twelfth order polynomials.
One polynomial computes the sun's latitude, while the other computes the
sun's longitude at noon GMT. Both assume a 365.242199 day year. They were
made by a least squares fit to 400 points around 1989 data. In this
interval, the maximum and RMS latitude errors are 0.016845 and 0.004049
degrees, while the maximum and RMS longitude errors are 0.059805 and
0.016630 degrees. The fit has been tested against 1986 sun rise and set
data, and with 1985 through 2000 spring equinox times, and is within a few
minutes in time, but obviously there are no guarantees of the accuracy.
ICE is available on many astronomy bulletin boards, or from:
Nautical Almanac Office
Code FA
U. S. Naval Observatory
Washington, DC 20392
The terminator is shown as the locations where the horizon bisects the
sun without regard to atmospheric effects, so the sunrise occurs earlier
and the sunset occurs later than the terminator indicates. The sun rise
and sun set times are computed as the times that the sun's center is a
specified angle above or below the horizon, without regard for atmospheric
effects. The default value, -0.8333, corresponds to civil sun rise and
set, where the visible edge of the sun just breaks the horizon.
Some future version of GEOCLOCK may include the moon, planets, and
artificial satellites. This requires a few pascal routines that I just do
not have the time to develope. If anyone can help me with the routines
below I will be grateful.
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
{Global Variables that are set by other software }
var
JulianDate: real; {Julian Date/Time,
with 89/01/01 0:0:0 GMT = 16072.0000}
SunZenithLatitude: real; {geographic latitude of the sun at JulianDate}
SunZenithLongitude: real; {geographic longitude of the sun at JulianDate}
{Special Types}
type
ObjectType =
(Moon,Mercury,Venus,Mars,Jupiter,Saturn,Uranus,Neptune,Pluto);
ElementType = record
SatelliteName: string;
EpochTime: real {JulianDate/Time};
Inclination: real {degrees};
RAofNode: real {Degrees};
Eccentricity: real {dimensionless};
ArgOfPerigee: real {degrees};
MeanAnomaly: real {degrees};
MeanMotion; real {revolutions/day};
DecayRate: real {revolutions/day/day};
EpochRev: integer {dimensionless};
SemiMajorAxis: real {kilometers};
end;
procedure SkyPosition( ObjectID: ObjectType;
var ZenithLatitude, ZenithLongitude: real);
{ returns the earth (not sun) latitude and longitude (not right
ascension and declination) where the specified object is at Zenith.}
procedure CalculateSatellitePosition( var Elements: ElementType;
var Lat,Long,Alt: real);
{Calculates the earth centered latitude, longitude, and altitude
of the satellite described by "Elements" at time JulianDate.
Lat" and "Long" are in degrees (East longitude positive), and "Alt"
is in kilometers}
G.2. Use of Color
The EGA graphics adapter provides for the simultaneous display of 16
colors from a palette of 64. Most programs use the default palette, which
roughly corresponds to the colors provided by the CGA in text mode. The
EGA/VGA/SVGA version of GEOCLOCK does not use this standard palette. The
16 numbers specifying a color from the color palette are used to represent
16 features displayed by GEOCLOCK. The use of the 16 feature numbers is as
follows:
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
feature use feature+8 use
0 Political Bdy (dark) 8 Political Bdy (light)
1 Water (dark) 9 Water (light)
2 Land (dark) 10 Land (light)
3 Land/Water Bdy (dark) 11 Land/Water Bdy (light)
4 Text Background (dark) 12 Text Background (light)
5 Aux Text Color (dark) 13 Aux Text and Sun (light)
6 Lat/Long Lines (dark) 14 Lat/Long Lines (light)
7 Frame and Text 15 Frame and Text
The actual colors displayed are determined by the formula:
color value = B + 2*G + 4*R + 8*b + 16*g + 32*r, where
B = bright blue b = dim blue
G = bright green g = dim green
R = bright red r = dim red
Some typical colors are:
name RGBrgb color value
black ------ 0
white RGBrgb 63
dark blue -----b 8
blue --B--- 1
light blue --Brgb 57
dark green ----g- 16
green -G---- 2
light green -G-rgb 58
brown R---g- 20
light yellow RG-rgb 62
red R----- 4
bright red R--rgb 60
G.3. Software structure
GEOCLOCK is written entirely in Turbo Pascal version 5.0, except for
the mouse interface routines and a few inline sections required for speed.
It has approximately 7300 lines of source code. It uses 8 byte reals for
most calculations, and thus relies on the 80x87 emulation package for
systems without a math co-processor. The EGA/VGA/SVGA version uses a
custom graphics package which provides access to special hardware features
(such as independent control of screen planes, disk I/O directly to the
video memory, fast fill, and preserving the graphics memory during text
display) that are not available in the EGAVGA.BGI driver. The monochrome
version uses the GRAPH unit, and builds a screen image in RAM before
copying the image in its entirety to video memory. The GRAPH unit
functions other than PUTIMAGE are not used except for a few special
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
applications, such as drawing the graphics cursor, and updating the
position and distance displays in the distance function.
G.4. Map Generation System
The maps used for the GEOCLOCK program were produced by a custom data
base and software system. This system consists of a highly compressed
vectorized map data base and a set of programs to convert the data into
custom maps. The data base is a PC conversion of World Data Bank II. It
contains approximately 5.7 million vectors covering coastlines, islands,
lakes, rivers, and similar geologic features, together with political
boundary data. It covers the entire earth, and included features are
accurate to approximately 600 meters. World Data Bank II was converted to
this custom PC format by an ad hoc program which took advantage of specific
features of both data bases. In its operational form, the PC data base
uses approximately 0.84 bytes per data point, and in archival form takes
approximately 0.5 bytes per data point. The data base is therefore easily
stored and manipulated on an AT class PC.
Custom maps are generated by using two programs. The first, MAPGEN,
reads the appropriate parts of the map data base and produces separation
files of the required feature data as EGA or VGA raster images.
Rectangular, polar, or Lambert projections may be used in forming these
separation files. Depending on complexity and scale, this process takes
between 30 and 300 seconds on an AT with a co-processor. The second,
MOVIE, allows the user to process the separation files to select the
features and colors for the final map, including filling areas. This
program also writes the map in a rasterized compressed format with headers
and trailers so that it may be easily used as background data for other
programs (for example, the GEOCLOCK program).
Both these programs, and the converted data base, are proprietary and
not yet available to the general public. World Data Bank II is available
from National Technical Information Center, Springfield, VA, for about
$1000 on 5 reels of tape.
H. Changes from previous versions
H.1. Version 2.3 to version 2.4
CSET, Zoom, and Distance functions were added.
If GEO<n>.DAT exists, it is used for city and time zone information
when displaying MAP<n>.EGA, otherwise GEOCLOCK.DAT is used, e.g., GEO2.DAT
is used while displaying MAP2.EGA.
If the system detects hardware incompatibility, a prompt for
proceed/abort is given. A few EGA boards, and apparently the IBM VGA
board, are not properly detected by this program. However, they do appear
to work.
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
H.2. Version 2.4 to version 2.5
The two color graphics version of GEOCLOCK was made compatible with
EGA version and will be distributed as GEOMNOnn.ZIP.
Offset from local PC time to display time added.
Latitude and Longitude Lines were added with the LINE parameter. MAP1
has been modified to remove the lines so that all maps are under the
control of this feature.
Graphics hardware detection software removed. As opposed to most
software changes, this "feature" has proven to be only an annoyance. If
you do not have proper graphics hardware to support the version, the
results are unpredictable. A fatal message is still issued if the version
requires an 80x87 but your system does not have one.
H.3. Version 2.5 to version 2.6
Version 2.5 was not distributed correctly. Version 2.6 corrects this
error. The version 2.5 code does not execute correctly on systems without
a Numeric Co-Processor.
H.4. Version 2.6 to version 2.7
The code which generates latitude and longitude lines was improved to
give additional control over line colors.
An option to label the latitude and longitude lines was added. The
latitude lines are drawn from North to South.
The function "CSET" was added to the non-registered version of the
program.
The registration of the markers and the location names was improved
for the EGA version. Cities whose names would overlap cities already
displayed are suppressed.
The processing of Longitudes was generalized so that maps with 180
degrees in as an interior longitude can be processed. The processing for
the zoom function was generalized to preserve cursor locations for these
maps.
The DARK and LIGHT options were added to the display control.
The SHOWCH and HIDECH options were added. The use of the display
buffer was improved in the EGA version.
A function giving a help screen when function key F1 is pressed was
added.
H.5. Version 2.7 to version 2.8
The TIMEB command was added to display time and time zone name at the
bottom of the screen.
The COLOR command was added to change the palette without interacting
with CSET.
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
The implementation of city name was changed to allow longer city
names.
Users can control the position, font size, and color of city names
(registered users only). These features were extended to include the
monochrome version.
Local time for each city may be displayed (registered users only).
Precision of the cursor used for zoom and distance improved.
The SHOWMN and HIDEMN commands were added to display the map name and
number on screen.
The PS2BUG command was added to help users work around a bug in the
PS/2 VGA BIOS. Some changes in screen handling were made to minimize the
effect of this problem even when PS2BUG is not selected.
The speed of the non-80x87 version was substantially improved
(approximately 1/3 faster) by reorganizing the terminator line
calculations.
H.6. Version 2.8 to version 3.0
The handling of time zones was completely revised. The GECONFIG.DAT
file contains the descriptions of all world time zones, including the names
of summer and standard times, their offsets from GMT, and the times of the
year that summer time is in effect. The GEO<n>.DAT file formats were make
consistent with this standard. Therefore, all time zone information can be
concentrated in one place, and the GEO<n>.DAT files can refer to this
information symbolically. The old format is still accepted, but mixing the
two is not recommended.
The map file format, and the display palette, were changed to reduce
map file size and drawing time. The program CVTMAP was developed to
convert the old map file format to the new map file format. Conversion is
not required but is recommended.
A problem affecting the distance measuring function, and use of the
mouse, for the hercules and ATT 400 versions was fixed.
A problem which sometimes caused city name and time data to overwrite
the legend data at the bottom of the screen was fixed.
The control of the "zoom" feature was improved so that the left button
"zooms-in" and the right button "zooms-out".
A serious error in GEOCONVT affecting the MCGA mode was fixed. That
is problem was not noticed earlier tells me that the MCGA is not exactly
widely used!
The format of the GECONFIG.DAT file was extended so that the default
command line parameters can be set and time zone characteristics can be
defined.
The separate versions for systems with and without math co-processors
were eliminated. The program automatically detects the math co-processor,
and uses it or emulates it as appropriate. This slows the program slightly
but reduces the size of the distribution file dramatically. The FAST and
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
SLOW parameters were added to control the method used to draw the
terminator (the FAST method is much faster on systems without an 80x87).
The EQUINOX parameter was added to optionally improve the accuracy of
GEOCLOCK near the equinoxes, although this degrades the overall accuracy of
the program.
H.7. Version 3.0 to 3.1
The NORAM and USERAM command line parameters were added, and the
default was changed to NORAM.
The calculation of sun rise and sun set times was improved, especially
in areas in extreme latitudes. The display uses "Dark all day" or "Light
all day" when the sun never rises or sets. The parameter SUNANGLE was
added to allow the definition of sun rise and set to be changed.
Support for polar projection maps was added to the EGA/VGA version.
It is not available in the MNO version.
The response time for a key press during the generation of the next
display frame was greatly decreased. Except during a fill operation on the
polar projection maps, the response to a key press should be less than 0.3
seconds.
A larger marker for the two fixed points in the distance function was
incorporated, replacing the almost invisible symbols.
H.8. Version 3.1 to 3.2
The accuracy of the sun position calculations was improved. It is now
within about 5 minutes (time) in both latitude and longitude for the rest
of the 20th century. Section G.1 gives details.
The accuracy of the distance calculation was improved. Distances are
calculated on a sphere with the same volume as the Earth, i.e., with radius
6371.22 kilometers.
The control over latitude and longitude line placement was greatly
enhanced with the addition of the GLINC, TLINC, GLSPEC, TLSPEC, and CLINE
commands. See section C.2.
The symbols used in the distance function now blink.
The help system was completely revised. Pressing F1 or ? or "H"
during GEOCLOCK display brings up a menu. Selecting a menu item brings up
more detailed information.
The REM command was added to allow users to document their GEOn.DAT
files, and commands will be processed from GEOCLOCK.DAT and GEOn.DAT files
in addition to GECONFIG.DAT.
A bug that sometimes caused ZOOM and DISTANCE to ignore cities in the
GEOn.DAT files was fixed.
The GEOCONVT program was improved to allow map file conversions,
control file deletion and GECONFIG.DAT processing from the command line,
and another MCGA problem was fixed. The speed of the map conversion
process was doubled.
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
H.9. Version 3.2 to 3.3
The tab character is now treated as a space in the input files.
The map select (S) function was added.
The update interval (U) function was added.
H.10. Version 3.3 to 3.4
The DRAWLINE, DRAWCIRCLE, and INCLUDE commands were added.
All files are opened for read-only, so all files used by GEOCLOCK can
have the READ-ONLY attribute. This simplifies the use of GEOCLOCK in
networks.
Command processing was changed so that the effects of commands in the
GEOn.DAT files are local to MAPn.
The speed of the "S" command was improved.
The sun drawing system was changed so that the sun symbol is not
displayed unless it is on the map being displayed.
The ZONE commands are automatically updated when the year changes.
The program assumes that the PC-s clock will remain in the time zone
in effect at the time the program is started.
H.11. Version 3.4 to 4.0
Support for the VGA 640x480 and SVGA 800x600 modes was added. This
includes the NOSCR, SHOWVGA, VGA, and SVGA commands. The use of color was
changed slightly to support these new modes. The sun symbol was changed to
a color 5 symbol in the VGA and SVGA modes, and in EGA mode when NOSCR is
specified. The NOSCR also solves the screen blinking problem found on some
EGAs.
An azimuth computation facility was added to the "D" function, as was
the option of displaying coordinates in degrees and fractions.
An option to sort the maps appearing in the "S" command was added.
The sort used also determines in what order maps will be selected when
using the "Zoom" function.
The list of maps used by "S" and "Z" is written to a file, which
greatly speeds up the first use of these functions.
The INCLUDE function can be used as a "P" command.
The Page-Up and Page-Down keys were added as synonyms for the left and
right mouse buttons, and "Enter" was added as a synomym for the mouse
center button. Mouse handling was changed so that the INT33 mouse driver
does not have to specifically support VGA and 800x600 to use these modes.
Any color can be used for city names, rather than just colors 5 and 7.
Support of the polar projection maps was added to the MNO version.
I. Bulletin Board
A free Remote Bulletin Board System (RBBS) provides support for users
of the GEOCLOCK sunlight clock program. It always has the latest and
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
untainted version of GEOCLOCK available for downloading. In addition, it
provides a forum for all interested parties for program and information
exchange concerning GEOCLOCK, high quality graphics for the IBM PC, high
quality mapping for the IBM PC, and Turbo Pascal. Information on potential
applications and needs is as important as information on techniques and
software. The board is intended to help identify and solve real problems.
Registered GEOCLOCK users have access to certain special files and
higher access limits. Please have your registration number handy when you
log on for the first time. Otherwise, the messages and files on the board
are available to everyone.
I also solicit comments and suggestions. I am especially interested in
including position and phase data for the moon and perhaps other planets.
The RBBS number is 703-241-7980. This is a Washington DC metro area
number.
J. Upgrades and Enhancements for Registered Users
The GEOCLOCK bulletin board always has the latest version of GEOCLOCK,
and a variety of extra map files and utilities available. In addition,
many other bulletin boards and shareware distribution services also carry
the latest version of GEOCLOCK. Registered users may obtain the latest
version from any of these sources. When a new version is released, replace
the files you originally received with the new versions. The REGISTER
program, supplied on your distribution disks, must be rerun to enable the
special features such as ZOOM and DISTANCE that are available only to
registered users. If you have customized any of the GE*.DAT files, you may
want to use the old versions of these files, or to edit the new versions to
reflect your specific requirements.
K. Registration and License
The GEOCLOCK program is distributed as Shareware. This means that
prospective users may use the program for a short evaluation period before
deciding whether to purchase it. A license must be obtained to use any
copy after this evaluation period. By sending $30 to the address below, a
user will receive a single copy license, the latest version of the program,
a registration program which will enable a few special features in the
GEOCLOCK program not available in the evaluation version (see section E), a
file with the name, latitude, and longitude of many world cities for
building GEOCLOCK.DAT files, a "starter set" of GEO*.DAT files, and 28
maps.
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
The prices for the GEOCLOCK program are:
1 copy $30
2-9 copies $25/license
10-20 copies $20/license
21-40 copies $15/license
site license $600 for unlimited use at a single site.
These prices assume that the purchaser will produce the authorized
copies from a single master copy.
GEOCLOCK is normally shipped on two 360K 5.25" floppy disks. It is
available on a 720K 3.5" floppy disk for an additional $5.00.
For an additional $20, a set of at least 15 supplemental maps will be
included, and the next major release of the program will be mailed when it
becomes available. All these items are available for downloading at no
charge from the GEOCLOCK support RBBS. See section I.
Please add $5.00 for shipping and handling for destinations outside
the US and Canada. Cash or checks in US funds draw on US banks only.
The file MAILER can be printed to give both a registration form and an
envelope.
Additional custom rectangular maps can be produced from my existing
database for $30 per map. Simply specify the latitude and longitude of the
center point, and the north to south distance on the map (the map will be
scaled so that distances and azimuths are correct in the center of the
map), or the latitude and longitudes of the corner points. Custom maps
based on user supplied feature data or other projections (the GEOCLOCK
program only uses flat rectangular and polar projections, but Lambert and
perspective projections are available) are possible but must be negotiated
on a case-by-case basis.
Maps included with registration:
MAP1 World MAP2 48 States
MAP3 Eastern US MAP4 SouthWestern US
MAP5 Western Europe MAP6 Alaska
MAP7 New York City Area MAP8 Finer Scale NYC
MAP9 SouthEastern US MAP10 NorthWestern US
MAP11 Chicago Area MAP12 Texas
MAP13 Washington DC MAP14 Carolinas
MAP15 Pennsylvania MAP16 New England
MAP17 Central America MAP18 South America
MAP19 Africa MAP20 Australia
MAP21 India MAP22 Middle East
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Joseph R. Ahlgren GEOCLOCK version 4.0 89/11/29
MAP23 Micronesia MAP24 Japan
MAP25 China MAP2000 North Polar Map
MAP2001 North Polar Map 45 MAP2002 South Polar Map
MAP4001 VGA world MAP4002 VGA 48 states
MAP6149 SVGA world MAP6002 SVGA 48 states
Maps included with optional supplemental
disk:
MAP26 North Central Europe MAP27 Western Europe
MAP28 North Central Europe MAP30 San Francisco Area
MAP31 USSR MAP32 North Atlantic
MAP33 Scandinavia MAP34 Highlands and Islands
MAP35 Southern California MAP37 Southern California
MAP38 Sierra Nevada MAP54 Canada
MAP71 The Aegean Sea MAP77 Silicon Valley
MAP92 British Isles MAP100 Switzerland
MAP104 Prince William Sound MAP131 Mexico
MAP149 World Version 3
Joseph R. Ahlgren
2218 N. Tuckahoe St
Arlington, VA 22205-1946
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