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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers
Dear observing friends:
For years I've had the telescope observers'/astrophotographers' computer program "Eyepiece" on one of my websites for free download and totally free use, but because it is so old I was about to take it off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the software.) But recently I discovered a useful utility that will make it work on faster machines; rather than dispose of "Eyepiece" as "abandonware" perhaps I'll keep it on our site for a while if people would like to have a copy and try it out (I recommend the double star section of the program, and the visibility calculator to advanced observers; beginners will find many other sections useful.) The utility is called "Mo'Slo" and many gamers are using it to accommodate old software on modern fast machines - we aren't gamers so it took a while to discover this software, which has a free evaluation copy (with a 15 day trial that doesn't seem to expire past that date) on the web at: http://www.hpaa.com/MoSlo/moslotry.asp You just put Mo'Slo's com file in your path, and execute it with a speed parameter and the path of the program you want to run. With our 600 MHz Pentium III the program worked fine at a speed setting of 40%. The documentation about that is included in the Mo'Slo program. This program may be useful if you have any ancient DOS astronomy pograms that won't start on a modern fast system: as long as the problem is related to the speed of a too-fast CPU clock rate. So, for at least a reasonable amount of time in the future, you may still download Eyepiece 2.0 for free (and use it forever, free) at: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~steve_waldee/index.html We put in some advice for the adventuresome who might even try "looking thru the wrong end of the telescope" by using this old c.1992 program in Windows XP. But it works best on a machine booted to DOS. It wasn't originally written as shareware or freeware; this is the actual commercial edition that Steve & Ron sold for a few years. But you may now consider it freeware. So, perhaps we won't be clobbered by people complaining that by mentioning the software we're abusing the newsgroup! Hey: IT'S FREE! FREE!! We take gratification in knowing that some people may find it helpful. Best. Regina Roper (Lick Observatory Volunteer, Music of the Spheres Concerts) My Lick Concert Page: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~regin...ic/concert.htm Viewing the Leonids: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~steve.../leonid-rr.htm 2003 Mars Opposition: http://home.earthlink.net/~steve_waldee/mars/mars.htm Eyepiece Software Download: http://home.earthlink.net/~steve_waldee/index.html Regina's Home Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~regina-r/index.html |
#2
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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers
Dear Regina,
There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast. I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free. -- Clear skies, Michael Covington -- www.covingtoninnovations.com Author, Astrophotography for the Amateur and (new) How to Use a Computerized Telescope |
#3
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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers
Dear Regina,
There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast. I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free. -- Clear skies, Michael Covington -- www.covingtoninnovations.com Author, Astrophotography for the Amateur and (new) How to Use a Computerized Telescope |
#4
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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers
Dear Regina,
There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast. I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free. -- Clear skies, Michael Covington -- www.covingtoninnovations.com Author, Astrophotography for the Amateur and (new) How to Use a Computerized Telescope |
#5
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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers
Dear Regina,
There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast. I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free. -- Clear skies, Michael Covington -- www.covingtoninnovations.com Author, Astrophotography for the Amateur and (new) How to Use a Computerized Telescope |
#6
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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer programwork on fast computers
On 01/16/04 11:07 +0900, Regina Roper wrote:
off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the software.) The problem comes from the delay-loop calibration during initialization of the CRT unit. If your apps can operate without the CRT unit, simply remove it from the uses statement and recompile. If that doesn't do the trick, there are CRT fixes available. My favourite is the drop-in replacement that was distributed by TurboPower. If you'd like it, drop me an e-mail and I'll forward it to you. (TurboPower has closed its doors and while the files are still available via http, it's difficult to find 'em.) With the TurboPower CRT replacement, you just recompile the executables and things run fine again. No source-code changes are required. trane -- //------------------------------------------------------------ // Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan // Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty. |
#7
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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer programwork on fast computers
On 01/16/04 11:07 +0900, Regina Roper wrote:
off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the software.) The problem comes from the delay-loop calibration during initialization of the CRT unit. If your apps can operate without the CRT unit, simply remove it from the uses statement and recompile. If that doesn't do the trick, there are CRT fixes available. My favourite is the drop-in replacement that was distributed by TurboPower. If you'd like it, drop me an e-mail and I'll forward it to you. (TurboPower has closed its doors and while the files are still available via http, it's difficult to find 'em.) With the TurboPower CRT replacement, you just recompile the executables and things run fine again. No source-code changes are required. trane -- //------------------------------------------------------------ // Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan // Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty. |
#8
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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer programwork on fast computers
On 01/16/04 11:07 +0900, Regina Roper wrote:
off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the software.) The problem comes from the delay-loop calibration during initialization of the CRT unit. If your apps can operate without the CRT unit, simply remove it from the uses statement and recompile. If that doesn't do the trick, there are CRT fixes available. My favourite is the drop-in replacement that was distributed by TurboPower. If you'd like it, drop me an e-mail and I'll forward it to you. (TurboPower has closed its doors and while the files are still available via http, it's difficult to find 'em.) With the TurboPower CRT replacement, you just recompile the executables and things run fine again. No source-code changes are required. trane -- //------------------------------------------------------------ // Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan // Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty. |
#9
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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer programwork on fast computers
On 01/16/04 11:07 +0900, Regina Roper wrote:
off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the software.) The problem comes from the delay-loop calibration during initialization of the CRT unit. If your apps can operate without the CRT unit, simply remove it from the uses statement and recompile. If that doesn't do the trick, there are CRT fixes available. My favourite is the drop-in replacement that was distributed by TurboPower. If you'd like it, drop me an e-mail and I'll forward it to you. (TurboPower has closed its doors and while the files are still available via http, it's difficult to find 'em.) With the TurboPower CRT replacement, you just recompile the executables and things run fine again. No source-code changes are required. trane -- //------------------------------------------------------------ // Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan // Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty. |
#10
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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers
On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 21:19:16 -0500, "Michael A. Covington"
wrote: Dear Regina, There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast. I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free. Thanks, and thanks too for your wonderful books! Do you happen to remember if this patch is required BEFORE recompiling the program, or if it can be applied to any compiled and existing executable? I haven't the foggiest idea where the compilers are...we've moved and they may be in storage. Stephen hasn't written any code since 1996. RR |
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