To install the Astrophotography program, create a new folder of your choice and drag all the files from the zipped folder into it,  then set up a shortcut to Astrofot.exe.  On first running the program it will create an 'INI' file in the Windows folder called astrofot.ini.  No other files will be created at any time.  You may get error messages at first, but once settings are complete they will be remembered next run.

The Database files can be readily amended using a text editor, either independently, or while the program is running using the 'View data files' button.  The 'Close file window' button will reload the data, but changes may affect your choice of the item in the altered file.  Sometimes if you've altered a file 'live' from the program, when you close the file window you may get errors.  Don't panic - just rechoose the item you require from the altered list.

The Object data base is a plain text file, always named 'objdata.txt', and must always be in the same directory as the main program.  If when you first run the program you get a 'File not found' error message, check that any shortcut you have set up has the same directory for the target and start folder.

All the Planets are already entered (except Pluto - no longer classified as a planet, and only a pinpoint in amateur telescopes), and all the Messier objects.  Also several of the better known deep sky objects.  You may alter the database and add your own favourites using any text editor, but you must follow the data structure accurately.

The structure is very straightforward - simply blocks of two as follows:

Description of object
Size of object

The description can be up to 30 characters long.
The size MUST be preceded by the type of measurement in LOWER CASE letters

This is 'd' for degrees
        'm' for arc minutes
        's' for arc seconds.

For example

M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy
m10.8

This sets M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy, with a size of 10.8 arc-minutes.  The description can take any form you prefer - it is straightforward text.  For non-circular targets, it is recommended that you use the larger dimension.

If you want to enter a section header, you must insert a blank line after it.  Likewise if you want a spacing blank line, you must enter two blank lines to maintain the 'blocks of two' data structure.

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The Camera sensor data base is also a plain text file, always named 'sensordata.txt', and must always be in the same directory as the main program.

In this case the structure is blocks of five (no section headers) as follows:

Name of camera
Number of pixels in the X-dimension
Number of pixels in the Y-dimension
Pixel size in the X-dimension (in microns)
Pixel size in the Y-dimension (in microns)

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The Optics data base again is a plain text file, always named 'optidata.txt', and must always be in the same directory as the main program.

In this case the structure is blocks of three (no section headers) as follows: 

Name of telescope/lens etc.
Aperture (mm)
Focal Length (mm)

For camera lenses, obviously the f-stop can be varied, so I suggest that if you are likely to be using a lens at more than one f-stop you make multiple entries.  The effective aperture will be the focal length divided by the f-stop, thus:

135 mm f2.8
48.2
135

or another setting:

135 mm f8
16.9
135

