14 replies to this topic

[Takashi]

Hi!

 

When zooming in with SN7 the program is streaming down image files of the sky (and maybe more, updating star catalog?). This would be fine if I had Internet access all the time, but this is not the case. Is it possible to pre-download the complete star catalogs + all the image files for SN7?

[rmollise]

Are you sure it's really getting this stuff off the Internet? The previous version would take a while to load the sky images _from the hard drive_...

[btschumy]

OK, I asked my compadres at Simulation Curriculum about this.  Right now the full data download for offline use is a "beta" feature.  

 

If this is a Windows computer you can try it now but you will have to sign up as a beta tester here: 

http://beta.starrynight.com/reqreg.php

Once you are approved you will have access to an offline data download but, it is only Windows at this time.
If you log into your beta account you will see all the download links one for each program.

[stringbeans]

Are you sure it's really getting this stuff off the Internet? The previous version would take a while to load the sky images _from the hard drive_...

 

I wonder that myself. I've noticed that I am downloading data when zooming in/out but the actual SN7 file size doesn't seem to get any bigger in terms of Gb. I'm not happy about all this. SN7 is still not as reliable as SN6. My SN6 is a whopping 12Gb when I purchased it. None of this downloading images nonsense as you zoom in/out. When purchasing SN7 you are misled into thinking you need about the same size only to find out later that you've actually just paid for a measly 4Gb program needing an internet connection for downloads as and when you use the program. Are you serious! This to me is lazy on the developers part. 

 

I've noticed that the Devs never keep anybody updated over on the SN Yahoo group as to what bugs they're working on and what we can expect etc etc in the coming weeks and months. A weekly post on a Friday would be nice. Many game developers keep their customers informed with updates so why can't these people do the same?

[StarryNightGuy]

I wonder that myself. I've noticed that I am downloading data when zooming in/out but the actual SN7 file size doesn't seem to get any bigger in terms of Gb.

 

stringbeans,

 

Lead Developer of SN here. There are a bunch of reasons why we didn't deliver all that data on first download (most notably that it's now about 21GB and counting), but I promise it wasn't laziness! You have access to much more data in SN7 than was ever available in SN6, but yes it does stream down rather than being all there. (If you want it all in one go, just sign up for the beta program -it's free, fast and easy- and you can download it all in one go today.)

 

Note that we still deliver a LOT of data on first install, and it's only the deepest (18+ mag) USNO stars and all-sky images that currently download. The full NGC-IC (and all other) catalogs are present and accounted for in any default install.

 

The reason you're not seeing the application directory grow in size is because that's not where we download the data! (Both Windows and OSX forbid/discourage this.) The streamed data is downloaded (and kept "permanently") here:

 

(Windows)

\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\Simulation Curriculum\Starry Night Prefs\Sky Data\

(Note that the AppData directory on windows is often "hidden". A quick Googling can show you how to un-hide it)

 

(OS X)

/Users/<YourUserName>/Library/Application Support/Simulation Curriculum/Starry Night Prefs/Sky Data/

We're working on adding the "full data download on first install" feature and building it into our new installers too, based on comments and suggestions from users like you!

 

I hope that clears things up. Feel free to email me personally any time.

 

- Dave

[Takashi]

 

I wonder that myself. I've noticed that I am downloading data when zooming in/out but the actual SN7 file size doesn't seem to get any bigger in terms of Gb.

 

stringbeans,

 

Lead Developer of SN here. There are a bunch of reasons why we didn't deliver all that data on first download (most notably that it's now about 21GB and counting), but I promise it wasn't laziness! You have access to much more data in SN7 than was ever available in SN6, but yes it does stream down rather than being all there. (If you want it all in one go, just sign up for the beta program -it's free, fast and easy- and you can download it all in one go today.)

 

Note that we still deliver a LOT of data on first install, and it's only the deepest (18+ mag) USNO stars and all-sky images that currently download. The full NGC-IC (and all other) catalogs are present and accounted for in any default install.

 

The reason you're not seeing the application directory grow in size is because that's not where we download the data! (Both Windows and OSX forbid/discourage this.) The streamed data is downloaded (and kept "permanently") here:

 

(Windows)

\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\Simulation Curriculum\Starry Night Prefs\Sky Data\

(Note that the AppData directory on windows is often "hidden". A quick Googling can show you how to un-hide it)

 

(OS X)

/Users/<YourUserName>/Library/Application Support/Simulation Curriculum/Starry Night Prefs/Sky Data/

We're working on adding the "full data download on first install" feature and building it into our new installers too, based on comments and suggestions from users like you!

 

I hope that clears things up. Feel free to email me personally any time.

 

- Dave

 

Dave,

 

thank you for the excellent answer! I'll sign up to the beta program.

[Takashi]

I've joined the beta program now and tested it, and it seems to be working perfectly! Everything took about 12GB, but now all the images load really quickly!

[johnpd]

Dave,

 

  Will there be an option to redirect these files to other than the C:\Users area? I have a relatively small C:\ drive and I want to keep as much stuff off it as I can. I installed SN7 on another drive hoping any large databases would go there.

 

JohnD

[StarryNightGuy]

Will there be an option to redirect these files to other than the C:\Users area? I have a relatively small C:\ drive and I want to keep as much stuff off it as I can. I installed SN7 on another drive hoping any large databases would go there.

 

John,

 

For the moment we're writing data to these locations because they're the recommended place for such data on both platforms. I agree that it would be a good idea to allow a user to select a location for storing downloaded data. I'll have to consider it carefully for a future update.

 

- Dave

[StarryNightGuy]

All,

 

Note that the Starry Night (Windows only, for now) downloadable installers include an option to download and install the full data set. You can use your original download link to re-install, or you can get the (data only) installers for Windows from here:

 

Pro 7: http://stars.starryn...ata Package.exe
Pro Plus 7: http://stars.starryn...ata Package.exe

 

Thanks for the feedback. Keep the comments coming.

 

- Dave

[obrazell]

Hm I tried this and the installer pacakge came down, the data came down but it failed when it tried to extractt the data. Basically just said the installer was interrupted go away. This is on Windows 7. If the data is still on the system can it be extracted manually?

 

Owen

[obrazell]

An update if I downloaded and installed one data file at a time it worked. It just was not happy when I tried to do all three at the same time.

 

Owen

[solarviewer]

Was a Mac/OSX version ever made available?

 

Thanks,

 

Bob

[jkhalaf]

I'm curious as to whether a Mac/OSX version was ever made, as well.  It was tough using the program out in the field at the Texas Star Party this year, due to the lack of internet access there.

[QK1]

Hi Jkhalaf,

 

Please see here:

 

https://simcur.zende...plete-Download-