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From the File menu, choose Load File. The standard data file is named
vallongtype.txt. Multiple versions of this data file may be kept
and loaded one at a time. Record format is validated on the fly while
loading data. Only valid records are loaded while invalid records are
disregarded. If a new data load is initiated, the previously loaded data
is replaced by the newly loaded data.
Linux:
The title bar and status bar display info about loaded records. When
a file load completes, the name of the data file is displayed in the title
bar while the number of records loaded is displayed in the status bar.
Windows:
The upper left portion of the vStar screen captioned "Data" displays info
about loaded records. When a file load completes, the name of the data file
and the number of records loaded is displayed in this area.
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Enter criteria values in the text boxes in the lower left portion of the
vStar screen captioned "Search Criteria", then click either the Search
Ascending button or the Search Descending button. The ascending search sorts
records in their natural order as loaded from the data file while the descending
search produces records in the reverse order. Search criteria text boxes are
disabled when there are no records loaded.
Right Ascension and Declination criteria specify an area of the sky to search.
Magnitude and Period criteria set limits on variability behaviors of the stars
to include in the search.
Linux:
The title bar displays info about searched records. When a search is
performed, the number of records included in the search is displayed in the
status bar.
Windows:
The upper left portion of the vStar screen captioned "Data" displays info
about searched records. When a search is performed, the number of records
included in the search result is displayed in this area.
Check boxes
When the "Mag:" check box is checked, these values are used in the current
search. When unchecked, magnitude values are disregarded.
When the "Period:" check box is checked, the minimum and maximum values are
used in the current search. When unchecked, period length is disregarded.
When the "No Lt. Curve" check box is checked, only stars with no magnitude or
period values are included in the search. When unchecked, magnitude and period
are used as specified.
* TIP: With all three check boxes unchecked, every star in the designated
region of the sky is displayed.
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Hours are entered with values ranging from 0 to 23. The "West" value
represents the western-most hour to search while the "East" value represents
the eastern-most hour to search. When the same value is entered for
West and East, only that hour is searched. Any values within the given range
may be entered for either criteria. The hour 0 will be spanned when it is
contained by the series of hours to be searched.
Degrees are entered with values ranging from -90 to 90. Negative values
represent southern degrees and positive values represent northern degrees.
The "South" value represents the southern-most declination to search while the
"North" value represents the northern-most declination to search. Any values
within the given range may be entered, but South must be less than North.
Maximum magnitude is entered as a positive floating-point value.
This "Max >" value represents the lower limit of brightness
(or upper limit of numeric value) for the maximum magnitude of the
star´s brightness range.
Delta magnitude is entered as a positive floating-point value.
This "Delta" value represents the least amount of brightness
change for the star´s complete period (See below).
* TIP: The values 99 and 0 respectively for Max and Delta will include any
records with magnitude data.
Days are entered as positive floating-point values. The "Least" and "Greatest"
values represent the lower and upper limits of the period of time during
which the star's brightness change cycles.
* TIP: The values 0 and 99999 respectively for Min and Max will include any
records with period length data.
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From the File menu, choose Save CSV. The current search results will be saved
in comma-separated format including column headers. This file may be loaded
into most spreadsheet programs for any further formatting or analysis.
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From the File menu, choose Save Text. The current search results will be saved
as a plain text file in the same native format as the original data file. The
resulting file may be loaded into the program as a subset of the larger data
file in order to perform a search within fewer records.
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