Adding Stars

Most of the settings for ChView are specified via parameter tags. The basic format of a parameter tag is:

In fact, most of this documentation will center around giving you a bunch of different setting names and telling you what values are applicable for them.

Preset Data

A bunch of basic data is already present embedded in the code. This was mainly for testing but can give you a quick start if you wish. You can turn this on by setting the parameter DataType to "cherryh". ChView is largely inspired by the fabulous works of C.J.Cherryh and the default stars have the names she gives to them.

<applet code=chview.ChViewer archvie=chview.jar width=640 height=320>
<param name="DataType" value="cherryh">
</applet>

gives:

Adding your own stars

Of course, the fun doesn't really begin until you start adding your own stars. Stars are added by creating values for settings named "body001" up to "body999". The value of this setting is a rather cryptic line. it is composed of several fields, delimited by the ! character. (No, there isn't a good reason why.) Here is a full example:

<param name="body001" value="S!Solar System!http://www.solstation.com/stars/sol.htm!Sol!Sol!G2V!1.0000!0.00,0.00,0.00">

or, more abstractly:

<param name="body001" value="S!<comment>!<link>!<common name>!<stellar name>!<spectra>!<mass>!<coord>">

Lets look at each field.

Record Type

This is always "S" for stars. (Actually, for backward compatibility, it is optional for stars. But pretend I didn't say that.) There are other record types, but they will be delt with later.

Comment, Link

If this ChView applet is being used as a navagational aid, the comment field is what is displayed in the title bar when this star is selected. If executed, then the browser is launched upon the link.

<applet code=chview.ChViewer archive=chview.jar width=640 height=320>
<param name="body001" value="S!Jo's Homepage!http://www.solstation.com/jaymin!Home!Home!K!1!0,0,0">

<param name="body002" value="S!Jo's Partypage!http://www.solstation.com/party!Party!Party!K!1!4,-4,4">

<param name="body003" value="S!Jo's Pictures!http://www.solstation.com/jaymin/pics!Pics!Pics!K!1!-4,4,-4">

</applet>

Common Name, Stellar Name

The stellar name is commonly the astrophysical name of the star. Where the common name is what it may be better known by. For example in C.J.Cherryh's universe the, rather boring, "Groombridge 34 A" is known as "Olympus" to her characters.

The Common Name is used to label the star on the display.

<applet code=chview.ChViewer archive=chview.jar width=640 height=320>
<param name="body001" value="S!!!Home!Sol!K!1!0,0,0">
<param name="body002" value="S!!!Outpost!Boring 154!K!1!4,-4,4">
<param name="body003" value="S!!!!Yawn 259!K!1!-4,4,-4">
</applet>

Spectra

The spectra is the astronomical data that controls the size and colour the star is drawn in. Valid specras are O, B, A, F, G, K, and M. For astronomica data this is usually followed by a number from 0 to 9 showing the subclass of that spectra. But ChView does not (currently) make use of this value.

Spectra may be further modified by appending d, * or ~. These signify a dwarf, giant and super-giant star. (No, there isn't a good reason why.)

<applet code=chview.ChViewer archive=chview.jar width=640 height=320>
<param name="body001" value="S!!!O!O!O!1!-9,-9,-9">
<param name="body002" value="S!!!B!B!B!1!-7,-6,-7">
<param name="body003" value="S!!!A!A!A!1!-5,-5,-5">
<param name="body004" value="S!!!F!F!F!1!-3,-3,-3">
<param name="body005" value="S!!!G!G!G!1!-1,-1,-1">
<param name="body006" value="S!!!K!K!K!1!1,1,1">
<param name="body007" value="S!!!M!M!M!1!3,3,3">
<param name="body008" value="S!Dwarf!!Gd!Gd!Gd!1!5,5,5">
<param name="body009" value="S!Giant!!K*!K*!K*!1!7,7,7">
<param name="body010" value="S!Supergiant!!F~!F~!F~!1!9,9,9">
</applet>

Mass

Again, in astronomical data this is the mass of the star in relation to Sol. Although extremely important astrophysically, ChView does not (currently) make use of this value.

Coord

This is the 3 dimensional position of the star. The units are, nominally, in light years. However you can really use any unit of measure you wish, and use the scale parameter accordingly. The applet example below will show you how each of the axis are layed out when ChView starts.

<applet code=chview.ChViewer archive=chview.jar width=640 height=320>
<param name="body001" value="S!!!-ve x!!G!1!-4,0,0">
<param name="body002" value="S!!!+ve x!!G!1!4,0,0">
<param name="body003" value="S!!!-ve y!!G!1!0,-4,0">
<param name="body004" value="S!!!+ve y!!G!1!0,4,0">
<param name="body005" value="S!!!-ve z!!G!1!0,0,-4">
<param name="body006" value="S!!!+ve z!!G!1!0,0,4">
<param name="body007" value="S!!!!!M!1!0,0,0">
</applet>

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