A Technical Overview
Glenn A. Snyder, Project CLEA
CLEA Summer Workshop
June 21, 2010

I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Programming Language
Program Structure
Software Installation
Windows 7 & Vista
… & Macs

(Software Development Environment)

 Borland Pascal With Objects (V. 7.0)
 16-Bit Code (Windows 3.1) – but still runs on current versions (Win2000, Win XP, 32-bit
Win7/Vista ).

Environment not totally “integrated” - much left to programmer.
 Programmer makes direct calls to Windows API.
 No longer loaded on development machine. Code changes to modules “highly unlikely”.


(“The Revolution of the Moons of Jupiter”)

“The Rotation of Mercury Using Doppler Radar”

“The Flow of Energy Out of The Sun”

“The Classification of Stellar Spectra”

“Photoelectric Photometry of The Pleiades”

“The Hubble Redshift – Distance Relation”

“The Large-Scale Structure of The Universe”

 Borland Delphi 2007 – (Pascal based, expanded
Object features)
 32-Bit Code (All versions from Win 95 on)
- Programs (.exe) are larger but load, run faster.
 Highly integrated environment. Programmer moves quickly and easily between form and code.

Windows API is “hidden” from programmer.
 Forms and Controls look better!


“Radio Astronomy of Pulsars”

“Astrometry of Asteroids”

“Astrometry Toolkit”

“VIREO” (Multiple exercises)

“The Search for Object-X”

“The Period of Rotation of The Sun”

“Transits of Venus and Mercury”

“Dying Stars and The Birth of The Elements”

“The Revolution of the Moons of Jupiter” (V. 2)

 New Exercises:
“HR Diagrams of Open Clusters”
“Photometry of Variable Stars” (Under development.)
 Replacement of 16-bit modules:
“The Classification of Stellar Spectra”
“Photoelectric Photometry of Open Clusters”
“The Hubble Redshift – Distance Relation”
“The Large-Scale Structure of The Universe”
(“Radio Astronomy of Pulsars”)
 Identification of objects & other data completed.
 A general guide is completed. Some Student Guides to specific exercises are available. Work in this area is welcomed & encouraged.


Dedicated “laboratory” setting, with instructor present.
 Programs loaded on individual computers.
 Students have full use of computers, including hard drive write privileges.
 Program distribution to instructors & IT technicians via Web (FTP).

 Web-based execution.
 Use in a write-restricted environment
(network/shared drive or highly restricted computer).

“Unsupervised” access & use by students.


“Options” File

“Log” File
 Data passed between activities.
 Data for external analysis (spreadsheets).
 Partial results - some re-start capability.
 Final results – possible off-line combination with others.

 All CLEA programs have options (properties).
 Access is restricted.
Log on as “instructor”.
Password is “CLEA”.

Documented in Software User’s Guide (old modules) & popup “hints” (new modules).

Check out “Test” and “Edit” modes in new modules.
 VIREO will require more interaction with
Options.

 SelfInstalling Executables (“ InstallShield ”)

“ General User’s Guide… ” no longer applies. See
“ Quick-Start Guide ” (link on home page).

Also “ UserGuide2.doc
” on CD-ROM. (Draft form, but lots of good information.)
 If possible, install in default folder (C:\Program
Files\CLEA\ Exercise Name \).

Otherwise, keep path as short as possible. (“Old” programs have 72 character limit on path length.)

 For installation on network or shared drive, read “ Shared_Install.doc” on installation disk.
 To placate nervous IT administrators, see
“ License.rtf
” on same disk.
 Installation under Win 7/Vista – see next section.
 For other installation or run-time problems, send me an e-mail providing as much info as possible. ( gsnyder@gettysburg.edu
)

 Instructors need to be aware of possible
Win 7/Vista problems (and be prepared to address them) when assigning CLEA exercises as outside assignments or preparing “distance learning” programs.

 User told privileges are insufficient to install CLEA software.
 After installation, not all CLEA software can be run.
 Both addressed in write-up on PROJECT
CLEA HOME PAGE

 User usually has them.
 Unlike XP, must be specifically invoked when installation run under Win7/Vista.
 Procedure is outlined in write-up.


Windows versions called “Ultimate” are 64-bit code.
 All other versions (at this time) are 32-bit code.
 64bit “Ultimate” will NOT run 16-bit applications
(i.e., all “Old” CLEA modules identified earlier).
 1 st serious Windows compatibility issue in 18 years of CLEA.

 Use 32-bit Win 7 / Vista.
 Use a virtualization product.
 Use VIREO in place of 16-bit CLEA modules.
 Details also in write-up.

 Developing for a 2 nd platform would have required a 2 nd full-time programmer over the length of the project (~18 years).
 Our grants have never included anything close to the funds needed for this.
 We tried offering fixed-fee contracts to consultants – yield was 1 ½ programs.

 18 yrs ago Mac was not a developmentfriendly environment. (Intentional!)
 Windows API gave us more flexibility.
 At one point Mac nearly went out of business.
 Mac operating system versions have mostly not been backward-compatible.
Applications must be re-coded.

 Run a Windows emulator such as
Parallels on Mac.
 Run a Windows emulator under Linux.

“Wine” is freeware. Will run all “new” (32-bit)
CLEA modules.