Version 4.4 - 6th August 2021
The following information is intended for existing users who are already familiar with AstroGrav and want to quickly find out about the main changes.
Version 4.4 of AstroGrav is an upgrade containing a large number of improvements, bug fixes, and performance improvements. It is a free upgrade for customers who have already purchased a license for AstroGrav 4, so that all you need to do is to download Version 4.4 and use it in place of your old version. If you have any problems with this new version, please don't hesitate to contact us so that we can help you out.
Version 4.4 of AstroGrav has the following new and improved features.
Evolution Improvements
Version 4.4 of AstroGrav includes major improvements to the evolution algorithm. This provides many benefits, and in particular, greatly improves the accuracy of solar system simulations in most situations.
Improved Searching
Version 4.4 of AstroGrav includes the following updates to finding objects and celestial positions with the Edit / Find... command.
- An option has been added for finding a particular right ascension and declination on a solar system simulation's view window.
- An option has been added for finding a particular azimuth and altitude on a solar system simulation's view window.
- After an object has been found on a view window, it is now circled (like a background star) rather than selected, so that there is no longer an automatic change to the objects selected.
Trajectories and Histories
Version 4.4 of AstroGrav includes the following improvements when drawing the trajectories and histories of objects.
- Trajectories and Histories are no longer treated separately, but have been combined into Tracks that have characteristics of either or both.
- The View / Show All / Trajectories and View / Show All / Histories commands have been replaced with the single View / Show All / Tracks command.
- The View / Show Selected / Trajectories and View / Show Selected / Histories commands have been replaced with the single View / Show Selected / Tracks command.
- The View / Trajectories... command has renamed as the View / Configure Tracks... command, with choices of Lines only, Labels only, and Lines and Labels providing the same functionality as was previously provided by the separate trajectories and histories.
- The buttons on the view window tool palettes have been modified to accommodate the above changes.
Other Improvements
Version 4.4 of AstroGrav also has many other minor improvements and bug fixes, including the following.
- Handling invisible objects has been simplified, with the View / Show All / Invisibles and View / Show Selected / Invisibles commands being replaced with the single View / Show / Invisible Objects command.
- The Hilda asteroid category has been added to the tables that are shown with the Edit / Import Objects... command.
- A bug has been fixed that caused the Earth's rotational position to be out by about a minute.
- The column selectors at the top-left of tables have been modified so that they no longer close automatically when an item is selected.
- The drawing of background stars has been speeded up.
- Plus ('+') symbols are now allowed in exponents when editing angles.
- The error message that is displayed after entering a negative Family Size in the Edit / Add Family... command has been corrected.