FAQs

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Distant Suns

  • What are the differences between the iPad version and the iPhone only version? (Besides the obvious that is!)
    • The iPhone only version is going to remain the small/fast app that it is. And will work fine on older devices: First gen iPhones and iPods. While the iPad/Universal version will target the faster, newer platforms, having expanded graphics and data sets that will make the older machines curl up into a fetal position and cry for their mama.
  • Didn’t you used to have a PC/Windows version, and where can I get it?
    • Sorry bunky, the PC version is no longer available. It never played well with Vista, so it wasn’t worth the effort to get it fixed. I may just release it for free at some point when I have the time to create such a package..
  • What are the main differences between the free version and the super sexy paid versions?
    • The free version is effectively the 1.0 version of Distant Suns, with some UI tweaks. Its feature set will remain as it is, a tool to give you an instantaneous snapshot of the sky at your current time. So if you like that, knock yourself out!
    • On the other hand, there are two paid versions, Distant Suns 2 and Distant Suns 3. The former is for older devices, while the latter for 3GS level and greater devices. They both give you:
      • The ability to set the date and time and animate the clock at  hi-speeds
      • Over 10x the number of stars
      • The ability to fine tune the look of the stars from serious to whimsical
      • Much deeper data for the stars and deep-sky wonders.
      • Mythological images for all of the constellations, not just the zodiacal ones.
      • All sorts of little extra tools to help you navigate and find things.
      • More landscape panoramas.
      • Monthly highlights
      • Tour Guide that will use the monthly highlights
      • Compass for 3GS+ owners. You can simply hold your iPhone up at any part of the sky and Distant Suns will automatically slew there.
      • Asterisms and other oddball objects
      • Smooth slewing from object to object
      • Historical notes on each constellation
      • Nightvision mode to preserve your dark adapted eyesight when using Distant Suns to identify the real constellations
      • Images of every object in the Messier deep-sky database, and all but one of the Caldwell objects (long story)
      • Cool (or annoying) sound effects, depending on your taste.
      • And….more jokes.
      • Distant Suns 3 takes all of the above and merges it with the Grand Tour solar system simulator. So not only can you observe the planets from earth’s surface you can fly out to the planets and look at them up close.
  • Why is the compass always grayed out on my iPhone?
    • The first and second generation iPhones did not have the compass hardware. Only starting with the 3GS did Apple start including that in their devices. In fact, I was developing on an iPod/touch 2G and didn’t need another phone, but I got the 3GS just for the compass feature.
  • The Tour-guide is showing me stuff that’s not up yet!
    • That’s because the Tour-guide is simply showing you the big things that are likely to be visible that night roughly between 8PM and midnight. So if you switch it on at  noon, don’t be too shocked that it’s aiming you towards the ground.
  • It shows me as being in San Jose when I am actually in Eastern Gilboa. What gives?
    • That means that it couldn’t get a GPS fix for you. Normally it should show a warning when that happens. It then goes to the default city of San Jose, home base for the worldwide Distant Suns empire. If you want it to try again go to Prefs and turn on Use Location Services.
  • I can’t use the compass. It says that I must have location services on, but they are on. Dude, what gives?
    • Sorry, poor wording on the alert. It means you that you probably have the location services in Distant Sun’s system preferences turned off.
  • How do I get it to turn off those annoying messages?
    • If you are talking about the messages that popup even when the app isn’t running, those are a part of the “Apple Push Notification” service that legs apps alert users of various events. Any app that makes use of this service will have asked you on install if you wanted it. To turn it off, simply go to the Settings->Notifications panel and select the application you want silenced. Note that Distant Suns uses these to announce any important astro events and any sales/contests for our software.
  • In the Lite version the docs mention a “bright stars only” feature which is missing from the preferences page. ‘Zup?
    • Bug on my part. That feature is no longer needed as the stars dynamically swap in and out depending on the zoom. So it in effect duplicates a little of the previous functionality. If you want really fine control over what and how the stars show then the full version will offer you that.
  • Do you plan on having a version that drives a telescope?
    • Not currently. However at some point not only will it drive a telescope it will wash it, change the oil and parallel park it as well.
  • Your ^^#&%$ program keeps crashing!
    • Try deleting it, reboot and do a reinstall. And if you have the Lite version, delete that as well. It is known that sometimes apps can be corrupted during a download.
    • If that fails and you are not in the North American locale, go to your iPhone/iPod’s International preferences and set the locale to the US. One such crash had to do with the way Greek and Chinese handled time displays that Distant Suns did not anticipate.
  • Can I license your engine for a game I am working on?
    • Yes!
  • Landscape no longer works.
    • When finishing up 2.1 I saw this. When trying to track it down, it started working again. After release it broke. Meh. I did find out that after using the video feature, it broke. But has also done the same sometimes without having used video.
  • I am having trouble upgrading. iTunes shows the new version but still seems to give me the old. What gives?.
    • That is definitely a known Appstore bug. Many other app authors are seeing the same thing with their updates
  • Will there ever be an Android Version?
    • I get asked this quite often. Trouble is, I only have enough time to work on one platform. Plus Android is Java (the Native Development Kit not-withstanding), so I’d have to re-write everything. In my port from the PC to the iPhone, about 75% of the code was reusable. I did send a note to the Google Ventures fund, to see if they might finance a port, but haven’t heard back from them yet.However, if a sharp Android developer wanted to license my code for a port, I’d be more than happy to talk to them about it.
  • Will there ever be Blackberry|Windows Mobile 7|WebOS|Moblin|MSX|GPP|Nokia Version?
    • Both Blackberry and Nokia’s are notoriously cumbersome to program. WebOS is primarily a web-based system, and the current Windows Mobile is on the way out. WinMo 7 looks really slick though, but is in C# and DS is C/Objective-C. If anyone wants to do it for one of these other versions, drop me a line.

Weather Planet

  • Sometimes the clouds are messed up, showing half the earth covered with haze and the other half clear.
    • That is an occasional bug on part of the software that generates the cloud maps. It’s not my software, so there is nothing that I can do about it, I just fetch the cloud data every 3 hours and display what it gives me. It doesn’t happen very often thank goodness, but does give a bad impression if that’s the first thing you see.
  • Sometimes I just get a white globe. at first
    • I think that has to do with the cloud image not being available yet. It is supposed to go over to a default cloudmap in that case, but sometimes doesn’t seem to find it. Sigh.


Permalink | November 8th, 2009

16 Responses to “FAQs”

  1. Buck Says:
    January 20th, 2010 at 8:56 pm

    Looks REEEEAAALLLLY cool. Too bad I don’t have an iPhone. Ya got something for BlackBerry? :-)
    Take care

    Buck

  2. proxima Says:
    January 21st, 2010 at 12:06 am

    Hi Chuck, sorry but nothing planned for the BlackBerry. Their development environment is not particularly easy.

    You could always just pick up a reconditioned 2nd gen iPod-touch, that’s what I used for most of my development.

  3. Erik Says:
    February 4th, 2010 at 3:31 pm

    This is my favorite app for the iPhone, but I really miss the landscape mode. Please bring it back soon, the night sky just isn’t meant to be viewed i portrait ;) .

  4. Barbara Says:
    February 10th, 2010 at 12:48 pm

    I purchased Grand Tour 3D. I am overwhelmed by the potential of this app. It would be very helpful if I could see the directions in “quickstart” and “experiments” while I’m using it. Could you publish that text here on your website so it could be printed out for reference while using the app?
    Thanks!

  5. proxima Says:
    February 11th, 2010 at 8:27 pm

    Great idea! I’ll see about getting that up in the near future.

  6. Andy Says:
    February 16th, 2010 at 12:15 pm

    I agree with Barbara, I seem to not being using this app up to it’s potential.

    Thanks

  7. Kryan Says:
    March 6th, 2010 at 12:18 am

    Any chance for an Android version? I’m looking to dump my itouch and switch to a more open platform, but lack of a good astronomy app is preventing me. I like, and regularly use, both Distant Suns and SkyVoyager. I’d happily pay again for both apps if I can get them…

  8. Tim Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 3:37 pm

    Any chance there will be a version for windows mobile? I have a HTC Touch Pro 2 I would love to put it on. I still use the windows version I bought a long time ago. Thanks for keeping a great product around.

  9. Charlie Says:
    March 27th, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    Will Your software work with the iPad?

  10. proxima Says:
    March 27th, 2010 at 2:46 pm

    I certainly hope it will. Still waiting for Apple to approve it for opening day next week.

  11. iPad Accessories Says:
    April 4th, 2010 at 6:37 am

    I am unable to possible until the apple ipad is out in the united kingdom, i have seen some online reviews through Us all consumers also it appears awesome. I’ve seen some amazing accessories ^ nearby as well! apple ipad PWNS!

  12. Fantomas Says:
    April 13th, 2010 at 10:21 am

    Why my post was deleted? This app have the find button?

  13. proxima Says:
    April 13th, 2010 at 4:30 pm

    I tried responding to your message directly but my response was bounced. If my a “find” button you mean a general purpose “search” utility, that’s on the list, but I just haven’t implemented it yet as it can get pretty complicated if I want to include every objects in the database.

  14. Eivind Says:
    April 16th, 2010 at 4:25 am

    Hi Mike,
    Love your programs for the iPhone and was wondering if you have plans to release Grand Tour and WX Planet for the iPod.? The increased resolution and graphics oomph would make an already great program even better!! I will definitely buy again if you make it available on the new platform. Thanks again for your excellent programs and keep up the good work!

    Best – Eivind

  15. JeffV Says:
    September 4th, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    I just started using DS3 last month. It has revolutionized the way I observe. No more lugging star charts out to the field.
    Just one request: I track asteroids, and DS3 doesn’t seem to have heard of them. They behave like planets, so adding 10 or 20 shouldn’t be a lot of work for you, and shouldn’t be computationally taxing for the iPhone.
    Even better would be a feature allowing the user to input the orbital elements of an arbitrary object. Then we could add any objects (asteroids, comets, NEOs, …) of our choosing. Well, at least the ones that are affected by gravity…

  16. proxima Says:
    September 5th, 2010 at 1:13 pm

    HI Jeff, at some point I may, but since Distant Suns is originally targeted for casual astronomers I build the tools and visuals for them first. Asteroid tracking it a little more sophisticated so gets bumped down on the list.

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