Munipack for DOS 2.3 (Beta 3) ReadMe file
=========================================
Content:
1. Corrected problems in version 2.3
2. New Features of version 2.3
3. Warnings
4. Known Problems
5. Info for Users of Non-SBIG Cameras

(note - parts 3 and 5 did not change from the previous version 2.2)


1. Corrected Problems
---------------------
* Munipack for DOS now works right also when running under Windows 2000 and
  Windows XP. Due to malfunction of the DOS command "move" under these newer
  systems, the older versions of Munipack did not work under them. Now I use
  "copy" and "del" commands instead "move", simply, and it works...

* The new format of DATE-OBS parameter in FITS files (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss)
  is now supported and can be read.


2. New Features
---------------
* Completely new graphical procedures to plot the star field in "Choose
  stars" were created, so the field should now look much more similar to 
  CCD frame. You can now also adjust the sizes of the plotted circles by
  pressing the arrow keys interactively!

* New version of KONVE - program for conversion from STx to FITS - by Filip
  Hroch was used - now also ST-9 and ST-10 image formats should be converted
  correctly

* You can save a hardcopy of the star field with mouse-selected stars, as it
  is plotted by the "Choose stars" function, to a BMP file, and simply convert
  it to a GIF file by "Save field" in "Plotting" menu (bmp2gif utility by Ian
  Gay was used).
  This is VERY useful to archive such images for later identification of
  comparisons that you used.

* When you select to obtain the instrumental magnitudes, you can now choose
  as many stars as you want, or only one, if you decide... Later you had to
  select always 4 stars. You finish the selecting by pressing Enter.

* Coordinates of chosen stars (in pixels) are automatically written to file
  RESULTS\COORDIN.DAT and after "Save data file", this file is renamed to the
  same name as the photometry data file, but with .coo suffix. So by plotting
  this data you can easily watch, how precisely is your telescope guided -
  how the stars move on chip during the observation.

Use the interactive help (F1) when running Munipack to get further info on
each function (press F1 when the function of your interest is highlighted
in a menu).


3. Warnings
-----------
* Under Windows, run the "Choose stars" procedure only in the full-screen
  window mode (Alt+Enter), otherwise it can freeze when saving screen copy
  to BMP file (if chosen)!

* Run Munipack ONLY from its home directory, otherwise it will
  have problems with paths!

* Use AS SHORT PATHS AS YOU CAN (I mean the path where you install Munipack
  and the paths to data, dark frame and flat field). If you use very long
  paths, there will be problem with the limitation of a DOS command length
  (some commands will not work at all).

* In "Setup", write the paths without backslash at the end - f.e. C:\DATA
  (and NOT C:\DATA\ !) 



4. Known Problems
-----------------
* In several cases, brightest star in field was not found during the
  photometry. The conversion to FITS was updated and works well, but the
  photometric routine (muniphot) stayed the old and it os probably the
  problem. I hope I will be able to compile Filip Hroch's new version of
  MUNIPHOT also for DOS soon.

* On one PC I noticed some graphics malfunction using the FITS viewer, but
  on all others it works well

* If you have too many DOS system variables defined in your autoexec.bat
  (such as paths etc.), there can be few space for system variables defined
  by Munipack, which can cause various crashes. To avoid this, remove all
  useless definitions from your autoexec.bat (sometimes they are added
  automatically when installing other programs...)



5. Info for Users of Non-SBIG Cameras
-------------------------------------
I have some great news for you - now you can use Munipack for DOS and it 
really works! :) The only condition is, that your software must allow you 
to save your images to FITS format (Flexible Image Transport System).

For the following explanation, let us expect that you have installed 
Munipack to C:\MUNIPACK.

a) Save images from your camera to FITS format, including the dark frame
   and flat field images.
b) Copy your FITS files to the C:\MUNIPACK\FITS directory, except the 
   dark and flat.
c) Copy your flat field to C:\MUNIPACK\TEMP and rename it to flat.fts
d) Copy your dark frame to C:\MUNIPACK\TEMP and rename it to dark.fts

Now you can begin with the photometry process. Start Munipack, skip the
"Setup", "List data" and "Convert data" commands and begin with "List FITS 
files".

Then you can use the following commands in the same way as SBIG users -
except the "Automatic" menu, which expects the input images in STx format.
You cannot use the functions in this menu at all, maybe in some future 
version...

Look to the manual of your camera to get some technical parameters such
as read noise or gain, which you must set by "Edit mphot.opt" before doing
the photometry. The preset values are for SBIG ST-7 camera.

NOTE: some camera-controlling software may create FITS files with the date 
or other parameters written in some non-standard format, so at least for the
first time, check if the JD in the resulting data file is correct!!!
It should be calculated as 
TS + 1/2 EXPT,
where TS means time, when the exposure was started, and EXPT is exposure 
time (so the JD means the mid-exposure time).

If you find a problem, contact me.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Document written by Lukas Kral <krall@troja.fjfi.cvut.cz>
Last Update: 2nd April 2001
