I've been using INDI and Kstars for a while now, and greatly prefer them to everything I've used prior. Thank you to the developers.

I'm wondering if there is a way to programatically add flags? Are these stored in a file somewhere I can modify? I'd like to keep a visual log of where I've shot images in the software somehow. Preferably by leaving the FOV CCD square for each area imaged? No idea if this is possible.

How are the asteroids stored, is there a file I can update to add my own asteroids?

Cheers,

David

About flags, just right click on the kstars planetarium map. Follow the menu for adding a flag. A popup tells you how to make your own icon, and where the files are stored.

Regarding the asteroids: check the .local/share/kstars directory if you are on Linux.

Most of the settings are stored in sqlite databases. Explore them, I am not sure we have a complete document about the structures.

I use it on both Linux and Windows, for now I'm working in Windows. Just trying to figure out how to add a custom asteroid. I'm assuming the software just needs the orbital elements.

Look at the properties of your kstars icon and find the root directory. Knowing that, you should be able to find these other file references:

The handler code is contained in the file: ./kstars/skycomponents/asteroidscomponent.cpp
The data file is: kstars/kstars/data/asteroids.dat

The file format looks like this (first 2 lines of a large data file):
#full_name,epoch_mjd,q,a,e,i,w,om,ma,tp_cal,orbit_id,H,G,neo,M1,M2,diameter,extent,albedo,rot_per,per_y,moid,class
" 1 Ceres",57000,2.557665961167666,2.76750591440571,.07582276595896797,10.59338616262872,72.52203270043788,80.32926547452543,95.98917578768719,20130916.6150519,"JPL 33",3.34,0.12,N,,,952.4,"974.6 x 909.4",0.090,9.074170,4.60406067922

The field(s) are defined as follows (per the code):
* The data file is a CSV file with the following columns :
* @li 1 full name [string]
* @li 2 Modified Julian Day of orbital elements [int]
* @li 3 perihelion distance in AU [double]
* @li 4 semi-major axis
* @li 5 eccentricity of orbit [double]
* @li 6 inclination angle of orbit in degrees [double]
* @li 7 argument of perihelion in degrees [double]
* @li 8 longitude of the ascending node in degrees [double]
* @li 9 mean anomaly
* @li 10 time of perihelion passage (YYYYMMDD.DDD) [double]
* @li 11 orbit solution ID [string]
* @li 12 absolute magnitude [float]
* @li 13 slope parameter [float]
* @li 14 Near-Earth Object (NEO) flag [bool]
* @li 15 comet total magnitude parameter [float] (we should remove this column)
* @li 16 comet nuclear magnitude parameter [float] (we should remove this column)
* @li 17 object diameter (from equivalent sphere) [float]
* @li 18 object bi/tri-axial ellipsoid dimensions [string]
* @li 19 geometric albedo [float]
* @li 20 rotation period [float]
* @li 21 orbital period [float]
* @li 22 earth minimum orbit intersection distance [double]
* @li 23 orbit classification [string]
*/
Find the elements for your object to match the above field format (JPL or other online source), and add to the file (make a backup!). Restart kstars and check your object. Hopefully that should do it. Good luck.

Edit: I confirm that just changing the file doesn't work for search. I also tried to touch the handler and then recompile. Also no luck. Found and changed the (duplicate) .dat file in .local/share/kstars directory. None of these changes triggered expected new behavior. So, I'm at a loss to explain to to effect a change. Definitely seems that a change of a .dat file should just work! Sorry for the post confusion....

Thanks. I updated that file by just copying CERES to the bottom with a new number and name, doesn't show after restarting Kstars.

I'm aware there is a way to use a custom flag icon. I'm wondering if I can programatically make them. I'm doing survey work and would love the ability to make custom FOV icons where I was the last few nights.

Cheers,

David