[Kstars-devel] Updating the API documentation

[Jasem Mutlaq]

Ok, so I'm still working on improving the API documentation and wanted to
add a section "How it works" to explain (ELI5) how KStars overall work. I
wrote the following which is most likely inaccurate, please help me come up
with a decent "How it works" section in the updated API docs:

How it works?

TODO This is a work in progress, it might not be accurate.

The following explanation is a very high level and general overview on the
basic workflow in KStars. When you run KStars, the following general steps
are executed (not necessarily in this order):

+ An Instance of KStars is created.
+ Data for stars, catalogs, deep sky objects, comets...etc are read and
loaded into memory. Some data are not read unless necessary, such as stars
that only appear at very high zoom levels.
+ Toolbars, menus, and GUI elements are initialized.
+ Time is initialized. Simulated clocks normally ticks forward at a
particular interval, the default being once per second like a real clock.
+ The coordinates of the sky objects loaded previously are calculated given
the current date and time settings. Effects for precession, nutation,
aberration, and refraction are taken into account.
+ Each component draws itself on the skymap. The order of the drawing
routine ensures layers such as equatorial/horizontal grid lines are drawn
last.
+ The sky map responds to user input from keyboard and mouse to perform
various actions such as panning, zooming, invoking the popup menu for a
particular object...etc.
+ TODO Add more detials

On Mon, Feb 9, 2015 at 10:11 AM, Jasem Mutlaq <mutlaqja at ikarustech.com>
wrote:

> Hello folks,
>
> Recently, I started revamping KStars API documentation since I realized
> that even after 10+ years in KStars, I am completely oblivious to some
> KStars key components. The API documentation is now better but it still
> needs a lot of work. I also plan to work on updating the handbook (or if
> anyone else wants to step in that would be great!). For now, I propose the
> following breakdown for the API, please let me know if I am missing
> anything or if it needs to be structured differently altogether.
>
> API Breakdown:
>
> 1. Data
>   + SkyMapComposite
>   + SkyComponent
>   + SkyObject et al.
>
> 2. View
>   + KStars
>   + SkyMap
>   + KSPopupMenu
>   + InfoBoxes
>   + Labels & Trails
>   + Flags
>   + FOVs
>   + Projections
>
> 3. Time
>   + SimClock
>
> 4. Math
>
> 5. Tools
>   + Calculator
>   + Devices
>   + Sky Calender
>   + What's up tonight
>   + What's interesting
>   + Solar System
>   + Jupiter Moon
>   + Star Hopper
>   + Angular Distance
>
> 6. Observation
>     + OAL
>     + Observation Planner
>     + Session Planner
>
> 7. Auxiliary
>   + Image Viewer
>   + Color Schemes
>   + Wizard
>   + Settings
>
> 8. Scripting
>   + DBUS interface
>   + Script Builder
>
> --
> Best Regards,
> Jasem Mutlaq
>
>


-- 
Best Regards,
Jasem Mutlaq
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