Some dialog controls

... and what they do

Configuration name

• Select
• Delete

A solar system configuration simply is an ordered list of objects. What ordered means will be explained below.

The select button puts the objects that comprise the named configuration into the selected objects list.

In the picture the configuration is named 'Default Configuration' and it consists of three objects named 'Sun', Earth', and 'Ship'.

The delete button deletes the particular configuration permanently.

Available objects list

• Create new objects
• Append
• Delete

The available objects list shows all objects that are currently available for building a solar system.

Objects come in three different types or categories:

• First there are stars. Stars have mass and emit light. They exert gravitational forces and are subject to them as well.
• Then there are planets. For Space Explorer 1.0 stars and planets are pretty much the same with two exceptions: Planets do not emit light but - in contrast to stars - they may possess rings.
• The third and final object type is called observer. An observer has mass and thus is subject to gravitational forces, but does not exert gravitational forces on stars or planets. Its motion can be controlled by applying forces and torques. As the name suggests, the player is represented by an observer in Space Explorer 1.0.

In order to create an object you need to specify the type, i.e. star, planet, or observer, and tell whether the object you are about to create orbits any other object. Depending on your choice with regard to the orbit and the object type, the Create new objects button opens a configuration wizard where you can specify the physical characteristics of the object to be created.

The Append button copies the highlighted objects to the selected objects list and appends them to the end of the selected objects list. Using Ctrl key and mouse you can highlight multiple objects.

The Delete button deletes the highlighted objects permanently.

• Ordering the list
• Check consistency
• Remove from list
• Change orbit
• Configure object

The list of selected objects can be ordered by drag and drop. One has to follow a number of rules to form a consitently ordered list that qualifys as a valid system configuration. The rules are

• The first object in the list cannot orbit any other object
• The last object in the list must be of type 'observer'
• There must be exactly one 'observer' object in each configuration
• No object can orbit itself
• The orbitee must be listed above the orbiter (also discussed here)

These and a number of additional sanity checks are performed when the Check consistency button is clicked. The short list in the figure above is consistent because object no 2 (earth) orbits object no 1 (sun) which does not orbit anything. Object no 3 (ship) is of type observer and listed last. It could orbit any object listed above, though.

The Remove from list button deletes the highlighted objects from the list. The objects themselves are not deleted.

The Change orbit button opens the specify orbit dialog that allows to assign another object to be orbited.

The Configure objects button opens a configuration wizard where you can modify the physical characteristics of the highlighted object.

One thing is important to note at this point to avoid unpleasant surprises:

The facts that

• any object can be part of any configuration and
• all objects, regardless of the configuration they are part of, are stored in the same folder

have the consequence that changing the properties of an object will affect all configurations containing the object.

This can be avoided by renaming the objects whenever they are reconfigured.

All recordings you do while on a journey will be stored using the name specified here. Note, that even though it is possible to record different sequences during one journey, it is not possible to append to an existing recording that was taken during a previous journey. Previous recordings by that name will be destroyed when you do a recording on a new journey.

All snapshots you take while on a journey or watching a recording will be stored in a folder using the name specified here. In contrast to recordings, there is no restriction on appending to existing snapshots by the same name during different missions.

Save

This button will save the following items:

• The list of selected objects will be saved under the configuration name specified in step 1 of the configuration manager dialog
• The titles for recordings and screenshots will be saved under the respective names specified in step 3 of the configuration manager dialog

It is important to note that the changes you may have made to the objects in the list have already been saved during step 2 of the configuration dialog.