The standard admonition: Please make a copy of your master McHurricane‚Ñ¢ disk! The disk you run McHurricane‚Ñ¢ from must be unlocked to save Preference changes.
NEW STORM ENTRY.
General. For initiating new storm files. Select ‘New Storm’ from the File menu (Command-N) and enter the appropriate data in the format shown in the examples. Letters will be converted to upper case. ‘Sust Wind Spd’, ‘Storm Fwd Spd’, ‘Baro Press’, and ‘Dia Hurc Wind Vel’ entries may be skipped by advancing to the next field. Fields identified with asterisks require data entry before departing the respective field. The Tab, Arrows, Return keys, or the mouse may be used in selecting edit fields. Normal text entry and editing procedures apply.
 
Date. If just the day and month are entered, the ‘Date’ will automatically be appended with the last two digits of the current year (if the Mac's clock is properly set); however, if the year is included in the entry (last two year digits), McHurricane™ will accept the Date input as entered.
Time. Position Time entry may be in either a 12 or 24-hour style; the style is selected from Preferences under the File menu. If the 12 Hr style is used, an A (or a), or P (or p) must follow the time entry. The Data Entry window Time examples are adjusted according to the Preference setting. All storm file plot times for the selected storm are SAVED to disk in the active style.
Sus Wind Spd. Enter speed in statute miles per hour.
Storm Fwd Spd. Enter speed in statute miles and movement direction (maximum of 5 characters). Examples: 12WNW, NW15, etc.
Barometric pressure may be entered in either inches of mercury or millibars (examples: 29.92 inches of mercury or 1013 millibars). Millibars will be converted to inches of mercury (the decimal point is used by McHurricane‚Ñ¢ to determine the type pressure entered and, therefore, critical).
Latitude°/Longitude°. Enter coordinates in degrees and tenths of degrees; entries in degrees and minutes will be refused. This should not cause problems, though, since the NWS Hurricane Center lists storm coordinates in degrees and tenths of degrees.
If you have multiple positions to enter during one session, select the "More" button following completion of each plot except the last, select the "Done" button for the final plot. If the plot entered is the initial plot for a new storm, you will be presented with a dialog box, enter the name of the storm file. McHurricane‚Ñ¢ will append the last two digits of the current year to the storm name entered to facilitate file identification. Selecting "Save" places the storm data in the selected disk/folder. Selecting "Cancel" from the File Dialog or the Data Entry window will result in the current plot information being ignored; i.e., lost. Once a storm file has been created on disk, subsequent plots are automatically saved when either the "More" or "Done" buttons are selected (provided all required entries have been made).
 
UPDATING STORM FILES. For adding storm positions to existing storm files. If no files are open, selecting "Update Storm…" will bring up an 'Open File' dialog; otherwise, activate the appropriate storm file by selecting it from the Storm List menu (a check mark indicates the active storm as well as the title of the Storm Log window), and then select "Update Storm…" The storm's next position number will be displayed in the Data Entry window; plot information is entered as outlined under New Storm Entry. A storm file is limited to 75 plots, you will be advised should the limit be reached. If this does occur, open a new file, title it "MyStorm2" as a continuation file. If color is available, selecting the same track color for both of the related storm tracks will help provide storm track continuity (see Preferences).
ALTERING STORM DATA. For correcting/altering storm position information in existing files. If no files are open, selecting "Correct Plot…" will bring up an 'Open File' dialog. Otherwise, activate the appropriate storm file by selecting it from the Storm List menu (a check mark indicates the active storm as does the title of the Storm Log window), and then select "Correct Plot…" Enter the storm position number to be altered and click on the "Pos# OK" button to display the selected plot data. The position number may be changed once it has been accepted and prior to 'saving' but data changes will be ignored. When you are satisfied with the altered data, select the "More" or "Done" button to update the storm file, the log window data and the map display. Selecting ‘Cancel’ will leave data at previous values.
 
INSERTING STORM DATA. For inserting a storm position between previously entered plots. If no files are open, selecting "Insert Plot…" will bring up an 'Open File' dialog; otherwise, activate the appropriate storm file by selecting it from the Storm List menu (a check mark indicates the active storm as well as the title of the Storm Log window), and then select "Insert Plot…" Enter the plot number that you want the new information to PRECEDE, then select the "Pos# OK" button. The remaining steps are exactly the same as updating data except that the MORE button is dimmed and not available.
CLOSING STORM FILES. Selecting "Close Storm…" in the File menu brings up a dialog listing the open storm files. Select the file(s) to be closed and then the "Close Storms" button to close the file(s) and remove storm(s) plots from the map. Selecting the "All Storm Files" button will highlight all of the listed storms. If you then decide to deselect some selected files, deselect the "All Storm Files" button first, then the highlighted files that are not to be closed.
 
PRINTING MAPS & STORM DATA. For best laser printing results of storm data, turn off all "Printer Effects" in the Page Setup dialog. When printing a map, selecting "Larger Print Area (Fewer Downloadable Fonts)" under Options in the Page Setup… will result in a full 8 1/2 x 11 page unclipped printout; reducing the printout size from the Reduce or Enlarge option will also prevent clipping but the map size will be smaller. If using a DeskWriter, select "Precision Bitmaps?" in the Page Setup dialog.
PREFERENCES. Selecting Preferences under the File menu permits assigning immediate and default settings. Selecting "Save" activates and saves selections (including the active map) for subsequent McHurricane‚Ñ¢ launches. "Configure" immediately activates changed preferences except for Display Data Log, and Maximum Map; if these options have been changed, they will be returned to their previous state since they are only effective at launch (read on). "Cancel" returns all options, including track colors changes, to their settings prior to the current Preference window activation.
 
Symbol. Storm plot symbols reflect the range of the maximum sustained storm winds (not hurricane class which is explained later). Solid symbols with tails indicate winds over 73 MPH (64 knots), minimum hurricane velocity. Open symbols with tails represent winds from 39 to 73 MPH (34 to 63 knots), tropical storm speed. Open symbols without tails (open circle) depict winds up to 39 MPH (34 knots), tropical depression velocity.
Lines. Connect storm plots. Please note that storm positions must be entered in the order issued by National Weather Service for this option to function properly. Lines can be useful in identifying plots that have been entered out of sequence.
24 Hr Clock. Selecting the 24-hour Clock option displays plot times in a 24-hour style (i.e.,1300 vs 0100P for 1:00 pm). New storm files and files altered or updated will be saved in the time method that is effective at the time of the save. However, times will always be displayed in the active style (a bit of worthless information unless you want to play with the storm files with Fedit Plus, MacSnoopy, etc.).
Track Color. The "Track Color" button (only displayed if color is active) opens a window for selecting storm track colors, hmm. Selecting the "Cancel" button leaves things as they were; "OK" accepts changes, however, selecting the "Cancel" button in the main "Preference" window will return track color to their old values even if accepted in the Plot Color Selection window.
 
Plot Info Box Location. There are four radio buttons in this area. The selected button (highlighted) reflects the corner of the map window in which the Plot Information data will be displayed, see MAPS for details.
Auto Data Scrolling. This option causes data in the Storm Log window to scroll to the end of the list when files are opened. Holding the Shift key down while selecting a storm file from the Storm List menu will also cause the Log window to scroll to the end of the listing. Selecting the file from the Storm List menu without using the Shift key will scroll the Log window to the start of the storm listing.
Display Data Log/Maximum Map. A selected 'Display Data Log' button will force the Storm Log window to be active and displayed on launch. Selecting the Maximum Map button causes the map to be drawn to the largest size possible (full map width on an Apple 13 inch monitor). If the main monitor is large enough for the full sized Map and Log windows to be displayed side by side and the Display Data Log button is selected, the Storm Log will be the active window. If the Log button is not selected, the map window will be active regardless of the Maximum Map button state. If the main monitor is not large enough to display the two windows side by side and the Display Data Log button is selected, the Log window will be cover some of the right side of the map window. Conversely for a small screen, if Maximum Map button is selected and the Display Log button is not, the map window will cover the Log window. If neither button is selected, the map window will be active; the log window will be shown on the right side of the screen and the map window will use the balance of the screen to the left. The "Save" button must be selected in order for these options to become effective on the next launch, "Configure" will return them to their previous states. Now I'm confused! Please experiment.
Color Data List. (Only available if color or gray scale is active.) Selecting this option will cause the storm position listing in the Storm Log window to be presented in the same color as the storm's plots on the map.
Custom City. Entering a city’s coordinates results in the city being plotted and the distance from a storm plot to the city displayed whenever "Plot Information" is selected (see Maps). Entering three question marks (???) in the custom city latitude (top) edit field will delete distance displays and the custom city plot. "Configure" will make the new entry effective immediately but does not change the default (Preference) city coordinates, "Save" makes the new position effective immediately and for subsequent launches. Minor variations between a permanent city plot and its custom city plot may occur since the permanent plots were based on degrees and minutes while custom city plots are based on degrees and tenths of degrees.
Maps. Maps may be selected via the Maps menu and all open storm files will be replotted on the new map, map dimensions permitting. A map may be repositioned either with the scroll bars or with the "Grabber" cursor dragging action by depressing the mouse button. The Grow/Sizing boxes are functional and there are options for doubling or halving the map scale via the Map Scale menu. Optional storm plot styling and a custom city's coordinates are entered via Preferences. McHurricane‚Ñ¢ attempts to place the last storm plot of the last opened storm file in the upper third of the map window; however, the proximity of the coordinates to the limits of the active map will affect the outcome.
Holding the Command key down when the map window is active will change the cursor to a pointing hand. Clicking the mouse with the tip of the pointing finger on a storm plot will result in the plot's data being displayed in a shadow box and a small rectangle drawn around the selected plot. The current plot information box and plot rectangle will be cleared the next time the mouse is clicked or menu selections made via the keyboard. The location of the shadow box is selected using the "Plot Info Box Location" buttons in the main Preferences window. NOTE 1. If multiple plot positions are superimposed, the plot information shown will belong to the plot of first storm file opened, or the first of identical plots belonging to the same storm. NOTE 2. The "Plot Information" feature is not available with 'scaled' maps.
The Registered version of McHurricane‚Ñ¢ comes with both black & white and color map resources. (If installed black & white maps are desired, please advise when registering.) The reason behind the two styles is conservation of disk space (about 180K) and possibly increased speed if color isn't available. The map resources (PICT) style may be changed at any time by using ResEdit 2.1 or later, no additional changes are necessary. Changing to b&w map resources save very little RAM during run time.
Print Map under the File menu prints a full-page map. The size of the map in this option exceeds the standard margins on most laser printers and the DeskWriter. For the laser printers, selecting Enlarged Print Area and 100% size usually handles the situation. If you don't have the enlarged print area option, then try reducing the printed image size to 96% (Reduce or Enlarge option in the Page Setup… window. Select "Precision Bitmaps?" for the DeskWriter. If an ImageWriter is used, select 'Tall Adjusted' or the map will be distorted. Text in the map graphics will normally print in laser/ATM quality. City names are in Geneva 9, State/Country names are in HelveticaBold - Outline 10 (Hevetica will usually be substituted for the Geneva when printed but it did not look as good as Geneva for screen display).
NOTE 1. I have had a request to include a routine to add cities to the map resources. I prefer not to do this for several reasons, overprinting of existing information, etc. You as an individual may alter your map resources to include anything you wish but you're on your own. ALTERED MAP RESOURCES MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED. A couple words of caution, alterations need to be done in a graphic utility that handles color and "Draw" format or the laser type text will be lost, and USE A COPY! If you'd prefer, I'll install up to ten cities for a registered user for $5, just provide me the names. You can also create a city "storm file" reflecting city coordinates. Enter a number below 30 for wind speed and the cities will be plotted as open circles. Obviously there is a name problem with this approach.
NOTE 2. An overprint will appear in the map window and printed maps of the Shareware distribution version of McHurricane‚Ñ¢ advising that the copy is not registered. Please refer to Chapters 5 and 6 for registration information.
NOTE 3. The alert user will notice that the cursors associated with Save and Open File dialog boxes are black and white. This results from my using the Mac's routines rather than "reinventing the wheel." A new field to investigate downstream, maybe!
