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Info-Mac 1992 August
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info-mac-1992.iso
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Applications (app)
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3D Galaxy Collisions
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Help Text 3DGC
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1989-02-20
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FOR A QUICK START
To start a collision select either ‘New’ under the ‘File’ menu and click
either of the first four buttons then select ‘Configure’ under the ‘Galaxy’
menu and then click the ‘OK’ button, after a short wait the window will
disappear. Now select ‘Plot’ from the ‘Galaxy’ menu and the plotting at
each time unit will now occur. The collision that occurs depends on the
button selected. By going straight to selecting ‘Configure’ under the
‘Galaxy’ menu and then click the ‘OK’ button, waiting, then selecting ‘Plot’
from the ‘Galaxy’ menu a standard ring galaxy collision is started. If while
under configure you change any of the data in the edit fields you can change
to a non standard collision.
APPLE MENU
‘About Galaxy Collisions...’ reshows the screen you had to cancel, by
clicking the ‘Continue’ button or pressing the <Return> key.
FILE MENU
‘New’ displays a dialog window for selecting various types of final
galaxy types; Ring, Bridge & Whirlpool. The fourth type is for an unknown
finish. Clicking any of the four radio buttons closes the ‘New’ window. To
be able to repeat the results of a good random start, but only during a single
startup of ‘3D Galaxy Collisions’, a check box is provided. Just click this
box if you want to have repeatable random galaxy results. The edit field for
softening factor is preset with 2. This ensures that gravitational effects
don’t get out of had. Experiment with this number at your own risk, try
lower numbers, but suggest 1.5 as low as you should go. The softening
factor makes use of the inverse squared law of gravitation to reduce the
effects of garvity when the galaxies are in close to each other.
‘Open...’ will open a standard dialog which allows you to choose ‘3D
Galaxy Collision’ type files.
‘Close’ will close an open file.
‘Save’ will save an already ‘Save As...’ file.
‘Save As...’ will open a standard dialog which allows you to save ‘3D
Galaxy Collision’ type files.
‘Help’ provides this help advice window.
‘Page Setup...’ brings up the standard page setup dialog for the particular
printer selected with ‘Chooser’ under the ‘Apple Menu’.
‘Print...’ brings up the standard printer dialog for the particular printer
selected with ‘Chooser’ under the ‘Apple Menu’. Note printing will make
black stars on a white background, to reduce ribbon useage.
‘Transfer...’ allows transfer to another application.
‘Quit’ takes you back to the ‘Finder’.
EDIT MENU
Not yet functional between applications, but will work with edit fields
and desk accessories.
GALAXY MENU
‘Configure’ lets you make changes to standard data, such as change the
number of stars and rings, to a maximum of 500 stars. You can also change
the INTRUDER galaxy’s mass, start position and velocity through space.
Change to the number of itterations can also be edited, once maximum
itterations is reach you will have to step through each time period (see
below for ‘Plot’). If you ‘Open...’ an existing file ‘Configure’ is skipped.
‘Plot’ will automatically commence stepping through the number of
itterations set with ‘Configure’. Use <Stop> button to stop and <Step> to
single step one time period at a time and <Continue> to resume automatic
time itterations again. Note on a 512k Mac it will take 68 secs. between
time itterations, that is why the watch cursor is displayed, a Mac Plus
takes secs. and a Mac SE takes 57 secs. To get printouts or save an
intermediate result use the <Stop> button to regain normal menu, dialog,
etc. event processing.