Release notes for OVT version 2.1

April 12, 2002

This release of OVT is the first one from 2.0 in April, 2001. There are many new features and bug-fixes.

New features

Data visualization module

gives possibility to visualize simple data on orbit and/or fieldlines. It includes following modules:

Load Data Wizard, which can load data from 2-column data file containing time and value;
Data scalar bar;
Data on orbit module;
Data on fieldlines Module;
Data Properties window.

View Controls

View Control Window include Perspective/Parallel projection choice;
Look at menu item in Earth, Satellite and GroundbasedStation pop-up menu;
View Control Toolbar contains fast views buttons: close view to the northern/southern hemisphere, views from x, -x, y, -y, z, -z and a button to show a View Control window.

Orbit files (TLE) validation tool

checktle - allow user to create "correct" TLE files by cleaning double and incorrect ordered lines. It is strongly recommended to process TLE files with checktle when importing. checktle is located in ovt2g/bin directory and is used from the command line checktle filein.tle fileout.tle.

Shape of Cluster satellites

is now cylindrical with additional small cone, indicating spin axis orientation.

Magnetosphere

visualization is now possible with "thick" fieldlines in addition to wireframe. Thickness of the fieldlines can be specified.

Footprints

now have time labels.

Earth

visualization now includes

meridians and parallels (grid) with labels;
different texture choice (Black & White, Normal and High Resolution).

Orbit monitor

dumper now has option to include B-total, Bx, By, Bz, Footprint coordinates, Dipole Tilt angle.

Updates and fixes

Field line calculation

works approximately 2x times faster due to some optimizations included.

Orbital files

Cluster LTOF files are updated to 25-Jan-2002;
Updated orbital files for other satellites are included in the distribution and also can be found at our download page

Caption

is wiser. Example: (2001-01-01 00:00:00 - 2001-01-02 00:00:00) is changed to (2001-01-01 00:00:00 - 02 00:00:00);
is always updated on change of time period.

Major bugs fixed

MLT display in Orbit monitor;
Cluster orbit calculation;
java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException;
"slow" ground based stations;
window behavior on resize.

Known problems

Windows 2000

has OpenGL/Java memory leaks resulting in numerous problems starting from incorrect color display and ending by program crash in case of earth grid display or close look at Cluster satellites.

Using parallel projection

may sometimes leed to strange effects like mirroring of labels, clipping of view-plane, etc. Pressing reset in View Control Window may sometimes help.

OVT2 is known to run on majority of Windows and UNIX platforms.

Submission of bugs and possible improvements is welcome. Please send e-mail to ovt-team@nest.irfu.se