SPEKTRUS 1.0 - COMPUTERIZED SPECTRAL EXPLORER
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by Mikolaj Pytel 1999-2002


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The program displays graphically the emission spectra of elements
from 1 to 99, in the visible, infrared, and ultraviolet ranges.
The program is intended mainly for learning purposes for high-school
and college students, as well as a handy help for simple emission
spectra analysis for physics and astronomy research staff and students.
For that reason the program gets the freeware status, i.e. it may be
distributed freely without any limitations.

The latest version of the program should always be available on
http://klub.chip.pl/mpytel/.

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HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS:

The program needs a Windows 9x/NT/XP operating system, a mouse,
a video card working in the High-Color (15 or 16 bit / pixel)
or True Color mode, and about 3.5 Mb free space on disk.
The program was successfully tested on computers with processors
ranging from 486 to AMD Athlon and Windows 98, NT and XP.

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PROGRAM INSTALLATION:

By executing the file SPEK10.EXE
The program will automatically setup the Spectrus program group
with appropriate shortcuts.

Before installing any new version of Spectrus you need to
remove the previous version!

In case of problems with the installer, a "naked" version of
the program is also available, to be unzipped and executed
from any directory.

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PROGRAM DEINSTALLATION:

By clicking the Deinstall icon in Spektrus program group,
or the standard way, by choosing the Add/Remove Programs
option from the Control Panel.

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FILES CONTAINED IN THE ARCHIVE:

name		decription
--------------------------------
CATALOG.DAT	element emission spectra database
README.TXT      this file
CZYTAJTO.TXT	Polish README
LICENSE.TXT     license agreement
LICENCJA.TXT	Polish license agreement
SPEKTRUS.EXE	executable file
SPEK_ENG.HLP	program help
SPEKTRUS.HLP    Polish program help

Additionally, depending on the type of installation, there might also
be created files INSTALL.LOG and/or UNINSTALL.EXE, necessary for
program deinstallation.

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CHANGES IN PROJECT SPEKTRUS

(+) added
(*) changed
(-) removed

Project SPEKTRUS started in the summer of 1999

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30.11.1999
[Spektrus 1.0 beta]

(+) First fully functional version of Spektrus.  Display in color and B/W,
    spectrum scaling, line info display, help.

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05.12.1999
[Spektrus 1.0 beta 2]

(+) Added buttons allowing moving the spectrum.
(+) Added a dialog window preventing an unwanted exit from the program.
(+) The program now responds to F1 and ESC ( help / exit ).
(+) Added a program installer!!!
(*) Removed a bug with double-clicking the B/W - color switch.
(*) Removed errors when you pulled a zooming range out of the window - there should
    be no more memory access errors.
(*) The range select buttons now switch from rainbow to spectrum mode.
(*) Removed a horrible bug with the relative line intensity display after you
    moved a mouse over them - (how could I not have  noticed it?!)
(*) Lots of little corrections and changes in the code and looks of the program.
(*) Fills and additions to program help.
(-) Blocked the possibility to see the rainbow outside the visible range (because who
    needs a white rainbow there anyway?)

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11.12.1999
[Spektrus 1.0.3]

(+) Added autorepeat to the spectrum move buttons.
(*) Added a few little changes and additions to the program and help file.
(*) Changed the installer to a more compatible one.
(*) Made the spectrum redraw slightly faster.
(-) Removed the spectrum intensity regulator for rainbow mode, since it didn't
    set its brightness anyway.
(-) Removed a strange function from the code, since I didn't remember what it was
    there for anyway. :-)

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January 2000

Spektrus receives first place in our Faculty contest for students writing physics
popularizing software! Hurrah!

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26.04.2000
[Spektrus 1.0.4]

(+) I finally forced myself to look deep into Spektrus's code and added a
    long-awaited possibility to change the scale from linear to logarithmic.
(*) Changed the graphics of the button that draws the spectrum. Now instead of
    'Rysuj Spektrum' it's called 'Start'.  I suppose it's the first sign that
    an English version of the program is in plans.  Also, after first use, the
    button disappears revealing further buttons, because there was no place for
    them elswhere.
 
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08.01.2002
[Spektrus 1.0.4.131]

(*) Cosmetic changes (mostly in program help) regarding my graduation and because
    of that the change of my e-mail and homepage, where Spektrus is still available.
(*) Another change of the installer to a more compatible one.

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23.03.2002
[Spektruœ 1.0.4.137]

(*) I heard that Spektrus hanged under Win2000, which was a big surprise for me,
    because there was no problems under 98, NT or XP :-) so I checked the code
    once again and found a few little errors which were removed.  Besides that,
    I compiled the program with a new version of Builder and commpressed it with
    the newest UPX.  I hope that if one of them didn't help then the other did. :-)
(*) While I was at it I fixed the behavior of the spectrum move buttons when
    you changed the scale while being close to the end of spectrum range.
(+) Added a clock in the lower right hand corner so that it would be more interesting.
(*) A few little changes and improvements invisible from the user's level.
(*) Upgraded the installer to a new version so that it would be more compatible with
    the new operating systems.

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24.05.2002
[Spektrus 1.0.5.141]

(+) The first version of Spektrus working in English as well!
(*) Removed a bug: after displaying an element and then returning to rainbow mode,
    line information was still shown.    
(*) If you run Spektrus under a system where the main language is English,
    Polish element names are now sorted in proper order.
(+) Program settings are now saved to the system registry.
(-) Removed the option of turning off automatic spectrum redraw after element change.
    I've never met anyone who had a computer that slow that would need this option. :)
(*) The program title bar is not gradient shaded under WinXP anymore. It was incompatible
    with the system's new graphical elements.

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Mikolaj Pytel
mpytel@klub.chip.pl
http://klub.chip.pl/mpytel

