1 Attachment(s)
Auto-update MPCORB and MPCComet databases
Brian Sheets developed a very nice process to update the minor planet database and include also very fast moving NEOCPs. Find his discussion here: http://forums.dc3.com/showthread.php...4482#post74482.
I've adapted his script by rewriting it in javascript, removing the NEOCP stuff (very useful but not in this context), adding the comet updates, and reorganizing it to run in the ACP Console. UpdateMPCs.js runs perfectly for me, so it should run for you, too (he said with tongue in cheek).
The kicker is that you will have to install a support program called wget. I've zipped up both UpdateMPCs.js and the wget installer. When you unzip them, move UpdateMPCs.js to your /ACP Obs Control/Scripts folder. Run the wget installer from your desktop. If you prefer, you can download wget from the web at: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/wget.htm. On that page click on the Setup next to "Complete package, except sources". There's more information there about wget, too.
NOTE: The zipped wget installer wouldn't upload to this forum from my desktop. You'll have to go to the web link above. Sorry. Update script is attached. Remove the ".txt"
You can choose where to install wget. If you install it in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Wget" (the installer will create that folder), then UpdateMPCs.js will run without modification. If you install wget somewhere else, then you have to edit UpdateMPCs.js (line 47) to put in the proper wget.exe path, using double backslashes.
The comet database update is quite quick. The minor planet update takes longer. On my fast computer using pre-Revolutionary-War Internet speeds, it takes about eight minutes to download the file from the Minor Planet Center. Hopefully, your results will differ.
If a few brave souls test this out, I'd like to hear back from you. As a precaution, you should move or copy your current MPCCOMET.MDB and MPCORB.MPC files somewhere safe. To run UpdateMPCs.js, go to the ACP control panel and "Select the Script" and select it and Run. Several windows will pop up occasionally that you will need to pay attention to.
A nice-to-have feature would be to modify MainMenu to add a clickable link in the Utilty Tasks to run this script from the web GUI.
