Astrometrica Selector window
The Astrometrica Selector window has three main parts:
Configuration (.CFG) files list
The Astrometrica executables area displays the details of each available version of Astrometrica, these are configured using the 
Settings button.
The Configuration (.CFG) files list shows all the setting configuration (CFG) files contained in the Astrometrica settings folder and, by default the most recently modified configuration file will be at the top of the list. The order the files are listed can be changed by clicking on the 
sort glyphs in the "Last updated" and "CFG file name" headings.
The current configuration file that Astrometrica takes its settings from is initially selected in the list automatically, but any of the other configuration files can be selected instead, by clicking once on the required line.
Press the 
Start Astrometrica button in the toolstrip (or double-click a configuration file) to launch Astrometrica using the selected version of Astrometrica and the program settings in the currently selected configuration file.
Press the 
Save selected CFG file as default toolstrip button to make Astrometrica use the settings in the currently selected configuration file the next time it is launched.
Press the 
Create shortcut toolstrip button to create a shortcut on the Windows Desktop which will start Astrometrica using the selected version and configuration file.
See more details below (click on parts of the window to jump to relevant sections)
Toolstrip buttons
Open the Astrometrica.ini file for viewing (beware - it should never be necessary to manually edit this file and could cause problems with the operation of Astrometrica if it is manually changed)
View selected settings configuration file
Open the selected program settings configuration file for viewing (beware - it should not be necessary to manually edit this file, use the Edit Program Settings option within Astrometrica instead)
Open settings configuration files folder with Explorer
Start Windows Explorer, opening the folder where the Astrometrica.ini file is located and the default location where program setting configurations files are saved.
Start Astrometrica using current selections
Start Astrometrica using the selected version of Astrometrica, with the program settings contained in the currently selected configuration file. This causes the File keyword in the [CFGFile] section in the Astrometrica.ini file to be updated automatically with the selected configuration file before launching Astrometrica.
If Astrometrica is already running the following prompt will be displayed:
Either end the running instance of Astrometrica then press Retry to start the selected version of Astrometrica, or press Cancel to abandon the attempt and return to the Astrometrica Selector window. See Restrictions for more information.
Save selected CFG file as default
Save the name of the currently selected configuration file in the Astrometrica.ini file by updating the File keyword in the [CFGFile] section. Note: Astrometrica is not launched using this option.
Creates a shortcut on the Windows Desktop which will start Astrometrica using the selected version and configuration file, without needing to manually make the selections again from the Astrometrica Selector.
Select a configuration file from the list then press the Create shortcut button.
A prompt requests a shortcut name, e.g.:
If there is already a shortcut of that name on the Windows Desktop the user will be prompted to overwrite the shortcut or to cancel the creation of the shortcut.
After the shortcut is created it can be used directly from the Windows Desktop, or moved to a more convenient location, renamed, or deleted.
When the shortcut is used the following internal steps occur:
- Astrometrica Selector is launched in the background and checks if Astrometrica is already running and if so, a prompt will be displayed,, see Restrictions for more details. Either end the currently running copy of Astrometrica and press Retry to continue, or press Cancel to abandon.
- Astrometrica Selector then checks that the version of both the Astrometrica executable and the configuration file for the shortcut exist.
- If either file does not exist then Astrometrica is not started, instead Astrometrica Selector opens, displaying an appropriate error message in the message area.
- If both files exist then the Astrometrica.ini file is updated with the name of the required configuration file, then Astrometrica is started and Astrometrica Selector ends.
Notes:
- When a shortcut is created, the shortcut saves a pointer to the currently selected Astrometrica version, either 1, 2 or 3, rather than the full path and file name of the selected executable. If the version setting is subsequently changed the shortcut will start the version of Astrometrica currently configured for the setting used in the shortcut (1, 2 or 3). This could be used for instance to reserve version 1 as the current ADES version of Astrometrica, version 2 to be the last 80-column version of Astrometrica (version 4.11.1.442) and version 3 to be used to test any beta versions that may be temporarily released. When a new release is made and the appropriate setting (1, 2 or 3) is updated in Astrometrica Selector, the shortcut(s) will run the latest version without having to be re-created.
- If the Ctrl key is being pressed when the shortcut is started, the shortcut settings are ignored and Astrometrica Selector starts normally without starting Astrometrica. The parameters embedded in the shortcut are displayed in the message area.
- If the configuration file selected for the shortcut is renamed or deleted a new shortcut will need to be generated and the original shortcut deleted.
Refresh the list of configuration (.CFG) files if additions or deletions have been made in Astrometrica since the program started
Display this help document (online version is available via link in the About screen). Same as pressing function key F1.
Display the Settings window to edit program settings. See Settings for more information.
Display program version details, contact information and registration. A link connects to the application home page at the Great Shefford Observatory website.
Exit program
Displays up to three different versions of Astrometrica, labelled 1, 2 and 3 that have previously been configured in Settings. The internal version of each is displayed, together with the full path to the file. If only one version is configured it will be selected automatically. If more than one are set up, select the version to be used when either the Start Astrometrica using current selections or Create shortcut buttons are used.
If a version of Astrometrica is configured here but subsequently that program is moved, renamed or deleted, then the next time Astrometrica Selector is started that version will be disabled, displaying "File not found" instead of the version number.
The versions are validated to ensure they were originally copies of Astrometrica even if they have been renamed to reflect how you use them, e.g. an old copy of Astrometrica.exe might be renamed '80-colVersion.exe'.
When a shortcut is created, the shortcut saves a pointer to the currently selected Astrometrica version, either 1, 2 or 3, rather than the full path and file name of the selected executable. If the setting is subsequently changed the shortcut will start the version of Astrometrica currently configured for the setting used in the shortcut (1, 2 or 3). If the version of Astrometrica cannot be found
List of configuration files
Click on a line to select a configuration file. The selected file will be used when the Start Astrometrica using current selections, Save selected CFG file as default or Create shortcut buttons are pressed.
If Astrometrica is used to create a new configuration file while Astrometrica Selector is running, press the 
Refresh button to update the configuration file list.
Last updated column
The last updated date and time (local time) of each configuration file.
Sort
Press to sort the last updated column in ascending or descending order
CFG file name
The name of each Astrometrica configuration file in the Astrometrica settings folder.
Press to sort the CFG file name column in ascending or descending order
Message area
Informational, warning and error messages are displayed at the bottom of the Astrometrica Selector window. You may need to resize the window to see the entire message.
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