Contents - Index


File names and locations

Satellite two-line element files (Kepler data)

The location of the two-line element files can be specified on the Setup tab so that files may be shared with another program.  WXtrack will accept .TXT, .TLE or .2LI as the file extension.  The file TLEnotes.txt should live in the same folder as the Kepler data.

Satellite image file names

The Ground Path tab allows two functions, the prediction of a ground path given the satellite, start of pass, and direction of pass, and loading an image produced from WXSat.  You can choose the folder (or folders) containing these images from the Setup tab.  The file name is assumed to be in WXSat format, but to allow the viewing or processed visible or IR images, various file extensions are recognised, according to the setting of the Channel selection on the Ground Path tab:
  • Colour: -c.jpg, -c.bmp, -c.png, -a.jpg, -a.bmp, -a.png, -b.jpg, -b.bmp, -b.png, .bmp, .png, .jpg
  • Visible:  -a.jpg, -a.bmp, -a.png, -c.jpg, -c.bmp, -c.png, -b.jpg, -b.bmp, -b.png, .bmp, .png, .jpg
  • IR:  -b.jpg, -b.bmp, -b.png, -c.jpg, -c.bmp, -c.png, -a.jpg, -a.bmp, -a.png, .bmp, .png, .jpg
  • Base: .bmp, .png, .jpg

    So if today is March 26, and the time 12:58 UTC, then the file name from WXSat might be 03261258.png, and you may have processed the pass to produce a visible channel file that you have called 03261258-c.jpg.  This file would be the first one found as shown in the table above.  The program also tries to look for files a few minutes on either side on the nominal, but it doesn't yet know that 1300, rather than 1260 would follow 1259!  Starting with release 3.0, arbitrary extra characters are allowed between the 8-digit number and the listed file extensions, allowing 03261258.NOAA.15.-c.jpg to match as well!

    I have specifically included PNG file support as this format is typically only about 2/3 of the size of a BMP file, but without any loss of quality that is associated with JPEG files.  Storing images as JPG files can cause errors in the level of the telemetry bars, required for apparent temperature measurement.

    (Note that I am assuming that an image contains a single picture, not a combined side-by-side channel A and channel B picture.  I currently store side-by-side PNG images as my master image, and processed JPG images for each channel.)

    Results files and their folder location

    You can choose where the results files are stored from the Setup tab.  Previous versions of WXtrack stored all their results in the program's executable folder, which could therefore become rather clogged.  This setting includes the items detailed below: the pass list, the ground image, the pass details, and the overlay image.
  • Pass list

    The pass list will be saved each time it is regenerated (including every time the program is started up) to a file PassList.txt in the results folder.  The Pass List Format is not guaranteed, but it is documented.
  • Ground image

    The ground will be saved each time it is generated to a file Result.jpg in the results folder.
  • Track Listing

    If the Save Track Listing option is set, a file named <pass>pass.dat will be written in the results folder.  <pass> will be in the <month><day><hour<minute> convention.  The Track Listing Format is not guaranteed, but is documented.
  • Track Location

    If the Save Track Location option is set, a file named <pass>pass.lcn will be written in the results folder.  <pass> will be in the <month><day><hour<minute> convention.  The Track Location Format is neither guaranteed nor documented.
  • Overlay Image

    If the Save Pass Details option is set, a file named <pass>ovl.bmp will be written in the results folder.  <pass> will be in the <month><day><hour<minute> convention.
  • Overlay text

    If the overlay text options is not blank, a file named <pass>ovl.txt will be written in the results folder.  <pass> will be in the <month><day><hour<minute> convention.