ILLUSTRATING SHADOWS
focusing on education and interesting practical aspects of sundial design
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OUR SPREADSHEETS ALSO                                                 
MAIN COBOL PAGE           
Email comments or questions to the author at:  illustratingshadows at yahoo dot com
MAIN Visual BASIC PAGE
MAIN VIRTUAL REALITY PAGE                                                
MAIN JAVA PAGE                                             
MAIN PASCAL PAGE
MAIN BASIC (JustBASIC) PAGE   
MAIN C or CPP [c++] PAGE                                             
programming JAVA sundials sun dials
MAIN FORTRAN PAGE
MAIN TURBO-CAD FILE PAGE            ( vbs macros, notes on programming, and tcw files )
MAIN PDA or Palm Pilot PAGE
MAIN PYTHON PAGE (an alternative to JAVA)
MAIN Scilab PAGE
MAIN LISP or ProgeCAD (AutoCAD) PAGE                                             
MAIN DELTA-CAD FILE PAGE                                             
MAIN Euler PAGE
Octave free math system yet programmable... closely compatible with MATLAB from MATHWORKS   
                         (horizontal dial programs)
                         Compare with SciLab and Euler.  Good packages.                                                                                      
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The Octave math system is very powerful in displaying the results of mathematical functions. It is also programmable, but like many other such systems, the documentation is great
once you know it all, but sadly lacking in the real world of human input, practical programming, and usable output. Octave is available from:-   

                         
http://www.gnu.org/software/octave/      (to which www.octave.org send you)
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Dial programs in Octave code ~ ~ ~
Download this file which has the notes on how to download Octave, how to load the dial programs, and some pointers. The dial programs work. The
graphical display area aspect ratio is correct. Programs are provided for the h-dial (text only as well as graphic), v-dial, and v-dec dial plates..
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PBE model of programming  ~ ~ ~ (programming by example).

This section continues the "PBE" philosophy, namely "Programming By Example". Having started programming in 1966, and having written code for BAL, PL/I, RPG, COBOL, ALGOL,
APL, FORTRAN, C, BASIC, C++, LISP, and for operating systems from mainframe DOS, MFT, MVT, VS1, MVS, GCP (under VM), UNIX, and various PC operating systems, I have become
jaded enough to wade right in and see what works, rather than read several hundred pages of text that mix the language with the object oriented concepts with the development system.

The major problems with current computer languages are:-

1.     Manuals and HELP systems are designed for those who already know the system
2.     They seldom if ever provide simple programs stipped to bare bones that take input, do something, display graphical output
3.      They often have complex build processes, or, very large libraries. Scilab does not, which is in its favor.

So, these web pages are intended to show practical solutions using systems other than the common ones, and to provide a basis for you to develop further. These examples, give you
that leg up.
Illustrating Time's Shadow
ISBN 0-9765286-8-1  plus  0-9765286-9-X
Lib Cong 2005900674  plus  2006930654
Merges Illustrating Shadows and Illustrating More Shadows, deletes duplicated material, and techniques that are complex and
replaced by easier methods, adds new material.
Hands on, empirical, geometric, trigonometric, CAD,  and spreadsheet dial design for small dials plus garden dials using common masonry supplies, clay, and glass, with emphasis
on many calendar line techniques, and inclined decliners, while providing details on the use of DeltaCAD programming including the animation of many sheets as parameters vary.   
Get CD here.  Case studies abound with associated problems solved, and cover the infamous inclined decliner, as well as all the other kinds of outdoor dials.  You get a free CD of
booklets, spreadsheets, VRML/WRL files, templates, etc with the printed book. The CD has all books and booklets and programs along with source code.  
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available also.