.. _quick-start-guide:

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Quick start guide
=================

.. tip:: This guide is designed for the latest version of Gaia Sky. Ensure your software is up to date to follow along seamlessly!

The main objective of this guide is to provide a concise "on-ramp" to the Gaia Sky platform, covering its core operations and most common features.

**Gaia Sky crash course:** For a visual introduction, check out the `companion web presentation <https://gaia.ari.uni-heidelberg.de/gaiasky/presentation/gaiasky-crash-course/>`__.

Guide overview:
---------------

- **Installation and setup:**
    - :ref:`qs-installation`
    - :ref:`qs-running`
    

- **Introduction to Gaia Sky:**
    - :ref:`qs-dataset-manager`
    - :ref:`Controls <qs-controls>`, :ref:`movement <qs-movement>`, and :ref:`selection <qs-selection>`
    - :ref:`User interface <qs-user-interface>` overview
    - :ref:`Camera operation and modes <qs-camera>`
    - :ref:`Render modes <qs-render-modes>` (3D, Planetarium, 360, Re-projection)
    - :ref:`Object and type visibility <qs-type-visibility>`
    - :ref:`Visual settings <qs-visual-settings>`
    - :ref:`Managing datasets <qs-datasets>` (loading, filters, and SAMP)

- **Scripting:**
    - :ref:`Scripting basics <qs-scripting-basics>`
    - :ref:`The API <qs-api>`
    - :ref:`Showcase scripts <qs-showcase-scripts>`
    - :ref:`Hands-on session <qs-handson>`

- **Camera paths:**
    - :ref:`Recording and playback <qs-record-playback>`
    - :ref:`Keyframe system <qs-keyframes>`

- **Output and video:**
    - :ref:`Still frame output mode <qs-frame-output>`
    - :ref:`Creating video from still frames <qs-ffmpeg>` with ``ffmpeg``


To follow this guide effectively, you need to have Gaia Sky installed locally. If you haven't installed it yet, please follow the instructions for your operating system in the |docs| :ref:`installation section <installation>`. Then, proceed with the rest of the quick start guide.


.. toctree::
   :caption: Installation and setup
   :hidden:

   Qs-installation


.. toctree::
   :caption: Quick start
   :hidden:

   Qs-dsmanager
   Qs-controls-movement
   Qs-user-interface
   Qs-camera-modes
   Qs-special-modes
   Qs-types
   Qs-visual-settings
   Qs-external-datasets
   Qs-external-info

.. toctree::
   :caption: Scripting and more
   :hidden:

   Qs-scripting
   Qs-camera-paths
   Qs-video