.. role:: grey .. role:: red .. role:: green .. role:: yellow .. role:: orange .. role:: blue .. |minimap| image:: ../img/ui/map-icon.png :class: filter-invert .. |dsload| image:: ../img/ui/open-icon.png :class: filter-invert .. |prefsicon| image:: ../img/ui/prefs-icon.png :class: filter-invert .. |logicon| image:: ../img/ui/log-icon.png :class: filter-invert .. |helpicon| image:: ../img/ui/help-icon.png :class: filter-invert .. |quiticon| image:: ../img/ui/quit-icon.png :class: filter-invert .. |time| image:: ../img/ui/iconic-clock.png :class: filter-invert .. |camera| image:: ../img/ui/iconic-video.png :class: filter-invert .. |eye| image:: ../img/ui/eye-icon.png :class: filter-invert .. |bolt| image:: ../img/ui/iconic-bolt.png :class: filter-invert .. |datasets| image:: ../img/ui/iconic-hard-drive.png :class: filter-invert .. |log| image:: ../img/ui/iconic-map-marker.png :class: filter-invert .. |bookmark| image:: ../img/ui/iconic-bookmark.png :class: filter-invert .. |download-ds| image:: ../img/ui/iconic-arrow-circle-bottom.png :class: filter-invert .. |terminal| image:: ../img/ui/iconic-terminal.png :class: filter-invert .. |docs| image:: ../img/ui/iconic-book.png :class: filter-invert .. |exit| image:: ../img/ui/quit-icon.png :class: filter-invert .. _qs-user-interface: The user interface ------------------ The user interface of Gaia Sky consists of several panes, buttons, and windows. The most important of these are the **control panes**, which are accessible via a series of buttons anchored to the top-left of the screen. .. figure:: ../img/quickstart/202402_ui-all.jpg :alt: Gaia Sky user interface :align: center :target: _images/202402_ui-all.jpg The Gaia Sky interface showing its most useful functions. .. admonition:: Docs See the :ref:`user interface section ` of the user manual for more information. Control panes ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The control panes are made up of seven different panes. Note that these were called the *control panel* in the older UI; that version is still available but is disabled by default. - |time| Time (shortcut: :guilabel:`t`) - |camera| Camera (shortcut: :guilabel:`c`) - |eye| Type visibility (shortcut: :guilabel:`v`) - |bolt| Visual settings (shortcut: :guilabel:`l`) - |datasets| Datasets (shortcut: :guilabel:`d`) - |log| Location log - |bookmark| Bookmarks (shortcut: :guilabel:`b`) You can expand and collapse each pane by clicking the button or by using the respective keyboard shortcut. The bottom-left corner of the screen contains six buttons for special actions: - |minimap| Toggle the mini-map (shortcut: :guilabel:`Tab`) - |dsload| Load a dataset (shortcut: :guilabel:`Ctrl` + :guilabel:`o`) - |prefsicon| Open the preferences window (shortcut: :guilabel:`p`) - |logicon| Show the session log (shortcut: :guilabel:`Alt` + :guilabel:`l`) - |helpicon| Show the help dialog (shortcut: :guilabel:`h` or :guilabel:`F1`) - |quiticon| Exit Gaia Sky (shortcut: :guilabel:`Esc`) Camera info panel ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The **camera info panel**, also known as the **focus info pane**, is anchored to the bottom-right of the main window. .. figure:: ../img/ui/camera-info-pane-focusmode.jpg :width: 35% :align: center :target: _images/camera-info-pane-focusmode.jpg The camera info pane in focus mode. It displays information on the focus (top), the mouse pointer (middle), and the camera state (bottom). .. admonition:: Docs See the :ref:`camera info panel section ` of the user manual. Quick info bar ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The **quick info bar** at the top of the screen provides information on the current time and your primary targets. It displays the :green:`current focus` object, the :blue:`current closest` object to your location, and the :orange:`current home` object. The colors of these labels correspond to the crosshairs in the center of the view. You can enable or disable these crosshairs in the interface tab of the preferences window (:guilabel:`p`). .. figure:: ../img/ui/quick-info-bar.jpg :align: center :target: _images/quick-info-bar.jpg The quick info bar provides useful simulation information at a glance. .. admonition:: Docs See the :ref:`quick info bar section ` for more information. System info panel ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Gaia Sky includes a built-in system information panel that is hidden by default. You can bring it up with :guilabel:`ctrl` + :guilabel:`d` or by checking the :guilabel:`Show debug info` box in the |terminal| :guilabel:`System` tab of the preferences window. .. figure:: ../img/debug/debug-collapsed.jpg :alt: Collapsed debug panel :align: center :target: _images/debug-collapsed.jpg The system info panel in its collapsed state. You can expand the panel using the :guilabel:`+` symbol to see information on your graphics device, memory usage, the number of objects loaded, and the SAMP status. Additional debug details are also available in the system tab of the help dialog (:guilabel:`?` or :guilabel:`h`). .. figure:: ../img/debug/debug-expanded.jpg :alt: Expanded debug panel :align: center :target: _images/debug-expanded.jpg Expanded system info panel .. admonition:: Docs See the :ref:`system info panel section ` for a full description. Time controls ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. tip:: Open the time pane by clicking the clock |time| button or by pressing :guilabel:`t`. Gaia Sky simulates the passage of time. You can play and pause the simulation using the |play-icon| and |pause-icon| buttons or by pressing :guilabel:`Space`. The :guilabel:`Time warp` slider allows you to modify the simulation speed. Use :guilabel:`,` or |bwd-icon| to halve the speed and :guilabel:`.` or |fwd-icon| to double it. If you hold either key, the warp factor will increase or decrease steadily. The :guilabel:`Reset time and warp` button returns the simulation to real-world time (UTC) and resets the warp to x1. .. figure:: ../img/ui/pane-time.jpg :width: 35% :align: center :target: _images/pane-time.jpg The time pane in the Gaia Sky controls. To test this, press :guilabel:`Home` to return to Earth and start the simulation with :guilabel:`Space`. As you drag the slider to the right, the Earth will rotate faster. Dragging it to the left will eventually reverse time, making the Earth rotate in the opposite direction. If you set the warp high enough, you can even observe the stars moving as Gaia Sky simulates their proper motions. .. |play-icon| image:: ../img/ui/media/iconic-media-play.png :class: filter-invert .. |pause-icon| image:: ../img/ui/media/iconic-media-pause.png :class: filter-invert .. |fwd-icon| image:: ../img/ui/media/iconic-media-skip-forward.png :class: filter-invert .. |bwd-icon| image:: ../img/ui/media/iconic-media-skip-backward.png :class: filter-invert