Sun Compass for Palm

by cre@ive-software

Installation:
Install the SunComp.prc on your Palm. Maybe you also need the Orbforms Designer Runtime (OrbFormsRT.prc) and/or the Mathlib Library (MathLib.prc) that are both included in this package.

This application is freeware
This software was developed with OrbForms Designer (from OrbWorks Concentrated Software, the greatest Palm development environment I have ever seen.

Sun Compass itself is Freeware. I have developed it, because I am writing a (german) book on this development tool (www.OrbForms.de) and did some training ;-)

Feel free to distribute it wherever you want, but please let me know the URL.

For putting it on CDs or DVDs please definitly ASK me.

Email: cre@ive-software.com

You find more software for Pocket PC and Palm at www.AstroWin.com

How to use this app
This program is a compass for Palm handhelds.
  1. Choose the city by taping the name in the upper right corner and selecting it from the dialog.
  2. If you actually have a daylight saving time, check the checkbox.
  3. Hold your Palm horizontal and rotate it until the sun symbol points to the direction of the sun.
  4. Your compass is now aligned.


Important information

Because in the meantime many (many, many, many ;-) people have asked me what the meaning of the time in the upper right corner of the Sun Compass is, I would like to explain this in general form and so understandable as I am capable of it:

The time which is valid in your time zone is actually valid only at a certain longitude. If you live in Germany - like I do - you have MET (GMT+ 1 h). With respect to the sun, however, this is only right when you live on the 15th degree (longitude) east. If you live in Austin, Texas GMT - 6 h is only the correct time when you live on the 90th degree west .

At 12:00 (noon) the sun stands exactly vertically on this exact longitude which belongs to your time zone. If you, like me, live in Munich (Bavaria) which is on the 11th degree east, the sun stands vertically only a little later. It must overcome 4 longitude degrees (from 15 to 11) , which lasts a 4/15 hour (= 16 minutes - the sun makes 360 degrees per day therefore 15 degrees per hour).

So in the Sun Compass the upper right time is, the REAL for YOUR place. If it is 12:00 there, the sun stands vertically above you.

I hope the explanation is so far plausible. Since my mother tongue isn't English, I liked to ask all who can explain it in a more clear way to send me the explanation and I will forward/post it.

The Sun Compass is freeware, so I unfortunately cannot do intensive support. Hope you understand that.

Yours sincerely from Bavaria

Ingo Boehme