New Version 4.x.11.20 Update

[theskyhound]

An update has been released for all SkyTools 4 versions. You will be prompted to install the update when SkyTools is started. 

Updates in Version 4.x.11.20 (2026 January 12)

• New version 4.1 feature: the database Power Search for Minor planets now includes an absolute magnitude parameter (H) filter.
  
• New version 4.1 feature: obstructed horizon data can now be written to a text file.
  
• A bug that was fixed that could cause the Attachment Folder selection to not allow a selection to be made.
  
• When started in Nightvision mode (added in version 19), not all of the red parts were initialized properly.
  
• A bug was fixed for coordinate display in decimals, where the entry of a three digit longitude inadvertantly stripped the first character.
  
• A label has been added to the Overhead Sky Chart that describes the zoom level (or field of view).
  
• A bug was fixed that could cause the edit points to disappear when editing an obstructed horizon directly on the Overhead Sky Chart.
  
• The Visual log window text has been made larger for legibility on higher resolution screens.
  
• A bug was fixed that affected the setting of star size in the Preferences for the classic star style, which is often used on printed charts.
  
• Various minor fixes were made.
  

[SteveE]

Thank you, Greg. Much appreciated.

Steve

[carlomuccini]

Thanks !

I have the Visual and Imaging bundle version 4.1.11.19, but it doesn't offer to upgrade to version 20.
If I hadn't read it in the forum, I wouldn't have known about it.

The manual forced update from the Setup menu worked.
You should check why it doesn't suggest updating, because even from the previous version 18 to 19 it didn't notify me of the availability of the updateable.

Carlo

[theskyhound]

Thanks !

I have the Visual and Imaging bundle version 4.1.11.19, but it doesn't offer to upgrade to version 20.
If I hadn't read it in the forum, I wouldn't have known about it.

The manual forced update from the Setup menu worked.
You should check why it doesn't suggest updating, because even from the previous version 18 to 19 it didn't notify me of the availability of the updateable.

Carlo

Hi Carlo,

I haven't had any similar reports. If anyone else has seen this issue, please let me know!

What this may suggest is that the problem you are experiencing may be local to your system. I suspect a firewall may not be allowing SkyTools to access the internet to make the update check. 

In order to spread out the downloads and to not be connecting to check every time you start SkyTools, it doesn't perform the check every time you start. If you started SkyTools and then reopened it after the server was changed, it won't make the check. It may take several hours before it checks again. So this might perhaps explain the issue. 

Do your subscription downloads work properly? Are the current comets, minor planets, and novae kept up to date?

[carlomuccini]

Hi

Comets, minor planets, and novae update regularly.
The automatic updates have always worked; it's the latest versions that haven't updated; I don't know how long it's been, but I think it's missed the last three updates.
It's not a huge problem, because I access the forum from time to time.

The computer is Windows 10 Home Ed. in Italian

Carlo

[theskyhound]

Hi Carlo,

I reviewed the code and its a simple process. If it works for one person it should work for everyone. One exception would be a firewall or anti-virus program blocking access to the update file. One would imagine such a thing would also block access to the update file itself, yet the manual update still works. So there are only two things I can think of:

1. At one point your computer clock was set to a date in the future when it automatically updated successfully, and SkyTools is checking to see if enough time has passed to check for an update against that date and time in the future. In that case it is still waiting for that later date to make the check. On the other hand, it looks like it reset the date once you updated normally, so that's probably not it.

2. A firewall or anti-virus program is blocking access to the file on our web site that gets checked for an update, but not blocking access to other files related to the update process.

[Rathje]

An update has been released for all SkyTools 4 versions. You will be prompted to install the update when SkyTools is started. 

Updates in Version 4.x.11.20 (2026 January 12)

• New version 4.1 feature: the database Power Search for Minor planets now includes an absolute magnitude parameter (H) filter.
  
• New version 4.1 feature: obstructed horizon data can now be written to a text file.
  
• A bug that was fixed that could cause the Attachment Folder selection to not allow a selection to be made.
  
• When started in Nightvision mode (added in version 19), not all of the red parts were initialized properly.
  
• A bug was fixed for coordinate display in decimals, where the entry of a three digit longitude inadvertantly stripped the first character.
  
• A label has been added to the Overhead Sky Chart that describes the zoom level (or field of view).
  
• A bug was fixed that could cause the edit points to disappear when editing an obstructed horizon directly on the Overhead Sky Chart.
  
• The Visual log window text has been made larger for legibility on higher resolution screens.
  
• A bug was fixed that affected the setting of star size in the Preferences for the classic star style, which is often used on printed charts.
  
• Various minor fixes were made.
  

Excellent, thanks.
What is status on the much awaited EAA feature?
Best regards
Lars

[theskyhound]

An update has been released for all SkyTools 4 versions. You will be prompted to install the update when SkyTools is started. 

Updates in Version 4.x.11.20 (2026 January 12)

• New version 4.1 feature: the database Power Search for Minor planets now includes an absolute magnitude parameter (H) filter.
  
• New version 4.1 feature: obstructed horizon data can now be written to a text file.
  
• A bug that was fixed that could cause the Attachment Folder selection to not allow a selection to be made.
  
• When started in Nightvision mode (added in version 19), not all of the red parts were initialized properly.
  
• A bug was fixed for coordinate display in decimals, where the entry of a three digit longitude inadvertantly stripped the first character.
  
• A label has been added to the Overhead Sky Chart that describes the zoom level (or field of view).
  
• A bug was fixed that could cause the edit points to disappear when editing an obstructed horizon directly on the Overhead Sky Chart.
  
• The Visual log window text has been made larger for legibility on higher resolution screens.
  
• A bug was fixed that affected the setting of star size in the Preferences for the classic star style, which is often used on printed charts.
  
• Various minor fixes were made.
  

Excellent, thanks.
What is status on the much awaited EAA feature?
Best regards
Lars

Its what I spend most of my time working on these days. Some aspects have turned out to be more difficult than anticipated. It will be done when its done.