QuakeData Settings
Jump to these sections if you wish:
Not in Settings but of interest: The Registry
Files & Import Actions
This may look a little daunting, but actually it is fairly straight forward.
This first screen deals with Files and Folders.
Automation
First, if there is no details in the boxes by the Seven day file, One day file etc, double-click the label on the right hand side of the boxes and the program will fill these in for you.
(Actually this is sort of defunct if you use the little automatic downloader that comes with the program. Just set it to run in a Windows Task. However you still need the file names set up)
On the far right of the area you will see three options buttons:
No Automatic Download
If you select this you will have to download the files manually. This you can do from the ‘Webs’ menu. (Unless you use the utility in which case this is the setting for you.)
Download on program start
If you select this then the 7 day file will be downloaded as the program starts. We do not recommend this option as you have little control.
Download on Import
This is our preferred option and allows you to use the menus to download any of the three files.
Other options - greyed out is for later! (Later is the downloader utility)
URLs Tab
Here is where you can manage the default URLs and add some of your own.
The fixed (default) URLs should be filled in for you already, but if they are not let us know. To add one of your own, click the ‘Add A URL…’ button.
You can add up to 60 characters as the name for the menu - examples below.
Compare these to the listing above and you should get an idea of how this works.
Now type or paste your URL, and then click on OK.
Note: you will see in the list something similar to these items
They end in an = sign. By setting them up like this you will get a box asking which page you wish to go to when you click on the menu for that item.(Example below)
In order to remove an entry, simply click on it and then click the ‘Remove’ button.
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Default Audio Settings
The two folder boxes are not really default settings as such. What they are actually displaying is the last folder that was used in each case. It does however provide a quick way of changing folders ready for the next time.
So, on to the rest of the page.
When creating wave files of earthquakes they are a very low Hertz rate - often 40 Hz or lower. This sort of level is a) inaudible to the human ear and b) played at that rate could damage your equipment.
Most audio files are played at 2000 Hz, which is the original default for the program, however we have found that 800 Hz is a good speed for playing earthquake file - if you can stand the long playing time! Obviously the lower the Hz rate the longer the playing time.
Please also be aware of two other points.
First in all seismographic files there will be the low (around 6 Hz) carrier that is the earth signature. We have not found a way to remove this successfully yet but we are working on it. (It can be removed using Audacity) This low signal can be damaging, which brings us on to the second point.
Please do NOT ever use earphones to listen to the seismograph wave files without first ensuring that the volume level is down as low as possible or practical. Sudden earthquake sounds at a loud volume could permanently damage your hearing.
We would advise against the use of earphones altogether when listening to seismograph wave files
Default Amplitude
This sets the default volume level for the wave file. You will probably need a bit of boost to the volume, but bear in mind the preceding paragraph.
Default Echo Offset Value
Sorry this is not available yet, but when finished it will enable you to put echo on the files and possibly to synchronise between two seismograph data files that use reasonably close sources.
Low Sample Rate Threshold
Just allow you to set a warning level so that you do not accidentally make a file at the original 40 Hz level - we have done that, hence the warning level!
Delete Temp Files afterwards
The process of creating an audio file creates one of more temporary files. This simply allows you remove them so as not to clutter up your disk. They can be interesting however if you are a bit of an audio geek so you may want to retain them.
SQL Server Settings
If you are using SQL Server then you will almost certainly know the instance name of your server. If by some chance you do not, say if you are in a school or other educational establishment, then you can use the utility to find the server.
Click on ‘Click to get servers’. It may take a while so please be patient.
(In order for this to work you would have to have the server configured to accept remote connections in the Surface Area settings)
If you only have the one as the example here, the box contains that one only.
When you have selected the server, click on ‘Databases’, which will now be enabled. If the program finds QuakeData it will display a red box.
If you really want to go to town and make triply sure, you can now click on ‘Test Connect’.
You should then see the message:
If you do not, you may need to check the surface area configuration of the server. The what?? Look at the menus associated with SQL Server and you will find it. It is to do with whether the server should allow external logins. You can find some details on this in this file.
SQL Compact Settings
OK, hold up here a minute. SQL Server?, SQL Compact? Which one and why?
Unless you already have SQL Server installed on your computer then basically you don't need it and we would recommend not getting it just for the sake of running QuakeData. SQL Compact is built into QuakeData, and in 4.5 months of collecting data automatically every day the database is only 6 MB - and it can get as big as 4 GB - so SQL Compact is more than adequate for most users.
Click on the ‘Find’ button to search for the database file, if you have downloaded one of ours, or have moved yours to a different location. The file is QDCData.sdf
Click ‘Test’ to check everything is OK.
The Bottom Buttons
Not quite what it sounds like!! J
Saves any items that have been changed. At present there is a mixture of items saved in the program and items saved in the registry.
Does exactly what it says! Nothing gets saved and the settings screen closes.
Now you really don’t want to do this, but you can. This will set everything that is stored in the program back to how it was when you started.
It will not however reset the following:
Database location (Compact) or Server Name (SQL Server)
Default URLs
URLs you have typed in yourself.
The Registry Items
(These are provided in case you are interested and comfortable with looking at the registry)
Databases
SQL Compact
SQL Server
Default URLs
Your own URLS are kept in the QuakeData folder under My Documents (or Documents in Vista)
The Quake Data Compact database file is also kept there.
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