Astro-SIMBAD-Client is Copyright (C) 2005-2023 by Thomas R. Wyant, III

DESCRIPTION

This module provides an object-oriented interface to SIMBAD 4. The new
SOAP queries are supported, with the object carrying default output type
and output format, as well as server name on the assumption that mirrors
will be forthcoming.

There are also methods to submit scripts, both verbatim and from files,
and to execute the 'url queries'.

Both queries and scripts have hooks for parsing the output. A couple
parse routines are included, as well as formats to produce output
parsable by the parse routines. The contents of the eg directory provide
examples of the use of both. But the primary focus of this package is
data acquisition, not parsing or presentation.

Also included is 'simbadc', a simple script for using the class
interactively. The 'simbadc' script can also be used as a Unix filter,
that is, you can redirect commands into it from a file, or pipe them
in from another program.

INSTALLATION

Most Perl users will want to install using their favorite of either
'cpan' or 'cpanp'. For either of these, installing Astro::Coord::ECI
gets you everything. ActivePerl users will want to use ActiveState's
'ppi', and install Astro-satpass.

If for some reason neither of these works for you, you can download the
distribution and expand it using something like

    tar -xzf Astro-SIMBAD-Client-9.999.tar.gz

Users of MSWin32 (and perhaps other operating systems) may need to
convert the line endings in the expanded files from Unix to their native
system before proceeding.

Then, issue one of the following two incantations:

    perl Makefile.PL
    make
    make test
    sudo make install

or

    perl Build.PL
    ./Build
    ./Build test
    sudo ./Build install

You should substitute the appropriate program name for 'make', eg nmake
(typically) under MSWin32, or mms or mmk under VMS. See
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFILES/nmake15.exe for a copy of
nmake for MSWin32 if you need it.

Unix users may want to use 'su' rather than 'sudo' for the install.
Non-unix users may need to be logged in to an administrative or
otherwise privileged accout, and turn on privileges (if applicable) for
the install.

Of course, since it's pure Perl, you can just expand the kit and drop
the .pm files into the Astro/Coord/ECI directory (creating it if
necessary) in the appropriate place in your @INC directories.

LICENSING INFORMATION

This package is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the same terms as Perl 5.10.0. For more details, see the full text
of the licenses in the directory LICENSES.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.