Star Chart Android Support & FAQ:
Problems with Compass
Problems with Augmented Reality
Problems with Downloading
Problems with Gingerbread 2.3
Access Denied / Unable to Validate License: This error occurs when Star Chart has not been able to connect to the payment authentication server of the store you purchased Star Chart through. Reasons for this error occurring include: No internet access available upon launch / Authentication's Servers are temporarily down / Authentication process has been delayed. There are a few options for solving this problem: Ensure your device is connected to the internet and launch Star Chart. Ensure you have received a payment receipt from the store you purchased Star Chart through and click on the link provided in your email receipt. Alternatively wait a few minutes and try launching Star Chart again.
AR Support
AR Support: Please note that Star Chart requires certain hardware to function in Augmented Reality mode - for example a compass. Star Chart will work on other phones, but you will be required to pan through the skies using your fingers.
AR issues: On devices with a built-in compass Augmented Reality mode should kick-in automatically upon startup. If it does not, please ensure the AR-mode toggle button in the menu screen isn't disabled.
Compass
Compass:Sometimes devices with compasses lose accuracy and the compass needs recalibrating. This is often the case when you experience either "stickyness" or lack of movement, obviously inaccurate directional pointing (you know you're pointing north, but Star Chart seems to be pointing another direction) or if the screen pans in a different direction to your physical movement. If this happens, hold your device out at arms length and make a figure-of-eight motion with your arm three or four times. This should recalibrate it. Also please ensure you are not near a strong magnetic field, for example electricity cables or a magnet attached to your device's case.
Object's Positions Inaccurate: There have been reports of the sun and other object's positions not showing up accurately. To function properly, Star Chart requires the following device settings to be accurate: Time / Time Zone / GPS coordinates. If you find this problem occurs for you, please try the following: Ensure your Time Zone is set correctly for your location. Ensure the right Time is set for your location. Ensure the GPS coordinates are accurate for your location (especially if you have input them yourself). There is a possible bug in some CDMA devices that may cause all Star Chart's objects to show up in the wrong position - we are working on this and will have a fix asap.
Time and Time Zone: Ensure your device is set to the correct time, and just as importantly, the correct time zone. Star Chart needs both these pieces of information in order to work properly.
Location: Star Chart also needs to know where you are located to accurately draw the skies as you would see them in your current location. Where possible we get this from GPS data available to us on your device. If Star Chart displays 'GPS not found' in the top left of the screen, then Star Chart has failed to get GPS data. There can be multiple reasons for this, ranging from your device's built-in technologies not supporting GPS, your personal device settings disabling GPS, the "Use GPS" toggle in Star Chart's "Set Location" menu option, as well as GPS signal strength in your current location.
Download
Download Issues: There have been reports of users who have purchased Star Chart but have then been unable to download the application. The store you purchased Star Chart through is responsible for how any application downloads to your device and downloads can fail for any number of reasons. Below are a few suggestions to try before contacting us for further assistance:
Sometimes it takes a while for the payment to be fully processed. It is worth trying to download the application again after a short while.
Try to download the application over a Wifi connection instead of a 3G connection; they tend to be more reliable and faster.
It may be that the Market application cache is full - this can happen if you frequently download or have recently downloaded many applications. In order for any application to download successfully there needs to be enough space to accommodate the application in temporary space before it is written to a more permanent location. To resolve this, go to Settings -> Applications -> Manage Applications -> Market and press Clear Cache. This will remove any temporary data it has stored. Open the Market application and try the download again - you shouldn't need to purchase it again.
Gingerbread
Gingerbread (2.3) Update: There have been reports of users experiencing problems since they've upgraded their phone to use the Android Gingerbread (v2.3) OS which include problems concerning the compass, screen orientation and accelerometer. These problems are not caused by Star Chart (as other applications are reported to have similar issues) but with the device manufacturer's implementation of this version of Android. Some manufacturers have subsequently released fixes and users should check if there is an update available by going to Settings -> About Phone -> Software Update (or similar process, please check your user manual). If there isn't an update available you should contact your device manufacturer and report the problem - the more e-mails they receive the quicker they will act on the problem. We have a post in our forums which we are updating as we receive news or updates at Escapist Games Forum . If you are experiencing problems and don't see your device listed or have heard something we haven't please post on the forum and let us know!
More serious issues: If your problems with Star Chart are more severe than those mentioned above, we ask that you reinstall the app. Delete Star Chart from your Home Screen and re-install it by downloading it again directly from the App Store (you will not be charged again). If your problem persists, please contact us on:
Finally Star Chart only works on Earth. So please don't take it with you on interstellar missions - it'll only get you lost ;).