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[Feature Request]* Option To Not Have Compass Icon In Right Corner Of Screen (Or Anywhere Else)

I definitely do not like the Compass icon in the upper right corner of the screen.  Is there anyway to turn this off?  For the entire time I'm actually observing at night, I don't see any rational use for this feature.  The only times I've ever used the Compass is in twilight to get a better idea of the location of an object in a bright sky.  At night, I don't see how Compass could be useful for any amateur astronomer who knows the constellations and the night sky, unless they are observing under heavy light pollution.  In my opinion, at night under a clear sky without heavy light pollution, Compass is a feature for newbies, not experienced amateur astronomers.  Which is fine for newbies, but not for experienced amateur astronomers!  For me, it just gets in the way and takes up space on the screen.  In fact, several times I accidently tapped the Compass icon, which sent the chart down into the southern hemisphere!  Then I had to turn off the Compass and refind the target in SSP.

 

Please give us the option to remove the Compass icon from the screen.

5 comments

  • Avatar
    Keiron Smith Official comment
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    Keiron Smith

    Thank you for the feedback.  I will raise your query with the developers.

  • 0
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    Steenkh

    While I have absolutely nothing against the compass icon, I do see the point about how you can accidentally hit the compass icon and be transported to the southern sky. I have had this happen often when I want to flip the display to look like it is through the telescope.

    Could you please make the compass icon inactive when pointing downwards?

  • 1
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    Jeff Reinecke

    I upvote this with the caveat that I would like to add that I'd prefer to have it in the "Menu" menu rather than in the top right. On rare occasion I use it, but it's very rare, and bumping it results in surprise loss of your location, which is rough when star hopping, lol. :)

    A follow-on to that is that the new menus are compact but when in portrait mode (my preferred mode my iPhone because I can see the most sky), only having five icons can be limiting, especially since there is no longer a scroll-sideways-for-more mode.

    A QoL feature for version 7.1+ would be some ability to add/remove items from the menu items, making the toolbar fully customizable to have the 5 icons each have the things in it that I want/use.

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    Bill Tschumy

    My understanding is that they intend to make the compass button's visibility an option in the near future.

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