
[Q] In the var1\gythios\map\p.dat file, I see the following
stuff:

#--------1---------2---------3---------4---------5---------6---
#PlanetName   Loc. UPP Code   B   Notes         Z  PBG Al LRX *
#----------   ---- ---------  - --------------- -  --- -- --- -
Antioch       2536 D55567C-3    Ag                 522 Io 330
Dubhgan       2631 B345768-9  N Ag                 804 Na 300
Dolgan        2635 E150533-5    De                 803 Io 740
Thorp         2638 A671761-B  N                    900 Io 08N fx
.             2733 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             2734 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             2735 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
Pitstop 1     2739 *2 Refueling Station         A      Na
.             2832 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             2833 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             2834 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             2835 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
Derelict      2836 *3 Abandoned Vessel          R      Io     f
Pitstop 2     2839 *2 Refueling Station         A      Na
Idhra         2931 A68987A-D  2                    804 Gw 55R
.             2932 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             2933 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
Idhra's Claw  2934 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             2935 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             2936 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
Pitstop 3     2939 *2 Refueling Station         A      Na
Deep Lab      3031 *1 Research Station                 Gw
.             3032 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             3033 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             3034 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             3035 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
Targon        3036 X435000-0    Ba Lo              000 Na 000
Pitstop 4     3039 *2 Refueling Station         A      Na
.             3133 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             3134 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
.             3135 *4 Gaseous Nebula                   Na
Steorra       3139 B668632-9  2 Ag                 714 Na 540
Fogter        3140 A77AAAC-E    Hi Wa              604 Na 3AX
Brita         3232 X434000-0    Ba Lo              012 Na 500
Yole          3233 X737000-0    Ba Lo              004 Na 250

What's going on here w/ respect to the entries that begin with a
period (.) and the entries that have an asterisk (*) where the
starport code should be located?

[A] The period (.) is used for places where you don't want a name
showing on the map. In this case, the Idhra nebula comprises many
different hexes. We obviously want the name printed only once, so
we make sure that it isn't printed in all the other hexes by using
a period (.) for the name in those hexes. You can also do this for
worlds, but use of the "hide" (H) flag (described within the
previous help file) would be more appropriate for this purpose.
   As for the asterisk (*) entries, these are entries for various
non-world sites. They are designated by a *1, *2, *3, or *4, each
of which refer to what type of marker will be used on the subsector
map. *1 gets a triangle. *2 gets a square. *3 gets a diamond. *4
gets lots of dots (good from nebulas and such, which can encompass
multiple hexes). It's worth keeping in mind that hiding a star (*)
entry with the hide (H) flag will not only withhold the site's name
from the map, but will withhold the marker as well, so that it will
be completely invisible, unlike a star system which can usually be
seen and triangulated to a specific position even if nobody has
ever been there. This is a feature which is meant to help you hide
non-world sites from your players (secret deep-space research
stations and such). Such non-world sites can have files or menus
attached to them, but they can't have world maps attached, such as
does Thorp (2638).
   For a clearer picture of how this works, select the Variant-1
Galaxy (Gythios Sector) and go all the way to the bottom-right
corner where the Idhra Subsector is located.

