Blog Entry © Wednesday, January 14, 2026, by James Pate Williams, Jr. Curvature of the Earth Table

// CurvatureOfTheEarth.cpp : Defines the entry point for the application.
//

#include "pch.h"
#include "framework.h"
#include "CurvatureOfTheEarth.h"
#include "GreatCircleDistance.h"
#include "Vincenty.h"

#define MAX_LOADSTRING 100

// Global Variables:
HINSTANCE hInst;                                // current instance
WCHAR szTitle[MAX_LOADSTRING];                  // The title bar text
WCHAR szWindowClass[MAX_LOADSTRING];            // the main window class name
WCHAR line[128];                                // general purpose buffer
std::wstring outputText;                        // output wide character text

// Forward declarations of functions included in this code module:
ATOM                MyRegisterClass(HINSTANCE hInstance);
BOOL                InitInstance(HINSTANCE, int);
LRESULT CALLBACK    WndProc(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM);
INT_PTR CALLBACK    About(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM);
INT_PTR CALLBACK    TableDialog(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM);

int APIENTRY wWinMain(_In_ HINSTANCE hInstance,
                     _In_opt_ HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,
                     _In_ LPWSTR    lpCmdLine,
                     _In_ int       nCmdShow)
{
    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(hPrevInstance);
    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(lpCmdLine);

    // TODO: Place code here.

    // Initialize global strings
    LoadStringW(hInstance, IDS_APP_TITLE, szTitle, MAX_LOADSTRING);
    LoadStringW(hInstance, IDC_CURVATUREOFTHEEARTH, szWindowClass, MAX_LOADSTRING);
    MyRegisterClass(hInstance);

    // Perform application initialization:
    if (!InitInstance (hInstance, nCmdShow))
    {
        return FALSE;
    }

    HACCEL hAccelTable = LoadAccelerators(hInstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDC_CURVATUREOFTHEEARTH));

    MSG msg;

    // Main message loop:
    while (GetMessage(&msg, nullptr, 0, 0))
    {
        if (!TranslateAccelerator(msg.hwnd, hAccelTable, &msg))
        {
            TranslateMessage(&msg);
            DispatchMessage(&msg);
        }
    }

    return (int) msg.wParam;
}

//
//  FUNCTION: MyRegisterClass()
//
//  PURPOSE: Registers the window class.
//
ATOM MyRegisterClass(HINSTANCE hInstance)
{
    WNDCLASSEXW wcex = { 0 };

    wcex.cbSize = sizeof(WNDCLASSEX);

    wcex.style          = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
    wcex.lpfnWndProc    = WndProc;
    wcex.cbClsExtra     = 0;
    wcex.cbWndExtra     = 0;
    wcex.hInstance      = hInstance;
    wcex.hIcon          = LoadIcon(hInstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDI_CURVATUREOFTHEEARTH));
    wcex.hCursor        = LoadCursor(nullptr, IDC_ARROW);
    wcex.hbrBackground  = (HBRUSH)(COLOR_WINDOW+1);
    wcex.lpszMenuName   = MAKEINTRESOURCEW(IDC_CURVATUREOFTHEEARTH);
    wcex.lpszClassName  = szWindowClass;
    wcex.hIconSm        = LoadIcon(wcex.hInstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDI_SMALL));

    return RegisterClassExW(&wcex);
}

//
//   FUNCTION: InitInstance(HINSTANCE, int)
//
//   PURPOSE: Saves instance handle and creates main window
//
//   COMMENTS:
//
//        In this function, we save the instance handle in a global variable and
//        create and display the main program window.
//
BOOL InitInstance(HINSTANCE hInstance, int nCmdShow)
{
   hInst = hInstance; // Store instance handle in our global variable

   HWND hWnd = CreateWindowW(szWindowClass, szTitle, WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW,
      CW_USEDEFAULT, 0, CW_USEDEFAULT, 0, nullptr, nullptr, hInstance, nullptr);

   if (!hWnd)
   {
      return FALSE;
   }

   ShowWindow(hWnd, nCmdShow);
   UpdateWindow(hWnd);

   return TRUE;
}

//
//  FUNCTION: WndProc(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM)
//
//  PURPOSE: Processes messages for the main window.
//
//  WM_COMMAND  - process the application menu
//  WM_PAINT    - Paint the main window
//  WM_DESTROY  - post a quit message and return
//
//
LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hWnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
    switch (message)
    {
    case WM_CREATE:
        DialogBox(hInst, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDD_TABLE_DIALOG), hWnd, TableDialog);
        break;
    case WM_COMMAND:
        {
            int wmId = LOWORD(wParam);
            // Parse the menu selections:
            switch (wmId)
            {
            case IDM_ABOUT:
                DialogBox(hInst, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDD_ABOUTBOX), hWnd, About);
                break;
            case IDM_EXIT:
                DestroyWindow(hWnd);
                break;
            default:
                return DefWindowProc(hWnd, message, wParam, lParam);
            }
        }
        break;
    case WM_PAINT:
        {
            PAINTSTRUCT ps;
            HDC hdc = BeginPaint(hWnd, &ps);
            // TODO: Add any drawing code that uses hdc here...
            EndPaint(hWnd, &ps);
        }
        break;
    case WM_DESTROY:
        PostQuitMessage(0);
        break;
    default:
        return DefWindowProc(hWnd, message, wParam, lParam);
    }
    return 0;
}

// Message handler for about box.
INT_PTR CALLBACK About(HWND hDlg, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(lParam);
    switch (message)
    {
    case WM_INITDIALOG:
        return (INT_PTR)TRUE;

    case WM_COMMAND:
        if (LOWORD(wParam) == IDOK || LOWORD(wParam) == IDCANCEL)
        {
            EndDialog(hDlg, LOWORD(wParam));
            return (INT_PTR)TRUE;
        }
        break;
    }
    return (INT_PTR)FALSE;
}

INT_PTR CALLBACK TableDialog(HWND hDlg, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(lParam);
    static double deltaTime = 0;
    static int height = 20, width = 80;
    static size_t delta = 0;
    static HFONT hFont = NULL;
    static HWND hEditMultiline = NULL;
    static GreatCircleDistance gcd;
    static Vincenty vincenty;

    switch (message)
    {
    case WM_INITDIALOG:
        hFont = CreateFont(
            -MulDiv(7, GetDeviceCaps(GetDC(hDlg), LOGPIXELSY), 72),
            0, 0, 0, FW_BOLD, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE,
            DEFAULT_CHARSET, OUT_DEFAULT_PRECIS,
            CLIP_DEFAULT_PRECIS, DEFAULT_QUALITY,
            FIXED_PITCH | FF_MODERN,
            TEXT("Courier New")
        );

        hEditMultiline = CreateWindowEx(
            WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE,                       // Extended style for sunken border
            TEXT("EDIT"),                           // Class name
            TEXT(""),                               // Initial text (can be blank)
            WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_VSCROLL | ES_LEFT | ES_MULTILINE | ES_READONLY,
            10, 0, 10 * width, 30 * height,         // Position and size
            hDlg,                                   // Parent window handle
            (HMENU)IDC_EDIT_MULTILINE,              // Unique control ID
            hInst,                                  // Application instance
            NULL                                    // Extra parameter
        );

        SendMessage(hEditMultiline, WM_SETFONT, (WPARAM)hFont, TRUE);
        return (INT_PTR)TRUE;

    case WM_COMMAND:
        if (LOWORD(wParam) == IDCANCEL)
        {
            EndDialog(hDlg, LOWORD(wParam));
            return (INT_PTR)TRUE;
        }

        if (LOWORD(wParam) == IDC_BUTTON_COMPUTE)
        {
            outputText += L"Range in Yards Versus Curvature of the Earth in Feet\r\n\r\n";
            outputText += L"Yards\t 0\t 100\t 200\t 300\t 400\t 500\t 600\t 700\t 800\t 900\r\n";
                
            for (double row = 1000.0; row <= 40000.0; row += 1000.0)
            {
                swprintf_s(line, L"%6.1lf\t", row);
                outputText += line;

                for (double col = 0.0; col <= 900.0; col += 100.0)
                {
                    double r = row + col;
                    double distance = 3.0 * gcd.Interpolate(r);

                    swprintf_s(line, L"%4.1lf\t", distance);
                    outputText += line;
                }

                outputText += L"\r\n";
            }

            outputText += L"Yards\t 0\t 100\t 200\t 300\t 400\t 500\t 600\t 700\t 800\t 900\r\n";
            SetWindowText(hEditMultiline, outputText.c_str());
            return (INT_PTR)TRUE;
        }
    }

    return (INT_PTR)FALSE;
}

#pragma once
#include "Vincenty.h"

struct PointRaR
{
    double ra;   // curvature of the Earth correction in yards
    double r;    // flat Earth distance (chord) in yards

    PointRaR(double ra, double r)
    {
        this->ra = ra;
        this->r = r;
    }
};

class GreatCircleDistance
{

private:

    Vincenty vincenty;
    std::vector<PointRaR> pts;

    bool binarySearch(double x, int& lt, int& rt);

public:

    friend int compare(
        const PointRaR& lt,
        const PointRaR& rt)
    {
        if (lt.r < rt.r)
            return -1;
        if (lt.r > rt.r)
            return +1;

        return 0;
    };

    // R is in yards, returns in yards
    // Curvature of the Earth correction

    double Interpolate(double R);

    // construction of the curvature of the Earth table

    GreatCircleDistance();
};

#pragma once

class Vincenty
{

public:

    static double Re; // Radius of Earth in meters
    double deltaSigma(
        double phi1, double lambda1,
        double phi2, double lambda2);
    double distance(
        double phi1, double lambda1,
        double phi2, double lambda2);
    double distanceConstantLambda(
        double phi1, double phi2);
    double distanceConstantXY(double z);
    double x(double phi, double lambda);
    double y(double phi, double lambda);
    double z(double phi);
    double phi(double z);
    double lambda(double x, double y);
};

#include "pch.h"
#include "GreatCircleDistance.h"

bool GreatCircleDistance::binarySearch(
    double x, int& lt, int& rt)
{
    int n = static_cast<int>(pts.size()), L = 0, M, R = n - 1;

Label10:

    if (x == pts[L].r)
    {
        lt = rt = L;
        return true;
    }

    if (x == pts[R].r)
    {
        lt = rt = R;
        return true;
    }

    if (x > pts[L].r && x < pts[R].r && R - L == 1)
    {
        lt = L;
        rt = R;
        return true;
    }

    if (x > pts[L].r && x < pts[R].r)
    {
        M = (L + R) / 2;

        if (x > pts[M].r)
        {
            L = M;
            goto Label10;
        }

        if (x < pts[M].r)
        {
            R = M;
            goto Label10;
        }
    }

    lt = rt = -1;
    return false;
}

double GreatCircleDistance::Interpolate(double R)
{
    int lt, rt;

    if (binarySearch(R, lt, rt))
    {
        double x0 = pts[lt].ra, x1 = pts[rt].ra;
        double y0 = pts[lt].r, y1 = pts[rt].r;
        double deltaX = x1 - x0, deltaY = y1 - y0;
        double ra = deltaX * (R - y0) / deltaY + x0;

        return ra;
    }

    return -1.0;
}

GreatCircleDistance::GreatCircleDistance()
{
    double deltaPhi = 0.000001, phi1 = 0.0, phi2 = deltaPhi, delta;
    double deltaRa, d0 = vincenty.z(phi1), d1, r, ra;
    int cnt = 0;

    pts.push_back(PointRaR(0.0, 0.0));

    while (cnt < 10000)
    {
        d1 = vincenty.z(phi2);

        if (d0 >= d1)
        {
            delta = d0 - d1;
            deltaRa = d0 * d0 - d1 * d1;
        }

        else
        {
            delta = d1 - d0;
            deltaRa = d1 * d1 - d0 * d0;
        }

        r = delta;
        ra = sqrt(deltaRa);
        ra = r >= ra ? r - ra : ra - r;
        pts.push_back(PointRaR(1.0936 * r, 1.0936 * ra));
        phi2 += deltaPhi;
        cnt++;
    }
}

#include "pch.h"
#include "Vincenty.h"

double Vincenty::Re = 6378137.0;	// radius of Earth in meters

double Vincenty::deltaSigma(
    double phi1, double lambda1,
    double phi2, double lambda2)
{
    double deltaPhi = phi1 - phi2, deltaLambda = lambda1 - lambda2;
    double cosPhi1 = cos(phi1), cosPhi2 = cos(phi2);
    double sinPhi1 = sin(phi1), sinPhi2 = sin(phi2);
    double cosDeltaLambda = cos(deltaLambda), sinDeltaLambda = sin(deltaLambda);
    double numer1 = cosPhi2 * sinDeltaLambda;
    double numer2 = cosPhi1 * sinPhi2 - sinPhi1 * cosPhi2 * cosDeltaLambda;
    double numer = sqrt(numer1 * numer1 + numer2 * numer2);
    double denom = sinPhi1 * sinPhi2 + cosPhi1 * cosPhi2 * cosDeltaLambda;

    return atan2(numer, denom);
}

double Vincenty::distance(
    double phi1, double lambda1,
    double phi2, double lambda2)
{
    return Re * deltaSigma(phi1, lambda1, phi2, lambda2);
}

double Vincenty::distanceConstantLambda(
    double phi1, double phi2)
{
    return Re * distance(phi1, 0.0, phi2, 0.0);
}

double Vincenty::distanceConstantXY(double z)
{
    return Re * distance(phi(0.0), 0.0, phi(z), 0.0);
}

double Vincenty::x(double phi, double lambda)
{
    return Re * sin(phi) * cos(lambda);
}

double Vincenty::y(double phi, double lambda)
{
    return Re * sin(phi) * sin(lambda);
}

double Vincenty::z(double phi)
{
    return Re * cos(phi);
}

double Vincenty::phi(double z)
{
    return acos(z / sqrt(Re));
}

double Vincenty::lambda(double x, double y)
{
    return asin(y / sqrt(x * x + y * y));
}

Unknown's avatar

Author: jamespatewilliamsjr

My whole legal name is James Pate Williams, Jr. I was born in LaGrange, Georgia approximately 70 years ago. I barely graduated from LaGrange High School with low marks in June 1971. Later in June 1979, I graduated from LaGrange College with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry with a little over a 3 out 4 Grade Point Average (GPA). In the Spring Quarter of 1978, I taught myself how to program a Texas Instruments desktop programmable calculator and in the Summer Quarter of 1978 I taught myself Dayton BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) on LaGrange College's Data General Eclipse minicomputer. I took courses in BASIC in the Fall Quarter of 1978 and FORTRAN IV (Formula Translator IV) in the Winter Quarter of 1979. Professor Kenneth Cooper, a genius poly-scientist taught me a course in the Intel 8085 microprocessor architecture and assembly and machine language. We would hand assemble our programs and insert the resulting machine code into our crude wooden box computer which was designed and built by Professor Cooper. From 1990 to 1994 I earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from LaGrange College. I had a 4 out of 4 GPA in the period 1990 to 1994. I took courses in C, COBOL, and Pascal during my BS work. After graduating from LaGrange College a second time in May 1994, I taught myself C++. In December 1995, I started using the Internet and taught myself client-server programming. I created a website in 1997 which had C and C# implementations of algorithms from the "Handbook of Applied Cryptography" by Alfred J. Menezes, et. al., and some other cryptography and number theory textbooks and treatises.

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