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ScopeDriver ©2001–2009 Stephen E. Hutson, All Rights Reserved |
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ScopeDriver Pre-Release Page
The software on this page is PRE-RELEASE SOFTWARE. The software:
- May contain errors.
- Is for testing purposes only.
- Should not be used if you do not possess a backup of your data.
- Should not be used on mission-critical machines.
- May contain no documentation.
Download the software on this page ONLY IF you are familiar with using PRE-RELEASE software, and understand the potential risk that this entails.
Click here to skip directly to the Instructions and Download section.
ScopeDriver 3.3a4, Build 403
06 May 2009
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR CELESTRON AND iOPTRON TESTERS:
This is an early alpha, designed to assist in the development of Celestron and iOptron support. Many features have not yet been implemented.
WE ARE RE-WRITING MUCH OF SCOPEDRIVER'S CORE FUNCTIONALITY, IN ORDER TO SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF INSTRUMENTS. PLEASE EXPECT DELAYS BETWEEN PRE-RELEASE UPDATES.
Therefore, we encourage you to be prepared to remove power from your telescope if it should begin a runaway slew (a slew that cannot be stopped). Also be prepared to remove power if the telescope tube should come too close to the base, etc. The following outline will be updated to assist you ind etermining what is and is not supported:
Connection:
- Does ScopeDriver connect when you select your model as the telescope type? If not, do other programs (i.e., terminal programs) connect?
- Do errors occur during the connection stage?
Operation:
- Do the slew buttons (up / down / left / right) function? Does the telescope move in the correct direction?
- Do the slew rate buttons (Slew / Find / Center / Guide) function change the slew rate when you click a slew button?
- Do the slew buttons slew when the mouse is held down, and stop when the mouse is released?
- Does the slew operate continuously in the desired direction when you hold down the SHIFT key and click the slew button? Can you slew in two directions at once using this technique? Does clicking the octagonal “Stop” button stop a continuous slew in progress?
- Do the Telescope Position displays show the same data as your hand control after you align? Is negative declination reported correctly?
- Does the Alignment pop-up menu correctly change your instrument's alignment?
- Can you successfully change the slew speed by selecting Slew Rate... from the Telescope menu?
To assist with Celestron or iOptron testing, select the entry matching your make and model (if any) from the Telescope type pop-up menu in the Connect window. Connect using the Connect button, and try as many of ScopeDriver's features as you like. You may find it helpful to perform a quick one-star alignment (even indoors) before connecting. Close the Main Window when done, then select Show ScopeDriver History... from the Special menu. This will reveal the file “ScopeDriver History” in the FInder (Mac) or WIndows Explorer (Windows). Whether or not you successfully connect, this communication history can be useful. Feel free to e-mail us a compressed version of the “ScopeDriver History” file at 
. Please remind us of your platform and your telescope make and model.
Changes in this pre-release:
- This pre-release expires on 01 July 2009.
- Fixed problem reporting Right Ascension and Declination in Observing List Full-Screen Mode.
- Improved the manner by which position queries are included or suppressed in the ScopeDriver History disk file and the Communications window.
- Changed Basic Celestron Compatible Telescope Type to Modern Celestron Models to encourage users to first try this setting.
- Connect window: Fixed issue where Telescope Type would not be saved for Celestron and iOptron models.
- Increased maximum size of ScopeDriver History file to about 750 kilobytes.
- Added to the debug code in working with Celestron coordinates.
- This build sets the state of Filter Position Data in the Communications window to false (not filtering data). It also sets the Application Preference Log Position Queries to History File to true. These are the optimal settings for testing in the pre-release series. You may temporarily override this behavior in the Preferences window and the Communications window by holding down the SHIFT key as the window opens, which enables the logging control.
Other changes since Version 3.2:
- Additional translation in French version by Patrick Trochet.
- Changing alignment mode now immediately updates position readouts.
- Celestron:
- Added support for slew up, down, left, and right.
- Added support for stopping slews.
- Added support for setting slew rate via the Telescope -> Slew Rate... menu command.
- Added preliminary support for position readouts. We’ll need communications reports to flesh this out for all models.
- Added support for getting GMT Offset, Longitude, and latitude
- Added support for determining whether alignment has been performed.
- Added support for setting and retrieving alignment mode
- Added support for slew rates Slew, Find, Center, and Guide.
- Connection should proceed much further without errors.
- Added support for getting GMT Offset, Longitude, and latitude
- Added support for determining whether alignment has been performed.
- Added support for setting and retrieving alignment mode
- Changing alignment mode now immediately updates position readouts.
- Added support for slew rates Slew, Find, Center, and Guide.
- Please note that some other ScopeDriver commands are still unsupported.
- Mac OS X Installer:
- Instead of creating a new ScopeDriver Folder and renaming the old folder, the installer now leaves the ScopeDriver folder in place. Only new or changed files are copied, and existing duplicate files are placed in a "Moved by Installer" folder inside the ScopeDriver Folder. If an existing ScopeDriver application is found, it is placed in a compressed (.zip) archive in the "Moved by Installer" folder, so that the correct copy of ScopeDriver always opens.
- Now works in non-administrator accounts.
- Now performs its last action ("Finishing Installation...") much more rapidly.
- Now can install to a non-default location, and will upgrade from within the application to the same non-default location. Note that the in-application updating will work when updating Build 395 or later; for earlier versions, a dialog will appear asking you to specify the install location.
- Now performs additional error checking and retries failed operations before reporting an error.
- Internet Update Checking:
- Improvements made to performance and reliability of Internet Update Checks.
- Internet Update now yields time back to ScopeDriver as it checks for updates.
- Internet Update may now be forced to check in asynchronous mode by holding down the [control] and [shift] keys when beginning an update check.
- Mac OS X: Internet Update now downloads updates to the user's Downloads folder, unless that folder cannot be found, in which case it reverts to downloading to the desktop.
- Mac OS X: Internet Update automatically renames duplicate disk image files, instead of presenting a Save As dialog.
- Much of ScopeDriver’s code has been reviewed and optimized for speed.
- Reversal delay when changing slew directions now better supports all telescopes.
- Telescope Slew Rate Window now supports extended slew rates if supported by Autostar models.
- Main Window Slew Rate readout no longer truncates long entries.
- Install should now proceed more rapidly.
- ScopeDriver has been extensive optimized and re-factored, which should result in even better resource management. Improved launch times should appear in the next alpha. Thanks for your patience as we re-wrote much of ScopeDriver!
- First build commencing iOptron support. Select "iOptron Series" as the Telescope model in the Connect window.
- Celestron models in the Connect window's Telescope pop-up have now been split between several models, owing to command set differences.
- Celestron go-to and reporting of right ascension and declination should work for most Celestron models. If yours behaves in an unexpected manner, or reports incorrect coordinates, please report this to us, enclosing a copy of your ScopeDriver History file.
- Internet Update should now automatically complete installation, instead of often stopping after the downloaded disk image mounts. Note that this will only occur when performing an in-application upgrade using version 3.3a3 or later.
- Standard permissions on installed and created files are now read/write/execute for owner and group, and read/execute for other users.
Instructions:
- Please select the correct version for your platform. ScopeDriver is available for Windows and Mac OS X (Universal Binary), in English and French.
- The below archives may not include documentation. Be sure to download the release version of ScopeDriver before downloading the below archives.
ScopeDriver Pre-release Downloads:
Be sure to read the pre-release warning before downloading.
IMPORTANT NOTE: WE ARE RE-WRITING MUCH OF SCOPEDRIVER'S CORE FUNCTIONALITY, IN ORDER TO SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF INSTRUMENTS. PLEASE EXPECT DELAYS BETWEEN PRE-RELEASE UPDATES.
NOTE THAT THE BELOW ALPHA VERSIONS EXPIRED ON 01 JULY. WE WILL HAVE A NEW ALPHA POSTED BY 14 JULY 2009.
English:
Français:
Questions? Problems?
- E-mail me at .
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Tuesday, December 16, 2008 7:10 PM
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Tuesday, December 16, 2008 7:10 PM
