ScopeDriver ©2001–2010 Stephen E. Hutson, All Rights Reserved

New In Version 3.0

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Once again, ScopeDriver 3.0 adds major new functionality without a performance penalty or increased complexity. Version 3.0’s highlights appear below. For a complete listing of changes in 3.0, click here.

Macintosh Universal Binary

The incredible speed, performance, and reliability of Intel Macintosh computers is now well established. ScopeDriver takes advantage of Apple’s new platform by running natively on Intel hardware. Of course, since ScopeDriver is a Universal Binary, it continues to run at lightning-fast speed on PowerPC Macs.

Automated Observing Runs

An Automated Observing Run is a means by which you may instruct ScopeDriver to slew to various objects at specified times, and optionally perform follow-up actions after slewing. This is useful for observing patrols, for using ScopeDriver with automated equipment, and for a variety of other applications. This, in addition to ScopeDriver’s existing Timed Slewing feature, makes ScopeDriver a natural choice for automating your observing regimen.

And, as always, ScopeDriver offers you a great deal of configurability. Start an Observing Run manually, or set ScopeDriver to start an Observing Run at a specified time. Pause active Observing Runs, move forward and backward during an Observing Run, and manually stop the Observing Run whenever you like.

Pointing errors (such as objects that are below the horizon) do not interrupt the Observing Run, and follow-up actions (such as parking your instrument or setting alignment mode) can be set for any object.

As usual, there’s a lot of power built-in to the simple, intuitive Automated Observing Run interface.

Interpolated Tracking

While your instrument offers a great deal of control over its tracking rates, there are times when 60.1 Hz can be too slow, while 60.2 Hz is too fast. ScopeDriver offers Interpolated Tracking on Meade instruments — achieving precision to 0.001 Hz.

It does this by alternating between the two closest frequencies that your instrument does support — and ScopeDriver is smart enough to suspend activity before a pending frequency change to keep the tracking changes accurately timed.

A Better Way to Install

ScopeDriver now comes as an installer, which is able to locate your previous version, updating only what needs changing. True to ScopeDriver’s credo of “safety first,” the ScopeDriver Installer never deletes anything from your hard drive. It moves duplicate files into a “Moved During Installation” folder, and moves previous versions of the ScopeDriver application program to their own folder for safekeeping.

More List and Log Flexibility

Who says that your Observing Lists should show the Object Name first, or that the Transit Time needs to appear at all? ScopeDriver now lets you determine which columns appear in Observing Lists and the Observing Log, and in what order to display the columns.

Other Enhancements

Here is a partial listing of other new features and enhancements. For a complete listing of changes in 3.0, click here.

• The Paused Connection window may now be minimized, and remembers its size and position on screen.
• Rise, Set, and Transit times now display in Find Object Windows.
• Times of transit, rise, and set have been added to Observing Lists, for objects identified by right ascension/declination or by orbital elements. For fast-moving orbiting bodies, the times should be accurate to several minutes. These times may also be printed.
• Improved precision and speed of ecliptic obliquity calculation, which further improves ScopeDriver's accuracy in calculating the orbits of comets, asteroids, and other orbiting bodies. Also improves positioning to the Sun.
• Saved Observing Lists are now much smaller, and may still be opened by previous versions of ScopeDriver. When re-opened in ScopeDriver 3.0, lists that were saved in 2.3.5 still retain their 3.0-specific data, such as Rise/Set/Transit Times and Observing Run data.
• Observing Log now automatically scrolls listing horizontally to reveal the text that is being edited.
• Observing Lists now sort Rise, Set, and Transit Times starting at 12 noon, so that objects with times crossing the midnight hour are not separated in the List.
• Undo/Redo menu items now contain text of Undo/Redo behavior (i.e., Undo Modify Object).
• Observing Lists now save sorted column, and reopen with sorted column highlighted.
• Observing List Windows now display altitude and azimuth for objects defined by those coordinates.
• Enabled Alt-Az Coordinates for all instruments with sufficient firmware capabilities in the Go-To Coordinates window.
• Slew Progress window now shows progress for each axis regardless of telescope model selected.
• Multiple Database Objects may now be added to an Observing List by making multiple selections in the “found objects” listing.
• Graphics throughout program have been updated.
• Full Screen Observing List Mode: Errors (such as object below horizon) now appear in the comments section of the object, instead of in a dialog.
• When pausing a connection, the warning dialog may now be suppressed.
• Telescope Preferences: Auto-Select Tracking for Sun/Moon now supports all models, and restores the tracking rate to what was previously in effect before slewing to the Sun or Moon.
• Added Edit button to Observing List Window, which allows you to edit a list object. You may still double-click to edit an object.
• Added ability to edit History Markers in the Communications window.
• ScopeDriver now sets a Meade’s Tracking Rate to its last known value when connecting, since that value cannot be read from the instrument.
• Added Find Object window and Add to Observing List window pop-up menu to control display of objects from your telescope’s internal database (if any). Windows may now sort telescope database objects first, sort these objects last, or not display telescope objects at all.
• ScopeDriver now performs a quick check at startup to check for duplicate ScopeDriver folders. If one is found, a window appears explaining the situation and offering recommendations.
• Switching from Connect Window to Remote Connect Window (and back) is now much faster. Dismissing the Remote Connect Warning is also smoother.
• Observing Lists: Catalog objects may now be added to User Objects.
• Observing Log and Observing List Print Options Windows now select appropriate default typeface when none has been previously selected, or when the previously-selected typeface cannot be found.
• Site Information Window and Edit Site Window now automatically convert lowercase entries to uppercase instead of presenting a warning dialog.
• Site Information Window and Edit Site Window now allow spaces as part of a telescope's Stored Site name.
• Connect Window displays more rapidly after a disconnect or failed connection.
• Preferences are now written to disk when Preference Window is closed.
• New keyboard shortcuts:
  • List/Log Printing Options: Cmd/Ctl + Opt/Alt + Shift + P
  • Save As...: Cmd/Ctl + Opt/Alt + S
  • Show/Hide Navigation Palette: F1 (Windows: Alt + F1)
  • Show/Hide Global Control Palette: F2
  • Configure Global Control Palette: Cmd/Ctl + F2
  • Park Telescope: F3
  • Previous Tour Object: Cmd/Ctl + left arrow
  • Next Tour Object: Cmd/Ctl + right arrow
  • ScopeDriver User Guide: Help (Windows: F1)
• Windows: ScopeDriver now registers the Observing List extension in the Windows Registry when first launched.
• Windows: Uninstaller now provided to remove Registry associations if desired.
• Windows: Observing Lists may now be opened from Windows Explorer.
• Handling of longitude and latitude has been rewritten throughout ScopeDriver. ScopeDriver now accesses these parameters when connecting, enabling calculation of sidereal time, rise/set/transit times, etc.
• When an LX200 Classic is in Polar Mode, selecting Park Telescope now slews to due south (RA = current sidereal time) and zero degrees declination.
• Increased standard command timeout from 0.5 seconds to 1.5 seconds, to accommodate slow telescope responses in some unusual cases. Remote connection short timeout extended from 2.0 seconds to 3.0 seconds. Long timeout mode increased from 2.0 seconds to 3.0 seconds standard / from 3.3 seconds to 4 seconds remote. Degree symbol timeout increased from 0.25 seconds to 1.5 seconds.
• Inter-Application Communication commands are low logged in the Communications Window and ScopeDriver History.
• History Markers may now be added via the Communication Window’s pop-up menu.
• Communications Window now includes firmware version in window and copied reports.

Try It Out!

Download ScopeDriver and see for yourself why this is such an exciting update!

Upgraders: This is a free upgrade for those who purchased ScopeDriver in November of 2004 or later. If you purchased ScopeDriver prior to November of 2004, you will be able to upgrade to version 3.0 at a special, discounted upgrade price. Just open ScopeDriver, and the program will guide you through the simple upgrade process.

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