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ScopeDriver 3.1 Released 02 December 2007 (For Version 3.1 highlights, click here.)

Enhancements and New Features

• Additional Telescope Type: “Basic Meade Compatible” interfaces with non-Meade instruments that support the basic Meade right ascension and declination commands, as well as the Move Speed commands. Commands and functions that utilize other commands are disabled in this mode.
• Serial Camera Shutter Control:
  • ScopeDriver now supports camera shutter control via serial interface. Sources for camera shutter controls are included in the Serial Camera Control READ ME file, inside the Documentation folder.
  • Manual exposures may now be performed by selecting Camera Exposure from the Telescope menu (or by pressing F6). Up to 1000 exposures may be generated in this fashion, from milliseconds to hours, to facilitate stacking.
  • Exposure Actions in Automated Observing Runs may include a number of iterations (total exposures), useful for generating multiple images for stacking.
  • An exposure in progress may be cancelled by pressing the [ESC] key.
  • Camera commands are shown in Communications Window, and are added to Scopedriver History.
• Automated Observing Run:
  • You may now quickly switch to editing any open Observing List’s Automated Run actions by clicking the desired window’s Observing Run... button.
  • The report log now reports all types of Actions, not just exposures and pauses.
  • The report log no longer shows if the run is cancelled before any actions occur.
  • You may now specify to skip or create a log report of an Automated Observing Run.
  • Status window now occupies much less screen area when an Observing Run is in progress.
  • Slew Progress Window no longer shows during Automated Observing Runs.
• Losmandy Gemini Telescopes:
  • “Side of Mount” is now reported (E or W) in the Right Ascension displays.
  • Level 4 and above: Slewing to an object now also performs a mounting meridian flip if necessary.
  • Level 4 and above: Added Perform Meridian Flip command to the Telescope menu.
  • Level 4 and above: Main Window now displays azimuth.
  • Level 4 and above: Parking instrument now allows user to select parking at Home or Startup position.
  • Level 4 and above: Performing a slew now prompts for a mounting meridian flip if the object is on the same side of the meridian as the telescope.
• Consolidated Time and Date Window and Site Information Window. Saved User-Defined Sites now also save data about a Site’s GMT Offset. This data is backward-compatible with earlier versions of ScopeDriver.
• Redesigned Connect Window, Control Window, and Remote Connect Window.
• Observing List Window: Removed Undo and Redo buttons, replacing them with an Observing Run... button.
• Autostar: Sync. to Current Coords. is now enabled for all Autostars.
• Edit Fixed Celestial Object Window now displays the epoch “2000.00” when adding a new object, unless the object is being added based on the telescope’s current coordinates (i.e., Objects -> Define Fixed Object), in which case the epoch of date is still displayed.
• Large Observing Lists now load more quickly.
• Internet Update: Now more reliably checks whether an active Internet connection exists.
• Extensively updated User Guide and other documentation.

Bug Fixes:

• Gemini: Fixed bug where canceling out of the Site and Time Window would reset instrument’s location to factory default.
• Observing List Window: Cut, Copy, Paste, drag and drop actions now properly move automated observing run actions.
• Windows: Fixed problem where arrow keys could fail to activate slew arrows, instead selecting other controls.
• Automated Observing Run Window: Stop, Previous and Next buttons now disable when an Observing Run is paused.
• Fixed bug on some international systems where connecting to the telescope could set ScopeDriver’s internal longitude and latitude values to incorrect values.
• Gemini: Fixed bug related to setting Slew Speed on some models.

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