Orchestrate

Scripting and Automation Image Acquisition and Telescope Control

• Auto Mapping with Orchestrate

• Automapper II

• Allowing Remote Connections

• First Time with Orchestrate

• Advanced Auto-Mapping

• Observatory Program

• Sample Orchestrate scripts created by TheSky

• Visual Basic scripts

Note that Orchestrate scripts are simple to create and use, but do not offer open-ended programmability. Orchestrate scripts are very powerful and many users are making discoveries routinely using Orchestrate scripts created by TheSky to search for minor planets and supernovae and other objects. However,

UPDATE! The latest update to Orchestrate has a new feature which allows Orchestrate to launch an external VB script. This adds to the flexibility and power of Orchestrate by adding new life to the application. For example, calling the @Focus2 automated focus routine after large slews assuring good focus. Or calling the script to perform the astrometry (Insert WCS - Astrometry) on each image. How about a shut down observatory script which parks the telescope, closes roof, disconnects all hardware and closes the applications. There is no end. You can now do what could not be done before with minimal effort and a bit of creativity!

• Get the latest Update to Orchestrate!

The new command which allows Orchestrate to run any external script can be found here. RunVBScript command <--Click here.

Visual Basic Scripts - Automap.VBS

One of the biggest advantages of using a Visual Basic script is the ability to handle errors encountered when running a script. When executing Orchestrate scripts, there is no way to recover from errors; and this can be frustrating when you are sleeping or several hundred miles away from the scope and find that the script had inadvertently stopped because of an unforeseen error.

Sample Script Downloads

Visual Basic or Java scripts are one solution, Several example scripts are included with the latest version of Orchestrate. If you do not have the "Sample Scripts" folder located under the Orchestrate folder you need to obtain the latest version from Software Bisque Download Page.

Running the Observatory program - Required using TheSky version 5 only!

Click Start | Programs | Orchestrate Scripting Software | Observatory

In order to use Orchestrate, you must first run the Observatory program to allow for remote connections to the applications. This only needs to be done once. Next, configure the Observatory application to allow remote connections to other applications (TheSky, CCDSoft and AutomaDome).

Allowing Remote Connections CCDSoft and TheSky

Observatory| Server Connections

Offer Remote Connections

From Click File > New option in the Observatory program to offer remote connections to TheSky and CCDSoft and AutomaDome after offering them for remote connections as shown above. You cannot use Orchestrate scripts until you have done this preliminary one-time step.

From within Orchestrate you must connect to TheSky/Telescope and CCD Camera. This is done using the menu option in Orchestrate| Connections as shown below. For testing purposes make sure that you have already setup TheSky to use the Telescope Simulator and CCDSoft to use the Camera Simulator. When the connections are made Orchestrate will connect to these devices automatically in TheSky and CCDSoft.

Using Orchestrate for the First Time

Connect TheSky/Telescope and Camera

Check mark all that apply

You do not have to connect to the TheSky/Telescope and CCD camera necessarily. Any combination of the connections will work. After establishing these connections in Orchestrate you are ready to create and execute a simple script. You should first try a simple one or two line script and make sure that everything works! This can be done in the daytime with or without actually being connected to the scope or camera. Just use the Telescope Simulator and the Camera Simulator in CCDSoft for testing purposes. If you are using the telescope make sure that the telescope is already properly Synced in TheSky first. If not the telescope and or simulator will not be able to slew since the telescope has no idea where it is. A fake Sync on any object currently above the horizon will work.

View | Command List

List of Commands
get the latest Update to Orchestrate!

Just pick the command from the list and it is entered into the Orchestrate spread sheet automatically. It will even enter the correct syntax for using the command. You must EDIT the existing command and change the argument(s) accordingly. This is done by hitting the F2 key when you are on the field you wish to edit.

Highlight the Field and then press the F2 key to Edit

Change the arguments accordingly

Make sure the syntax is exactly the same as the format that is given. If you introduce any extra spacing or characters incorrectly the command will fail when executed. Again, TEST your scripts first so that you do not waste valuable dark imaging time with scripts that will not run.

A good example test script is as follows,

The above TEST script will always work since Polaris is always above the horizon for Northern Hemisphere users. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere make sure you slew to an object that is currently above the southern horizon at all times ~-90 degrees ! When you can get this to work you are ready for more complicated scripts. If you wish to auto-map the telescope with TheSky and TPoint using your CCD camera see the AutoMap scripting section.