Orchestrate
Scripting and Automation
Image Acquisition and
Telescope Control
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!
The new command which
allows Orchestrate to run any external script can be found here.
RunVBScript command <--Click here.
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.
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).
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.
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,
| Command |
Parameter |
Description |
| WaitFor |
10 |
Time to wait in seconds |
| SlewToObject |
Polaris |
Enter Object Name |
| TakeImage |
1 |
Exposure Time in
Seconds |
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 Auto-Map scripting
section.
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