Maestro is a SkyWalker Client software application designed to provide a Microsoft Windows based user interface to SkyWalker.
New features in the latest SkyWalker upgrade are NOT detailed in this file. See the latest SkyWalker firmware upgrade "readme" file on our support page.
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====================================== Important notes ==========================================
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1) Maestro does not work with SkyWalkers shipped prior to June 2006 *unless* that SkyWalker
has been upgraded to a "smart" SkyWalker with the S-Box accessory.
2) Maestro 0.20.000 requires S-Box firmware version 0.20.000 to operate correctly. This is because
Maestro 0.20.000 uses several ATCL (S-Box) commands not implemented in earlier versions of
S-Box firmware. When Maestro is connected to the S-Box for the first time it will detect any
older firmware version and ask if you wish to upgrade. Select yes. All S-Box upgrade files are
included in this Maestro release so there is no need to download them separately
====================================== Installation instructions ================================
1) If you wish to use Maestro's ASCOM feature (to interface with other ASCOM compliant software
such as MaximDL) then you must install the latest ASCOM platform version on your PC (if you
have not already done so). This must be done BEFORE you install Maestro 0.20.000 so that
Maestro's ASCOM support is properly set-up. Note: a re-boot is necessary after the ASCOM
Platform installation.
You can acquire the latest ASCOM platform from here. As of May 31, 2006 the latest ASCOM
platform version is 4.1. You can determine the version by running the file
\Program Files\Common Files\ASCOM\Telescope\ShowPlatformVersion.vbs. If that file does not
exist on your PC then your ASCOM platform version is too old.
2) Two important notes for Windows Vista users (ignore if not using Vista):
A) You must turn User Account Control (UAC) off to do the installation. Once complete you can
re-enable UAC if you wish. To disable/re-enable UAC go to the Windows Control Panel and click
on User Accounts and then "Turn User Account Control on or off".
B) If you encounter: "This application has failed to start because mmutilse.dll was not found.
Reinstalling the application may fix the problem." simply click OK. A reinstall is not
necessary.
3) Install, BUT DO NOT run, Maestro 0.01.001 first. This is an (older) full release of Maestro.
Note: if you already have Maestro installed then you can skip this step. If it complains of
over-writing newer files on your system: keep the newer files (and don't allow the over-
write). Also, if you encounter the error "An error occurred while registering the file
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\xxxxxx.zzz" (where "xxxxxx" can be any name and "zzz" can be "OCX" or
"DLL") just click Ignore. Don't click Abort or the installation will fail.
4) This version of Maestro is released as a "patch" to update any previous installation.
INSTALLATION instructions are as follows:
A) Download the Mae0_20_000_Patch.exe file from our support page and save
it to a temporary location on your PC.
B) Run the Mae0_20_000_Patch.exe file and allow it to install its files in your existing Maestro
folder (i.e. typically c:\Program Files\Astrometric\Maestro). Be sure to verify that the
installation directory is correct.
C) Run the file MaeDLL_Install.bat in the Maestro folder (again, typically
c:\Program Files\Astrometric\Maestro). This "batch" file will install all necessary support
DLL files (including Maestro.DLL, which is necessary for Maestro's ASCOM support, and
TeleAPI.DLL, which is necessary for interface to Software Bisque's TheSky software).
D) Double-click MaeDLL_Register.vbs in the Maestro folder to complete the installation of ASCOM
support (skip this step if you don't want to use ASCOM).
============================ New features in this Maestro release ===============================
- The Maestro window size has been restructured to be 800 pixels wide (rather than 640 pixels
previously). This provides space for new features.
- Added Peripherals tab
- Maestro now supports SkyWalker's HighDrive functionality consistent with SkyGuide.
SkyWalker's HighDrive outputs are used to control peripherals such as focus control, dome,
dew heaters, illuminated reticle eyepieces, etc. See SkyWalker 0.20.000 firmware release
notes for full details.
- The following peripherals settings are available:
- Features settings (note: requires proper Output Assignments to work):
- Focus rates:
- Fast between Slow+1 and 15
- Slow between 1 and Fast-1
- Focus polarity
- Focus pulse duration (see "Enable Pulse Focus" under Actions tab below)
- Indicator/Reticle drive:
- Brightness between 1 and 15
- Blink period: in multiples of 0.075s, 0.150s-18.00s
- On-time: between 0.075s and blink period
- One-shot output: on-time between 0.075s and 18.000s
- Dome polarity (use HP's Dome key to move L/R)
- Dew heaters (3 independent controls provided):
- Period: in multiples of 0.075s, 0.150s-18.00s
- On-time: between 0.075s and period
- Output Assignments: the feature that each HighDrive output provides/supports
- Diagnostics: when "Diagnostics Enabled" is selected all HighDrive outputs follow the state
of the associated check box. Note: "Diagnostics Enabled" must be un-checked in order for
normal HighDrive functions to work.
- A few actions are provided on this tab which are not available else where in Maestro:
- OnShot fire
- Toggle check boxes
- Momentary outputs
Note: the above can also be assigned to QuickKey functions from the Actions tab.
- New Status tab features
- Added TargetSync status under "Operating Status" section of Status tab.
- The background color of SkyWalker's supply voltage status field (on Status tab) now indicates
status:
- If "Low" then the background is blinking Yellow.
- If "Under" then the background is blinking Red.
- Maestro now has a fully functional Objects tab. Features include:
- A "Numerical Selection" area where objects with numerical designation can be selected.
- A tree view "Object Selection & Info" area where objects can be selected from a hierarchical
tree view list. Once an object is selected, this area is where the object's data is
displayed.
- A "Selected Object" area where the currently selected object is listed. GoTo and CalFrom
buttons are included so that you can GoTo the object or calibrated from its coordinates.
The "Find-->" button locates the object entered (either directly or from the "Numerical
Selection" area) in the "Object Selection & Info" tree.
- A "GoTo History" list. Most recent objects are on the top of the list. Single clicking
on an object in the "GoTo History" list will place its name in the "Selected Object"
box allowing for GoTo, CalFrom or Find operations on it.
- Actions tab additions/changes
- Added support for the FocusPulseToggle QuickKey. This toggles on/off the pulse focus feature
for the HP1 handpaddle.
- Accommodated SkyWalker's new focus and dome functionality from the Actions tab with the
addition of the following controls at the bottom of the Hand Paddle emulator section:
- "Enable Focus/Dome" check box: turns the U/D/L/R buttons into Out/In/L/R where Out/In is
for focus control and L/R is for dome control.
- Focus movement is fast or slow depending on the state of Slew.
- A "Focus Displacement" status (indicating seconds of focus movement: out is positive, in is
negative) including a "Zero" button.
- "Enable Pulse Focus" check box which enables focus-out/in to pulse for a period determined
by the value in the "Focus Pulse Time" edit box.
- In the "GoTo" group added GoTo Anchor button.
- Settings tab additions/changes
- In the Alignment group:
- Added a Mount Assumption drop-down list. This is where the user chooses:
- Polar Replaces SkyGuide's IsPolarAligned
- AltAz Replaces SkyGuide's IsAltAzLevel
- NearlyPolar Not exactly Polar aligned but close enough for assisted alignment
- NearlyAltAz Not exactly Alt/Az but close enough to allow for assisted alignment
- Permanent Requires a previously complete alignment
- Arbitrary
(In the current SkyWalker firmware version only Polar is available)
- Mount Type status box. "Polar" or "Alt/Az". Based upon Mount Assumption, SkyWalker
chooses what type of mount is being controlled.
- Maestro's alignment wizard now allows the user to select BrightProper or BrightBayer
stars. The first provides a list of stars ordered by proper name. The second provides a
list of stars ordered by constellation and Greek letter (called the Bayer name).
- In the Calibration group:
- Added support for calibration from Alt/Az coordinates.
- Added a "Parked Position" group with:
- Button for "Mark Park Position".
- Status box labeled "Parked" that indicates if the telescope is Parked (i.e. has not moved
since last parked).
- Status box labeled "Park Marked" that indicates if the user has marked the park position
that SkyWalker is to use.
- Status for Parked Az coordinate.
- Status for Parked Alt coordinate.
- GoTo Park button (which is identical to the one on the GoTo group of Actions tab however
it is replicated here for convenience)
- In the View Motion group:
- Added an AutoGuider velocity box that allows setting the velocity that the AutoGuider uses.
- In the GoTo group:
- Added an "AutoCal Enabled" checkbox
- Added an "AutoCal Beyond" box where the slew distance beyond which Goto should use
AutoCalibration is specified.
- Instrumental tab additions/changes
- Support for Periodic Error Correction (PEC) has been added to the "Backlash & PEC" group:
- An "Enable" checkbox has been added and PEC can be enabled if it is trained.
- A Trained status box indicates if PEC is trained or not.
- A button to train PEC is provided. This opens a "PEC Training" group, over the top of the
"Backlash & PEC" group, where training can be started and status on the training run is
presented once training is complete. Note: once training is complete it must be saved to
be available for use. This is accomplished from a "Save Training" button.
- A button labeled "Measure Periodic Error" is provided to measure PE. This opens a "Measure
Periodic Error" group, over the top of the "Backlash & PEC" group, where the magnitude of
gear error can be measured.
- Facility to specify Gear details such as whether a Gear Index is used, the hysteresis
of the Gear Index, whether a Gear Index gate is used and the gear period are provided.
Note: for standard mounts these default to the correct values when a "Defaults for Mount"
is selected.
- Diagnostics tab additions/changes
- A "Backlash & PEC" group has been added that include:
- Status of steps of backlash correction applied for both axes.
- Status of steps of PEC applied for both axes.
- The gear position in steps counted since detection of the Gear Index or, in the absence
of a Gear Index, since PEC training started (module Gear Period).
- A toggle value that flips when the Gear Index is detected.
- Indication of the state of the Gear Index Gate.
- Gear Index detection hysteresis status.
- When PEC is enabled and the Gear Index feature is also enabled, the Move Mode status will
alternate between showing the present Move Mode and "Finding Gear Index" (with a yellow
background) IF the Gear Index has not been detected since power-up.
=============================== Bug fixes in this Maestro release ===============================
- Fixed a bug where Maestro's Virtual Telescope would not display the correct orientation of
a GEM telescope when the "Y Polarity is Valid" setting was West for northern hemisphere
instruments or East for southern hemisphere instruments.
- When previous versions of Maestro were used with older SkyWalker firmware versions they could
behaved unpredictably. This is because changes with the communication protocol between Maestro
and SkyWalker (ATCL) might have had changes. In version 0.20.000, Maestro raises a warning at
startup that says "Maestro version a.bb.ccc is only assured to work properly with SkyWalker
firmware version x.yy.zzz or later" *if* a SkyWalker version earlier than x.yy.zzz is
encountered. Note: Maestro continues to allow connection to SkyWalkers with older firmware
versions for firmware upgrade.
- Fixed a bug where 3:30W GMT offset was listed between 2:00W and 3:00W rather than between 3:00W
and 4:00W.
- Fixed a bug where, when a joystick button was pressed Maestro displayed "attempted to use
invalid message" for the button function.
- Maestro 0.11.002 would report "None avail" for RA/Dec, Alt/Az and Airmass on the Status tab
when the Precision, under SkyWalker Preferences group on the Settings tab, was set to
"Standard". With Precision set to "Precise" all was fine. With coordinates displayed as
"None avail" Client software (e.g. TheSky or ASCOM Clients) would display 00:00:00, +00:00:00
for SkyWalker's position.
=========================== Known problems with this Maestro release ============================
- The following problems have been reported when installing Maestro:
- Before installing a new full release (NOT a patch) of Maestro it is necessary to uninstall
any previous version of Maestro.
- If you are informed that the RICHED32.DLL is newer on your system then you must keep it
instead of allowing the installer to overwrite it.
- If you encounter an error "registering" the MSINFO.DLL file click "Ignore" and the
installation should properly complete