Many MaxIm DL users operate their telescope using TheSky. The two programs work well together in operating the telescope, camera, and other accessories.
There are two different ways to connect MaxIm DL and TheSky so that
they share a single telescope: the ASCOM Telescope API Driver, and TheSky-Controlled
Telescope driver. The first method connects the two programs side-by-side
by using an intermediary ASCOM Hub to control the telescope. The second
method connects MaxIm DL to TheSky as if TheSky was a telescope driver.
Shared Telescope Control via ASCOM Plug-in
The first method is to install the ASCOM Telescope API plug-in into TheSky. Instructions for doing this are included in C:\Program Files\Common Files\ASCOM\Telescope\Planetarium Plug-Ins\TheSky\install.txt.
Next open TheSky and using Telescope menu Setup select Telescope API. Click the Settings button to bring up the ASCOM Chooser.
The ASCOM Chooser is then used to select an ASCOM Hub, such as the POTH (Plain Old Telescope Handset). POTH is a hub that allows multiple programs to control one telescope. Launch POTH through Start menu, All Programs, ASCOM Platform, Scope-Dome Hubs, POTH. Configure POTH to connect to your telescope via a compatible ASCOM driver.
Now click Telescope menu Link Establish in TheSky, and the telescope will be connected through POTH.
You can now open MaxIm DL's Observatory
Control Window, and on the Setup tab select POTH (Plain Old Telescope
Handset) and click Connect. Now both programs are talking to the same
telescope. You can send commands from either program, and monitor from
both programs. This is very convenient for using the catalogs in TheSky
along with the Auto-Center feature of MaxIm DL.
Shared Telescope Control via TheSky-Controlled Telescope
This driver allows you to link MaxIm DL to Software Bisque’s TheSky
The ASCOM Platform must be installed for this option to appear, and you must select the version of TheSky you are using. To view the settings, open the Observatory Control window Setup tab, select TheSky-Controlled Telescope, and click the Options menu Settings. If you are using TPoint you may want to turn on Inhibit SYNC to protect TPOINT model. You should turn off the Slew-start delay for CPU-hogging cameras if you are using MicroGuide. You may need to turn it on if you are using ACP software with certain camera models.
With the latest version of TheSky, the connection does not require any additional programs, but some settings are required. Start TheSky. Select Telescope/Server Settings. In the Remote Client Capabilities area, make sure all options are enabled (check marks in the boxes). Also enable Remote clients use Orchestrate's "Image then slew-to" command. Click OK to close the Server Settings dialog.
Once this is done you should be able to connect to the telescope.
Note: if you have the Remote Astronomy Software Component Object Model (RASCOM) installed, which comes with Orchestrate, then you may need to set additional settings as follows:
1. Download and install the latest versions of all Software Bisque software you are using.
2. Start TheSky
3. Set the Telescope/Server Settings as described above.
4. Connect TheSky to your telescope (Telescope/Link/Establish).
5. Open the "ob" program (located in the Orchestrate folder).
6. In the Ob Observatory menu, select Server Connections. Turn on only TheSky for now. Turn off CCDSoft and AutomaDome.
7. Select File New, the document should report that it is offering connections to TheSky and Telescope.
8. Close Ob.
9. Try to start the link in the Observatory
Control Setup tab. You may get an Internet Explorer ”unsafe” warning;
ignore it and answer Yes. Try to move the telescope; if you get a ”Permission
Denied” message, check step 2 above. If you get an ”out of memory” message,
run Ob, do a File new and try again. There seems to be some mystery about
this, but if only TheSky is selected in Ob's Server Settings, this problem
usually does not occur. If you get another error message like "ActiveX
can't create object", you don't have all of the Software Bisque components
needed to use their VB Scripting support. Refer to Software Bisque documentation
for more info.
Image Link
The image link capability of TheSky is supported in MaxIm DL. Simply use the Edit menu Copy command to copy the image to the clipboard. You can then paste the image into TheSky and use the wizard to synchronize it with the sky display.