Deep-Sky Planner 9

Installation Help

Before Installation

Before you install Deep-Sky Planner you should:

Backup your equipment, locations and observing log from Deep-Sky Planner 8 if applicable. The procedure is described below.You do not need to uninstall Deep-Sky Planner 8 before installing Deep-Sky Planner 9. The two versions can reside on the same computer if desired.
Locate your product key. It is easiest to enter the product key during installation. Your product key is in your purchase confirmation e-mail. Each major version of Deep-Sky Planner has a separate product key. Be sure to use the correct product key for version 9.
Decide how you want to install and use the software. There are two available installation strategies available for Deep-Sky Planner. Nearly all users will find that the 'Just for me' option is sufficient and most convenient. Special circumstances may dictate using the 'Anyone using this computer' method. See Install ' Just for me' or 'Anyone using this computer' below for complete details.

A note about Windows UAC Security
Deep-Sky Planner 9 is designed to run under a Windows user account having standard or administrative privileges, and with User Account Control (UAC) enabled. Knightware does not recommend installing under the Guest account. Microsoft recommends that users of Windows 10 or later perform everyday tasks running under an account with standard privileges to assure a "more secure user experience." Deep-Sky Planner meets that requirement.

Installation

Run the file Dsp9setup.exe.

If you received the software by digital delivery (download), run the file Dsp9setup.exe.

License Agreement

You must accept the agreement to proceed. If you do not wish to accept it, the setup will terminate. The license agreement allows installation on multiple computers if each is used primarily by one person. You may also install for more than one Windows account on each computer (using the Just for Me installation option).

Choose Users (shown only when installing in an administrator account)

Select either Just for Me (recommended) or Anyone using this computer. To understand which to choose, please read this.

Customer Information

You may enter a User Name and Organization. These are optional. They appear in the About dialog in Deep-Sky Planner. User Name is also used in the Author/Contributor field of the General tab of a new Observing Plan document.

You may enter your product key here, or later within Deep-Sky Planner or the Software Activator.

Choose Install Location

Windows will suggest an installation folder depending on how you are installing (see Install for Just Me or All Users). You may change this if you like.

Choose Start Menu Folder

The installation program suggests the folder name Deep-Sky Planner 9 for your Start Menu. All product shortcuts are available from this folder in your Windows Start Menu.

Choose Components

Lists the optional items that may be installed.

Install Sample Plans
Desktop Shortcut
Starry Night plug-in : If you have Starry Night 6, 7, or 8 Plus or Pro editions installed, you can have Deep-Sky Planner's plug-in installed in the Starry Night installation folder. This plug-in is required for Deep-Sky Planner to perform the Show Chart function with Starry Night. The plug-in can be copied into the Starry Night installation folder only if Starry Night is installed in its default location. If it's installed elsewhere, you'll have to use the procedure described in Help.
Stellarium plug-in : If you have Stellarium installed, you can have Deep-Sky Planner's plug-in installed in the Stellarium installation folder. This plug-in is required for Deep-Sky Planner to perform the Show Chart function with Stellarium. The plug-in can be copied into the Stellarium installation folder only if Stellarium is installed in its default location. If it's installed elsewhere, you'll have to use the procedure described in Help.

Click install to perform the installation.

Install ' Just for me' or 'Anyone using this computer'?

Deep-Sky Planner 9 can be installed for single Windows account(s) (Install just for me) or for all accounts on the computer (Install for anyone using this computer). Knightware recommends that you Install using the 'Just for me' option to avoid maintenance issues associated with the 'Anyone using this computer' option. Please note that regardless of which installation option you choose, Deep-Sky Planner can be used in a Windows account with standard or administrative privileges. Please see the online help file for information about where files are installed for each option - look for installation folders in the Glossary of Help.

Install just for me (recommended) installs program files, the database and other user files in folders accessible by the current user as permitted by UAC. This installation option provides the smoothest and most secure user experience.

You do not need administrative privileges to install the software.

You do not need administrative privileges to apply software updates.

You do not need administrative privileges to activate the software license.

Two situations require the program to be run with Administrative Privileges:

Selecting a telescope driver (ASCOM 5.5 and earlier)

Using the Show Chart command in conjunction with Starry Night or TheSkyX (first time running only).

You can also install multiple copies of Deep-Sky Planner 9 on a single computer if you want to keep separate data files, databases, and preferences for multiple users. To install multiple copies on your computer, choose the 'Just for me' type of installation; install the software and activate the license while logged into each user's Windows account. An entire copy of the product (code and data) is installed for, and is accessible by, each account for which the product is installed. This method requires that each installation be maintained (installed and updated) separately within each user account.

Do NOT mix one or more 'Just for me' installations on the same computer with an 'Anyone using this computer' installation.

Installing for anyone using this computer places a database and other user files in folders accessible by any user of the computer, but one copy of the program is placed in the Program Files folder. Standard Windows accounts cannot modify files in this folder. These important considerations apply:

You must have administrative privileges to install the software.

You must have administrative privileges to apply software updates.

You must have administrative privileges to select a telescope driver.

You must have administrative privileges to use the Show Chart command in conjunction with Starry Night or TheSkyX (first time running only).

In Summary

Installing 'Just for Me' is the default installation option and is best when one user of the computer needs to use the product, OR more than one user needs to use the product and each wants a separate database. Program maintenance (patching) does not require administrative privileges.
The only reason to Install for 'Anyone using this computer' is so that a single set of database, preferences and other support files can be shared among multiple users accounts.

Moving Equipment, Observations and Locations from Deep-Sky Planner 7 to Deep-Sky Planner 8

Open File | Backup in Deep-Sky Planner 8. Click All to select a complete backup, and click Backup. Note the name and folder of the backup archive file.

Open File | Restore in Deep-Sky Planner 9. Select the file created in the previous step. Click All to select a complete restore, and click Restore. Your 'Favorite' selections in Deep-Sky Planner 8 must be set manually in Deep-Sky Planner 9.

What about?

Knowing how you installed the software is necessary information in troubleshooting some problems. If you have forgotten how you installed Deep-Sky Planner, go to Help | About. The gray area beneath the image and copyright information shows either Installed for Single User ('Just for me' option) or Installed for All Users. ('Anyone using this computer' option). You should include this information with support questions.