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Argo Navis

Export Plan to Device

▪Argo Navis

▪Nexus DSC

▪Sky Commander

Export Plan to Device allows you to convert Deep-Sky Planner's Observing Plan documents to formats required by supported target devices. Deep-Sky Planner currently supports export to:

▪Argo Navis digital telescope computer

▪Nexus DSC digital setting circles

▪Sky Commander digital setting circles

Overview

Deep-Sky Planner's Observing Plan documents can be exported to several devices using the following steps:

1.Select Output File.This is the file and path to which the exported file is written. This file should be imported into the target device. Deep-Sky Planner automatically sets the path to the last folder used for exporting a report or plan. It also selects a default file extension appropriate for the target device. Output File can be changed from the default settings before exporting the file. Simply edit the contents of Output File.

2.Select Export Conversion Parameters (Argo Navis only).

3.Targets shows the objects in the plan that will be exported to the selected device.

4.Preview converts the Observing Plan and displays the exported contents in the Exported File Preview pane. A file is not saved.

5.Save converts the Observing Plan and displays the exported contents in the Exported File Preview pane. It also saves the exported content to the file specified by Output File.

6.Save+Send performs the same functions as Save and it transmits the export file to the selected device. The type of device and its communications parameters are specified at Digital Setting Circles.

Close closes the Export to Device dialog box.

Help opens this help topic.

Further information follows for each supported export type.

Argo Navis

This conversion places Object Designation from the plan document into the name field of the export file.

Export Conversion Parameters

▪seq must be either yes or no. If you select yes, a sequence number is generated during the conversion process, starting with 1. The sequence number is padded with leading zeroes so that the list is alphabetized correctly in Argo Navis. For example, for a list of 100 objects being exported to Argo Navis, the first sequence number is 001. The number digits generated is minimized, i.e., only one digit is generated for a list of 1 to 9 objects and 2 digits are generated for a list of 10 to 99 objects, etc. seq is set to yes by default.

▪prefix may be any alphabetic characters. Upper case letters are recommended for improved readability.

Create an object list for Argo Navis using the steps above and upload to the Argo Navis. You can review the resulting export file before transmitting it to the Argo Navis in the Exported File Preview pane.

Argo Navis can store approximately 1100 objects in its User Catalog storage. If you attempt to store too many objects in the User Catalog, Argo Navis returns an error. You can check the number of objects in User Catalog storage by using the Argo Navis Test function in Digital Setting Circles.

Nexus DSC

This conversion places User Designation in the export file if it is present; otherwise, it places Object Designation in the file. Please see the note below if some objects do not appear in Nexus DSC.

Create an object list for Nexus DSC using the steps above.You can review the resulting export file before saving it in the Exported File Preview pane. You can store the file on your computer and then transfer it to the root directory of the Nexus DSC micro SD card, or store the file directly to the root directory of the Nexus DSC micro SD card.

Please consult the Nexus DSC User's Manual for instructions on using observation lists with the Nexus DSC.

Sky Commander

This conversion does not place an object designation into the export file. Sky Commander uses numeric identifiers, not names.

Create an object list for Sky Commander using the above steps. Note that Sky Commander can store no more than 59 objects in its special objects list. Only the first 59 objects in an Observing Plan document are transmitted to Sky Commander. You can review the resulting export file before transmitting it to the Sky Commander in the Exported File Preview pane.

Important: Sky Commanders with firmware prior to version 5.03 SP02 must be in setup mode in order to perform the Export Plan function. Please see further information here.

Additional Information

If you are having problems sending an exported observing plan to a supported digital setting circles device, please see Digital Setting Circles to configure and test communication settings.

Note that an export file created by Deep-Sky Planner may have object designations in it that are not recognized by the target device. This is true for Nexus DSC. In this case, you can open the plan file in Deep-Sky Planner and change the Object (User) designation to match that required by the target software or device. Save the changes to the plan and export it again