2023-05-31, 08:54 PM
Hello,
The ASIAir is a phone-based platform, which means it is difficult to work directly with SkyTools because SkyTools uses a different ecosystem; a desktop, laptop, or Windows tablet. What many people are doing instead is to to use a mini-computer running Windows to control their imaging system. We are working on supporting NINA directly on such devices because SkyTools can also be installed on the control computer. That is in testing right now.
It may be possible to accommodate the ASIAir in the future.
It would be relatively trivial for SkyTools to generate a csv file for Targets or for the Panes of a mosaic in the ASIAir software. It would be a bit of a bother to copy the file from the PC to the mobile device, but it would be doable. But those files only transfer targets and pane locations. While that could be useful, it doesn't connect to what SkyTools really does: to schedule your observations. What would be very useful is if SkyTools could generate a similar file that would import a schedule into the ASIAir.
It appears that the most recent version of the ASIAir software supports "planning" which appears to actually be a schedule. That is the good news. From what I could determine this schedule is stored in a JSON formatted database file. But there is no documentation that I could find for the format of this file, as it is intended to be used only internally, and it would be difficult for SkyTools to modify this file as it does not have direct access to it on the phone.
The ability to build a "plan" via importing a file apparently does not yet exist, as far as I can tell. In order for SkyTools to be useful in its primary role of scheduling your imaging, it would need to be able to communicate its schedule in some way. I suggest that you contact them and ask them to add the option to import a schedule from a file. If such a capability existed, it would be relatively simple for me to support it.
The ASIAir is a phone-based platform, which means it is difficult to work directly with SkyTools because SkyTools uses a different ecosystem; a desktop, laptop, or Windows tablet. What many people are doing instead is to to use a mini-computer running Windows to control their imaging system. We are working on supporting NINA directly on such devices because SkyTools can also be installed on the control computer. That is in testing right now.
It may be possible to accommodate the ASIAir in the future.
It would be relatively trivial for SkyTools to generate a csv file for Targets or for the Panes of a mosaic in the ASIAir software. It would be a bit of a bother to copy the file from the PC to the mobile device, but it would be doable. But those files only transfer targets and pane locations. While that could be useful, it doesn't connect to what SkyTools really does: to schedule your observations. What would be very useful is if SkyTools could generate a similar file that would import a schedule into the ASIAir.
It appears that the most recent version of the ASIAir software supports "planning" which appears to actually be a schedule. That is the good news. From what I could determine this schedule is stored in a JSON formatted database file. But there is no documentation that I could find for the format of this file, as it is intended to be used only internally, and it would be difficult for SkyTools to modify this file as it does not have direct access to it on the phone.
The ability to build a "plan" via importing a file apparently does not yet exist, as far as I can tell. In order for SkyTools to be useful in its primary role of scheduling your imaging, it would need to be able to communicate its schedule in some way. I suggest that you contact them and ask them to add the option to import a schedule from a file. If such a capability existed, it would be relatively simple for me to support it.
Clear skies,
Greg
Head Dude at Skyhound
Greg
Head Dude at Skyhound
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