New Sequencer Command:Goto <target name>

[Cey42]

I have searched around to see if this has been requested or implemented, but I found nothing.

Currently the Sequencer has

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MOUNT GOTO <RA,Dec>
MOUNT GOTO SOLARSYSTEM Moon OFFSET 0 0

Given that you have Tools/Goto Catalog Target, I would like to add to the sequencer

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MOUNT GOTO DSO <Target Name>
MOUNT GOTO DSO NGC40
MOUNT GOTO DSO M42

You would have to decide how to handle if the <Target Name> is invalid or ambiguous. Also it would be nice if it failed if the target was below the horizon.

Thanks,
Cey

[admin]

Hi,

yes, nice idea, although I worry about the finding of the target in the catalog...

An exact match requirement for the name would be too frustrating - you put 'Horsehead' and it fails because you didn't put 'Horsehead Nebula'

Allowing a partial match would solve that, but then you will find lots of partial matchs (NGC123 matches NGC1231, 1232, etc). There's also the issue that most of the common stuff will be ambiguous because SharpCap has a 'basic' catalog of Messier and Caldwell objects and also bigger catalogs that contain duplicates of all the M and C stuff...

Will require quite a bit of thought, so will leave for now until 4.1 is all done, then have a think.

cheers,

Robin

[Cey42]

To keep things simple I would say no common names. So only formal catalog names like NGC, IC and Messier. Require a 100% match. This would cover 90% of the cases.

Another feature request on this feature is if <Target Name> is blank then use the "Target Name" in the edit box in the toolbar.

Thanks,
Cey

[admin]

Can I ask what the use case is for this? Are you planning on manually editing the sequence file and putting in 'NGC1234', or are you just hoping for a nice easy way to enter a target in the sequence editor?

If it's the latter then maybe I could make a step for this that has the target selector used in the GOTO Target and Sequencer planner tools?

cheers,

Robin

[Cey42]

My thinking is the later. I currently have a sequence that after a live stack, the last step is "PROMPT FOR TARGET." It would be nice if the next step was "GOTO" and I did not have to enter the name again. With your idea, I have to enter the name twice.

Cesar

[admin]

Hi,

OK, so a 'prompt for a target' step that let you choose from the catalog and set the name as well as the target co-ordinates would do the trick. That would be quite cool, so I will keep it in mind for 4.2

cheers,

Robin

[Cey42]

Another request along this line is that it be exposed in IronPython scripting. So command can set target name and do the goto but without a dialog coming up.

For example
SharpCap.Mounts.SelectedMount.TargetNameAndSlewTo(target_name)