diff --git a/ASCOM.DeviceInterface/Enumerations.vb b/ASCOM.DeviceInterface/Enumerations.vb index 95ddd0bdd..ab71f6cba 100644 --- a/ASCOM.DeviceInterface/Enumerations.vb +++ b/ASCOM.DeviceInterface/Enumerations.vb @@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ Public Enum EquatorialCoordinateType ' 135265BA-25AC-4f43-95E5-80D0171E48FA ''' Topocentric coordinates. Coordinates of the object at the current date having allowed for annual aberration, precession and nutation. This is the most common coordinate type for amateur telescopes. ''' equTopocentric = 1 + ''' ''' J2000 equator/equinox. Coordinates of the object at mid-day on 1st January 2000, ICRS reference frame. ''' diff --git a/Help/ASCOMDeveloper.content b/Help/ASCOMDeveloper.content index 1412e0875..67b054257 100644 --- a/Help/ASCOMDeveloper.content +++ b/Help/ASCOMDeveloper.content @@ -35,13 +35,14 @@ - + + diff --git a/Help/ASCOMDeveloper.shfbproj b/Help/ASCOMDeveloper.shfbproj index 8e3da9e3b..ad9c1131c 100644 --- a/Help/ASCOMDeveloper.shfbproj +++ b/Help/ASCOMDeveloper.shfbproj @@ -201,6 +201,10 @@ False ManufLogos + + Astronomical Coordinates + Astronomical Coordinates + COMPortSettings COMPort Settings @@ -240,6 +244,7 @@ True + @@ -247,7 +252,6 @@ - diff --git a/Help/Developer Information/Coordinate Conversion.aml b/Help/Developer Information/Coordinate Conversion.aml index cbf6a5170..048e92fa1 100644 --- a/Help/Developer Information/Coordinate Conversion.aml +++ b/Help/Developer Information/Coordinate Conversion.aml @@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ Transform SOFA + NOVAS31 Kepler NOVASCOM NOVAS2 NOVAS2COM NOVAS3 - NOVAS31 The ASCOM.Astrometry namespace of the Platform has become overcrowded with components that have similar capabilities but that differ in small ways from each @@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ NOVAS3 - Surely, still an embarrassment of riches? In fact these components provide different capabilities and are + Surely, three components is still an embarrassment of riches? In fact these components provide different capabilities and are targeted at different requirements and uses as described below. @@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ Transform This simple component is designed for the telescope or dome driver author who simply needs to convert - between J2000 RA/DEC co-ordinates and local topocentric RA/DEC and AZ/EL co-ordinates and vice-versa. + between J2000 RA/DEC co-ordinates and topocentric RA/DEC and AZ/EL co-ordinates and vice-versa. The Topocentric RA/DEC and AZ/EL coordinates can also be corrected for refraction effects. The component is built on the established NOVAS3.1 supervisory library routines. This component can be used directly by .NET based applications and is also exposed as a COM object to enable use @@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
NOVASCOM + DEPRECATED - SCHEDULED FOR REMOVAL FROM THE PLATFORM - USE TRANSFORM, SOFA OR NOVAS31 This component is a refactoring of the NOVASCOM component authored by Bob Denny in 2001, which was provided as an optional download component in ASCOM Platforms 4 and 5. It is now integrated in the platform release and is appropriate for applications requiring accurate ephemerides of the major planets and @@ -102,6 +103,7 @@
NOVAS2 + DEPRECATED - SCHEDULED FOR REMOVAL FROM THE PLATFORM - USE TRANSFORM, SOFA OR NOVAS31 This component is for demanding applications that require access to the fundamental routines in the NOVAS2 library. It contains a range of supervisory routines that provide access to high level functions and an extensive range of intermediate and basic level routines dedicated to lower level @@ -120,6 +122,7 @@
NOVAS3 + DEPRECATED - SCHEDULED FOR REMOVAL FROM THE PLATFORM - USE TRANSFORM, SOFA OR NOVAS31 This component is a shell for the NOVAS 3 library released in December 2009 for demanding applications that require access to the fundamental routines in the NOVAS3 library, the latest JPL DE421 planetary and lunar ephemerises or to calculations based on the IAU 2000 reference systems resolution. It contains a range of supervisory routines that provide access to high diff --git a/Help/Developer Information/Which NOVAS.aml b/Help/Developer Information/Which NOVAS.aml deleted file mode 100644 index e4791ed92..000000000 --- a/Help/Developer Information/Which NOVAS.aml +++ /dev/null @@ -1,73 +0,0 @@ - - - -
- Coordinate Conversion - - The ASCOM.Astrometry namespace of the Platform has become overcrowded with components that have similar capabilities but that differ in small ways from each - other (e.g. NOVAS2, NOVAS2COM, NOVAS3, NOVAS3.1). The recent realisation that some NOVAS routines use iterative algorithms that can fail, when in very close - proximity to the poles, led to a search for an alternative and the SOFA Library was found to be an actively maintained and authoritative choice. - - The addition of a SOFA component brings the number of high precision astronomy libraries distributed within the Platform to 8! To reduce the maintenance burden, SOFA will - become the primary high precision library for astronomical computing distributed with the ASCOM Platform and dependence of Platform components on NOVAS will be removed. - However, the NOVAS routines provide functionality that is not present in SOFA e.g. major and minor planet ephemerides and consequently the NOVAS 3.1 component - will continue to be distributed with the Platform. - - The following NOVAS components will be removed from the Platform installer at the next major update and moved into a separate installer: - - Kepler - NOVASCOM - NOVAS2 - NOVAS2COM - NOVAS3 - - - The different capabilities of the supported components are described below. - -
- -
- Transform - - This simple component is designed for the telescope or dome driver author who just needs to convert - between J2000 RA/DEC co-ordinates and topocentric RA/DEC and AZ/EL co-ordinates and vice-versa. - The topocentric RA/DEC and AZ/EL coordinates can also be corrected for refraction effects. - Under the hood, Transform now uses SOFA routines rather than NOVAS for better performance near the celestial poles. - This component can be used directly by .NET based applications and is also exposed as a COM object to enable use - by scripting and other languages. - -
- -
- SOFA - - The International Astronomical Union's SOFA service has the task of establishing and maintaining an accessible and authoritative set of - algorithms and procedures that implement standard models used in fundamental astronomy. The service is managed by an international panel, - the SOFA Board, appointed through IAU Division A — Fundamental Astronomy. SOFA also works closely with the International Earth Rotation and - Reference Systems Service (IERS). - - This comnponent presents the latest SOFA routines so that they are accessible from both 32bit and 64bit COM and .NET applications. - In 2014, ASCOM adopted SOFA as its primary technology for coordinate conversion. ASCOM's intention is that the ASCOM SOFA component will be updated - as each new SOFA release is made rather than adding new components as was done for NOVAS 3.0 and NOVAS 3.1 - -
- -
- NOVAS3.1 - - This component is a shell for the NOVAS 3.1 library released in March 2011 for demanding applications that require access to the fundamental routines - in the NOVAS3.1 library, the latest JPL DE421 planetary and lunar ephemerises or to calculations - based on the IAU 2000 reference systems resolution. It contains a range of supervisory routines that provide access to high - level functions and an extensive range of intermediate and basic level routines dedicated to lower level astrometric functions. - - The calling interface is close to the original C interface and most calculated values are passed back through reference parameters. - - This component can be used directly by .NET based applications and is also exposed as a COM object to enable use - by scripting and other languages. Full functionality is available through the .NET interface, however, recent testing (April 2012) - has shown that many methods are not accessible through COM interop because a number of method parameters are passed by Reference and - use structures that do not pass across the COM interface (this is a technical COM limitation, not an ASCOM limitation). - -
- - - \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Help/Version History/Version 6.4.aml b/Help/Version History/Version 6.4.aml index 8c53f46ea..da7b5fce5 100644 --- a/Help/Version History/Version 6.4.aml +++ b/Help/Version History/Version 6.4.aml @@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ The ASCOM open source license text has been added to the Platform SubVersion repository to reflect Open Source norms. All components are compiled with Visual Studio 2017 and built with the latest tool set. The help compiler has been updated to the current version. - Installaware has been updated to a much more recent version (InstallAware X6), removing some bugs and allowing additional features to be employed. + InstallAware has been updated to a much more recent version (InstallAware X6), removing some bugs and allowing additional features to be employed. The installer now has a splash screen. Except when an error occurs, the Platform and Developer installers no longer produce balloon messages. Messages now appear on the setup dialogue instead. The progress bars have been re-implemented so that they move consistently from 0 to 100% @@ -125,6 +125,12 @@ throttling mechanic that can slow aggressive application polling to acceptable rates for the driver and hardware. Further information is provided in the remarks section of the Cache class and the property / method documentation. Driver Templates - Not implemented exceptions have been removed from all Dispose methods and replaced with TODO: items. + All Platform documentation references to "local topocentric" have been shortened to "topocentric". The rationale for this is documented in . + In addition, the F:ASCOM.DeviceInterface.EquatorialCoordinateType.equLocalTopocentric + enum member has been deprecated in favour of + F:ASCOM.DeviceInterface.EquatorialCoordinateType.equTopocentric + This is a non-breaking change, but continued use of the F:ASCOM.DeviceInterface.EquatorialCoordinateType.equLocalTopocentric + member will give rise to a compiler warning and suggestion to use equTopocentric instead.