Editing User Buttons
Tapping the Edit button in the upper left of the Buttons tab begins the button editing process. The ten editable buttons change background color to signify that edit mode is active. Tapping the Edit button again will end edit mode and revert the buttons to command mode.
When edit mode is active, tapping any of the buttons will display an edit box that allows the user to change the button title and the button command. In addition, the edit box includes a Menu Cmd button, which displays the SB scope menu. This allows the user to select a specific menu option command for the button. Selecting a menu option will return to the edit box and replace the command field contents with the selected menu command. Note: selecting a command from the menu will also replace the button title with the trailing portion of the command, so it's best to review and edit the button title field in the edit box after selecting a menu command.
To accept the button command changes tap the Done button. To revert to the previous button command tap Cancel. When all button editing is complete, tap the Edit button in the upper left to return buttons to command mode.
Menu Command Format
Menu commands are specified in button command definitions as the full menu path enclosed in square brackets. Menu levels are separated by an underscore character.
Example 1: Guided Tour [Guided Tour]
Example 2: Moonrise [Event_Moonrise]
Example 3: One Star Align [Setup_Align_One Star]
Note: If the button command definition includes a menu command, SB will verify that the command matches one in the current Menu. If it does not match, the button will be disabled and its title will be grayed out.
Meade Serial Commands
Button commands can use the direct Meade Serial Protocol Commands to perform scope operations not available through the scope menu. These serial commands are directly preceded by a colon character ":" and directly followed by a hashtag character "#".
CAUTION! Using serial commands requires familiarity with these commands and how the scope responds to them. Make sure you understand the Meade Serial Protocol before using these commands in User Button definitions.
Example 1: Set Slew rate to max :RS#
Example 2: Lunar Tracking Rate :TL#
Example 3: Halt All Current Slewing :Q#
Extra Menu Commands
An Extra submenu has been appended to the normal scope menu to provide some additional scope commands for User Button definitions.
Example 1: [Extra_Enter]
Example 2: [Extra_downArrow]
Example 3: [Extra_Sync]
Special Commands
Several additional commands are also available, primarily to enhance multiple command button definitions. These commands follow the same format as Meade Serial commands.
:Delay n# delays n seconds before sending the next scope command
:DelayUntil hh:mm:ss# delays next command until hh:mm:ss local time
:DelayUntil hh:mm:ssUT# delays next command until hh:mm:ss UTC
:WaitFor "string"# prevents sending the next command until the user specified string appears in the LCD display
:WaitNot "string"# prevents sending the next command until the user specified string is not present in the LCD display
Note: WaitFor and WaitNot strings must be an exact, case sensitive match.
Note: DelayUntil times are based on iOS device time.
Multiple Command Sequences
User Button command definitions are not limited to a single command. A sequence of commands can be entered into the definition. Such a sequence can include Menu commands, Serial commands and Special commands.
Caution! It's important to thoroughly consider the consequences of a command sequence. Creating a command sequence should be done carefully, with closely monitored testing on a connected scope before use.
Example 1: [Event_Sunset]:Delay 5#[Event_Moonrise]:Delay 5#[Event_Moonset]
Displays sunset time, delays 5 seconds, then displays moonrise time, delays 5 seconds, then displays moonset time.
Example 2: [Object_Solar System_Jupiter]:Delay 2#:MS#
Selects Jupiter as target, delays two seconds for scope to calculate, then moves to target.
Note: Adequate delays must be included after commands that take significant time on the scope to prevent the scope from missing a too-soon next command. The necessary delay time may be dependent on the scope model, firmware version and the tasks currently being processed by the scope.
Note: Command sequences can include white space and line breaks. Breaking the sequence into multiple lines can make it more readable.
Example 1:
[Event_Sunset]
:Delay 5#
[Event_Moonrise]
:Delay 5#
[Event_Moonset]
Tip: The edit box for custom User Buttons was not designed for extensive command editing. For longer command sequences it may be more practical to create the sequence in a separate editor, then copy from the editor and paste into the User Buttons edit box.