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The Session Control section of SessionCraft monitors for various events (triggers) and can execute defined imaging plans. These plans can contain
script commands for object changing, scope parking, camera warming and etc.
There are different types of triggers that can be configured in any combination:
1. To execute plans on defined time - the time could be strict, calculated event like night start or scheduled after other trigger
2. To execute a plan when the scope position becomes under defined altitude
3. To execute a plan on the end of Deep Sky Darkness - the time without Moon and no astro twilight
4. To execute a plan on the end of Astro Night - the time with no astro twilight
5. To execute a plan on the end of Night - the time between Sun set and rise
The
Execute Plan At Time triggers have powerful options allowing object change and/or refocusing before the plan execution. Also is possible to define how long to execute the plan - to defined time or altitude. Assigning Tags (trigger names) allows creation of sequence of triggers and covering a complete imaging session. Using the trigger option Move To Object, Refocus or Execute till Time/Altitude gives possibility to reuse same imaging plan for multiple targets without need of using
script commands for the most common actions like GoTo++, changing the object name, refocus and etc.
The priority of the triggers is ascending, i.e. the End of Night is top priority and if there are other events triggered by the same moment they will be ignored. It is possible more than one trigger to happens in same time, but we can execute only one plan in time so the only the one with highest priority will be executed.
SessionCraft works even when the window is closed. However if there is running imaging plan, the triggers are checked after exposure end. For example if Deep Sky Darkness ended in the middle of running 600s exposure, it will not be interrupted. In case that there is no running plan the triggers will be executed at the moment of happening. For example your imaging plan has finished earlier than Astro Night end, the "End imaging session" plans from the screenshot will be executed when the time comes.
Note: The triggers are remembered between the sessions (except the Execute at Time checkbox) so you may want to tweak some of them in the beginning of new session!
Follows more detailed description.
 Execute at time
When the checkbox is enabled SessionCraft will check if the execution time of the defined plans has come. You can add multiple plans for different times or events (night start, astro night start and etc). When a plan is executed it will be marked with asterisk (*) and it will not be executed again during this session. When a trigger has Move To Object, Refocus or Execute till Time/Altitude options enabled the line is marked with hashtag (#)/
You can add/remove time triggers with the buttons Add and Del (see below)
The checkbox state is not saved between the sessions, you have to manually enable it. This prevents from starting unwanted plans from the previous session on the APT start. For example you have set a plan to start in 20:15 and on next night you start APT in 22:00. You will not want to start the plan immediately before focusing and centering object...
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 Add trigger
Adds a new trigger to start execution of an imaging plan. Every trigger can have a Tag Name. Having a Tag is possible to refer it in another trigger and by this way to create a sequence of triggers. For example we can have tags M63 and M44 and to schedule the M63 will be executed after the M44 end.
Tag Name defines the name of this trigger. Giving a name allows referring this trigger and creation of sequence of triggers.
Execute Plan defines which plan to execute.
Start options define when the trigger starts. It can be fixed time, night event, when an object reaches defined altitude or after completion of other trigger when "Start After Tag" is selected. If you select one of the "On start of..." options or "Start on Altitude above", SessionCraft will remember that it is not fixed time and will calculate the exact moment for the current night, but don't forget that you have to manually enable the option " Execute Plan At Time"!
You can define astro twilight offset and start Astro Night or DSD (when the Moon is below horizon, in other case the offset is not used) a bit earlier via Astro Twilight Offset in Location tab of Settings. Some astro-photographers like to start up to 15-20 minutes earlier when are using narrow-band filters.
Move To Object section allows to execute GoTo++ or GoTo before starting the imaging plan in order to frame the desired object. Name will set the object name which to be used for file naming, folders creation and etc.
Refocus on Start will execute automatic focusing before executing the imaging plan.
Execute till time will keep executing the selected plan till the defined moment. If the plan is shorter it will be restarted, if it longer will be canceled on the start of the next exposure after the defined moment. In brackets is the calculated time when the given coordinates will be below the defined limit.
Execute till altitude will keep executing the selected plan till object altitude gets below the defined limit. If the plan is shorter it will be restarted, if it longer will be canceled on the start of the next exposure after the defined moment.
Next Plan defines what plan to execute after completion of this trigger. It can be combined with Execute till time and/or Execute till altitude. If there is no canceling event defined, the next plan will be executed as soon as the current one finish.
Note: There is logic that prevents from creating loops of triggers. Also when a trigger is selected as "After Tag" it cannot use "Next Plan" option as it creates workflow confusion.
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 Delete trigger
Deletes the selected time trigger from the list.
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 Edit
Allows editing the selected time trigger from the list.
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 Pause
Pauses the selected trigger. This allows to skip a trigger and to enable it later or in other imaging session.
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 Altitude trigger
When enabled SessionCraft checks the telescope altitude and if it gets below the defined degrees will execute the selected plan.
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 End of DSD trigger
When enabled will execute the selected plan at the end of the Deep Sky Darkness (when Moon rises or astro twilight starts). The plan can contain a set of script commands to be executed.
You can define astro twilight offset and end DSD (when the Moon is below horizon, in other case the offset is not used) a bit later via Astro Twilight Offset in Location tab of Settings. Some astro-photographers like to finish imaging up to 15-20 minutes later when are using narrow-band filters.
The time in the brackets shows the exact moment for the trigger in the current night. N/A shows that there is no deep sky darkness in the current night.
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 End of Astro Night trigger
When enabled will execute the selected plan at the end of the Astro Night (when astro twilight starts). The plan can contain a set of script commands to be executed.
You can define astro twilight offset and end Astro Night a bit later via Astro Twilight Offset in Location tab of Settings. Some astro-photographers like to finish imaging up to 15-20 minutes later when are using narrow-band filters.
The time in the brackets shows the exact moment for the trigger in the current night. N/A shows that there is no astro night in the current night.
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 End of Night trigger
When enabled will execute the selected plan at the end of the Night (when Sun rises). The plan can contain a set of script commands to be executed.
The time in the brackets shows the exact moment for the trigger in the current night. N/A shows that there is no true night in the current today.
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