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                        10MICRON MOUNT ASCOM DRIVER
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INTRODUCTION
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The 10Micron ASCOM Telescope driver provides ASCOM support for the 10Micron
telescope mounts. It will enable ASCOM-compatible clients such as
planetarium or camera control software to connect to your mount using the
ASCOM interface standard.
Available features will depend on the client software used. In order to
use this ASCOM driver with the best results, we invite you to update your
mount firmware to the latest version available.
With this driver, multiple clients connect to the same mount, or also to
different mounts connected to the same PC.

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REQUIREMENTS
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In order to install and use the 10Micron ASCOM Telescope driver you will
need:

- A PC running Microsoft Windows XP SP3 / Vista / 7 / 8 / 10
- Microsoft .NET Framework version 3.5
- ASCOM Platform version 6 or later
- A 10Micron mount connected to the PC with a serial link or through a LAN
- An ASCOM-compatible client software

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USAGE
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From your ASCOM client software, select the "10Micron Mount" ASCOM driver
using the procedure described in your ASCOM client software's documentation.
The 10Micron ASCOM Telescope driver provides a Settings dialog window where
you may configure the following options.

Communication
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        RS-232: choose this if your mount is connected to the PC using a
        serial link cable. Then choose the relevant COM port.
        
        TCP/IP: choose this if your mount is connected to the PC through
        a LAN. Insert the IP address of your mount (you may configure or
        check it using the keypad, see the user manual of the mount). Then
        choose if you want to connect to port 3490 or port 3492. Up to
        firmware version 2.9.9, the mount will accept only one connection
        on each port.
        
	Use J2000.0 ICRS Coordinates: check this if you want the ASCOM
	driver to report (and use) the J2000.0 coordinate system. Usually,
	the driver will report (and use) the Local Topocentric coordinate
	system for communicating with the client. Both choices are
	ASCOM-compliant, but if you choose this the ASCOM driver will
	perform some coordinate conversions internally. This will have
	two effects. First, the communication between the driver and
	the mount is increased, because much data is needed for the
	conversion. Second, the TargetRightAscension and TargetDeclination
	properties will be buffered into the driver instead of being
	communicated directly to the mount.
	
	Enable caching in driver: check this if you want the ASCOM driver
	to cache the most commonly requested information in order to
	improve greatly its response time. Usually it is a good idea to
	leave this option enabled. Disable this option if your application
	needs the latest up-to-date information from the mount and is
	willing to tolerate the communication delay.
	
	Enable unrestricted raw commands: usually the ASCOM driver will
	perform additional checks on the commands sent through the
	CommandBlind, CommandBool and CommandString functions. This will
	raise a specific exception if a wrong command is issued.
	If you want to be able to send raw commands to the mount without
	checking, leave this checkbox checked. Erroneous commands will
	disrupt the communication with the mount and cause uncontrolled
	errors.
	
Drive settings
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        Slew rate: configures the slew rate, in degrees/s, that your mount
        will be configured to use after connection. This will be limited by
        the maximum slew rate of your specific mount model.
        
        Guide rate: configures the guide rate your mount will be configured
        to use after connection.
        
        Enable fine-movement slew: when "Enable Fine-Movement Slew" is
        checked, slewing the mount to a target will not cause the mount to
        change side of the meridian if the following conditions are
        satisfied:
        - the target is less than 2 degrees far away from the current
          position both in r.a. and dec.;
        - the target is inside the slew meridian limit;
        - the target is at least 1 degree from the track meridian limit.
        This option can be disabled only from version 2.11 onwards.
        
	Unassisted flip: when this option is enabled, the mount will
	not stop when reaching the tracking limit, but it will begin
	an UNATTENDED slew to the other side of the meridian in order
	to continue to track the object. WARNING: use this option
	with extreme care, because it renders the mount able
	to start a slew operation without a specific instruction by the
	operator or by the controlling software.
	For safety reasons, if you don't connect the ASCOM driver to
	the mount in 10 minutes from setting this option, the unassisted
	flip is NOT enabled. You have to enable it again in the Drive
	settings window. Furthermore, the unassisted flip is disabled
	when the connection is closed.
	This option can be enabled only from version 2.13.9 onwards.
	
	Behaviour when slewing in the wrong tracking state: use this
	option to configure what the driver should do when commanded to
	slew to an altazimuth target with traking on, or when commanded
	to slew to an equatorial target with tracking off. You have
	the following options:
	- Raise an error: The driver will throw an exception as required
	  by the ASCOM standard.
	- Switch tracking state: The driver will change its tracking state
	  to match the slew command (i.e. it will stop tracking when you
	  slew to an altazimuth target, and it will start tracking when
	  you slew to an equatorial target).
	- Keep current tracking state: The driver will keep its tracking
	  state (i.e. it will keep tracking after you slew to an
	  altazimuth target, and it won't start tracking after you slew
	  to an equatorial target).


Sync settings
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        Enable Sync: enables the possibility of synchronizing coordinates
        using the ASCOM driver. When this box is not checked, all
	synchronization commands through the driver are disabled for
	additional security. You may choose to enable them only when
	building a model.

	Use Sync as Refine: when enabled, configures the Sync commands in 
	the ASCOM interface so that it adds the synchronization point 
	as an additional point for building the pointing model.
	When disabled, the Sync commands works by realigning the entire
	mount model with the single point where the synchronization is
	made.
	Note that when this function is enabled, the Sync command is not
	exactly conforming to the ASCOM specification, since the mount
	coordinates will not match exactly the coordinates on which the
	synchronization has been made.

Refraction update
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       Check "Enable refraction data update" to send automatically to
       the mount the refraction parameters found in the file
       AppData\Local\Temp\10micronRefraction.txt. This file is written
       automatically by some weather station applications such as MGBox and
       StickStation.
       
       When the file is updated, and the selected condition is matched,
       the atmospheric pressure and temperature are uploaded to the mount.
       
       Available conditions are:
           continuously:
	       upload data as soon as they are available.
	   only when the mount is slewing:
               send the data only when the mount is slewing to a target,
	       so tracking isn't affected.
	   only when the mount is slewing or guiding:
	       send the data only when the mount is slewing to a target,
	       or a pulseguide command is being sent, so tracking is
	       affected only if you are currently guiding.

Optics settings
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        These settings are used only in order to provide for the ASCOM
        properties ApertureArea, ApertureDiameter and FocalLength.
        In many circumstances it is safe just to ignore these settings.

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NOTES
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This driver is developed following the ASCOM Platform 6 specification,
ITelescopeV3 Interface, based on the Local Server template.

See the ASCOM Initiative web site http://www.ascom-standards.org/ for
more information.

If you find any non-conformity, contact 10micron.

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CHANGES
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version 1.3.0
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Added refraction update for weather station applications.

version 1.2.4
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A bug with the conversion of J2000 coordinates has been corrected.

version 1.2.3
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Added AZ5000.

version 1.2.2
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Correction of the Unassisted flip function.

version 1.2.1
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Some minor cosmetic changes.

version 1.2.0
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Now it is possible to change the behaviour of the driver when a slewing
command is given which does not correspond to the current tracking status.

version 1.1.2
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Added checking for commands introduced in firmware revision up to 2.13.3.

version 1.1.1
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A bug with the setup window, preventing the "Enable Sync" option to be
preserved correctly, has been corrected.

The Properties window now displays much faster.


version 1.1.0
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Optional raw command checking has been introduced.


version 1.0.8
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Now a caching mechanism has been implemented. The driver will cache the
most commonly used information to improve its response time. The caching
can be enabled or disabled by a new option in the Communication pane.


version 1.0.7
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Now you may choose to communicate with the ASCOM driver using J2000.0
coordinates, by checking the appropriate option in the Communication pane.


version 1.0.6
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The settings window has been rearranged.

Now the driver supports the "Enable fine-movement slew" to control the
meridian flip when slewing (only with firmware version >= 2.11).

Now the driver supports the "Unassisted flip" to enable automatic flip
when the mount reaches the tracking limit (only with firmware
version >= 2.11).


version 1.0.5
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Added support for the GM3000 mount.

The AbortSlew command now recovers the tracking state preceding the Slew
command as required by the specification.


version 1.0.4
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Adjusted for allowing access to 10micron proprietary functions by 10micron
proprietary diagnostic software.


version 1.0.2
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Added the ability to save/restore binary data in generic buffers for
Mount Configurator.


version 1.0.1
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A bug that prevented entering focal lengths and aperture diameters larger
than 100mm in the settings window has been corrected.

Now pulse guiding works correctly with duration greater than 1s.


version 1.0.0
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First release.


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COPYRIGHT
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This driver is copyright 2017 COMEC s.n.c., all rights reserved. You have
to read and accept the license before using the software.
