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ScopeDriver 2.0 Released 15 October 2003

• Performance:
  
  
  • Application launch now dramatically faster.
    
    
  • Significantly faster execution speed, especially on Mac OS X, and on most Windows setups. Note that one side effect of this is a larger application size.
    
    
  • Connecting to a telescope and/or entering Test Mode is now much faster.
    
    
  • Most list controls are now compatible with mouse scroll wheels.
    
    
  • Extensive revision to serial communications code to reduce command overhead and speed operation.
    
    
  • Splash screen closes 1.5 seconds after launch is complete, or until mouse is moved, whichever occurs sooner. This was implemented because faster launch time meant that the splash screen was showing for only a fraction of a second on faster machines.
    
    
  • Optimized internal graphics so that they will use less memory.
    
    
  • Graphics now load earlier in the startup process.
    
    
  • Communications Window now requires less overhead.
    
    
    
• Update Window:
  
  
  • Added Internet Update Checking system. ScopeDriver will check for updates as it launches if “Check for Updates at Launch” is specified in the Preferences Window. An update check may also be initiated via the Special menu. This feature requires an active internet connection, and transmits no information. The Update Window includes a contextual menu (right-click or CONTROL-click) that allows you to download the update for any platform.
    
    
  • Holding down the OPTION/ALT key while selecting “Check for Updates...” from the Special menu always opens the Update Window, even if a newer version is not yet available.
    
    
    
• Observing Lists:
  
  
  • Added “Open Recent” to the “File” menu. This will display the most recent 10 Observing Lists opened. This menu is alias manager aware, so it will dynamically handle deleted, moved, or renamed Observing Lists. It will not, however, allow more than one file with the same name into the menu.
    
    
  • Observing Lists now feature a “Time Entered” column:
    
    
    • Lists which require a certain sort order unrelated to name or position may now be sorted by Time Entered.
      
    • Lists may be re-ordered, and new time stamps generated to ensure a desired sort order.
      
    • Time stamps may be reformatted, updating existing time stamps to reflect differences or changes in your system’s time and date format.
      
    • Actions such as drag and drop, paste, and object editing will reset the Time Entered for the given object(s).
      
    • Observing Lists created by earlier versions of ScopeDriver will have default time stamps applied when they open.
      
    • Clock icon near bottom of window allows control over Time Entered entries.
      
      
  • Observing Lists now feature a contextual menu over the scrolling listing. The entries are:
    
    
    • Adjust Window Size to Fit Columns
      
    • Reset Column Widths to Default
      
    • Delete All List Objects
      
      
  • Observing List is now resizeable both horizontally and vertically.
    
    
  • Observing List File Menu: Added Save, Save As..., and Revert... to this menu.
    
    
  • “Add Fixed Coordinates to Observing List” Window now has a field for Comments.
    
    
  • “Import Observing List” Window now allows importing of comments.
    
    
  • Observing List files now save text encoded as UTF-8. International text in these files is now saveable and sharable between different operating systems and countries.
    
    
  • Observing Lists now load object data from disk at first lookup when no telescope is connected.
    
    
  • “Add Database Object” Window is now resizeable. Click and drag between the two panes to resize the window’s list and information panes. Holding down OPTION/ALT while opening the Add Database Object Window restores divider position (and window’s size/location) to default values.
    
    
  • “Add Database Object” Window now displays the disk file in which the object was found.
    
    
  • “Add Database Object” Window’s Object Info. pane now draws in color.
    
    
  • Coordinates now appear immediately when dragging and dropping Observing List objects.
    
    
  • Pasting Observing List objects now scrolls to the paste point and properly sets the saved flag.
    
    
  • Drag and dropping Observing List objects now scrolls to the drop point.
    
    
  • Observing List Undo and Redo now reliably sets the document saved flag.
    
    
  • Fixed the flashing “Save” and “Save/Close” buttons when an existing Observing List was first opened.
    
    
  • Adding a fixed object to an Observing List Window is now undoable.
    
    
  • Fixed bug where Edit-Cut was not undoable in Observing Lists.
    
    
  • When importing text files, ScopeDriver now better handles linefeed characters.
    
    
  • Windows: Observing Lists now must be saved with the .sdL extension.
    
    
    
• Find Object Window:
  
  
  • Object Info. pane of the Find Object Window is now resizeable. Click and drag between the two panes to resize the window’s list and information panes. Holding down OPTION/ALT while opening Find Object Window restores divider position (and window’s size/location) to default values.
    
    
  • Object Info. now displays the disk file in which the object was found.
    
    
  • Object Info. pane now draws in color.
    
    
  • Worked around bug on Windows where Find Object Window’s text would not automatically be selected when the window opened.
    
    
    
• Connecting:
  
  
  • Connection attempts can now be canceled by COMMAND-period (Mac) or ESCAPE (all).
    
    
  • When first connecting, ScopeDriver now tries to access the serial port five times before giving up.
    
    
  • Connection Progress dialog is now better animated, and now displays the connection steps as they occur.
    
    
  • If a connection attempt is going to fail (because, for example, no telescope is connected), ScopeDriver gives control back to the user much more rapidly.
    
    
    
• History:
  
  
  • ScopeDriver History file is now implemented. This file (updated at quit) contains all recent communications between ScopeDriver and the instrument. File is located in ScopeDriver Data Folder.
    
    
  • From most windows, full communications history may be copied by holding down OPTION/ALT before opening the Edit menu.
    
    
  • From most windows, session history (communications since ScopeDriver launch) may be copied by holding down SHIFT before opening the Edit menu.
    
    
  • Hold down the CONTROL key when opening the Edit menu to display “Insert History Marker.” This allows you to enter the text of your choice into the ScopeDriver History.
    
    
    
• ScopeDriver Preferences:
  
  
  • Application Preferences Window has been split into tabs: Application Preferences and Telescope Preferences. Preferences window “remembers” last active tab, and re-opens with that tab selected.
    
    
  • New preferences file format. When first launched, version 2.0 and later will import the old preferences and create new preference files. The “old” preference files will remain in place for use by version 1.4.2 and all earlier versions of ScopeDriver.
    
    
  • ScopeDriver Preferences: Application Preferences Tab: “Attempt to Connect at Launch” now correctly shows state at first startup.
    
    
  • Added preference to check for betas when running Internet update checking.
    
    
  • Preference added to Show/Hide Help Tags and Balloon Help.
    
    
  • “Remember Last Port Used” in ScopeDriver Preferences has been changed to “Attempt to Connect at Launch.” Its functionality remains the same.
    
    
    
• Startup Preferences:
  
  
  • Startup Preferences Window allows quitting ScopeDriver by OPTION/ALT-clicking “Cancel.”
    
    
  • “Reset all preferences” now actually does so.
    
    
  • Error affecting some Windows users fixed. The error would terminate the program when confirming the startup preferences if the Comm. Window was set not to show.
    
    
    
• Observing Log:
  
  
  • Observing Log’s File Menu: Added Save, Save As..., and Revert... to this menu. Save As... brings up the Export Log Window.
    
    
  • Observing Log now saves text encoded as UTF-8. International text in these files is now saveable and sharable between different operating systems and countries.
    
    
  • When importing text files, ScopeDriver now better handles linefeed characters.
    
    
  • Site data should populate more accurately in the Log Window when creating new entries.
    
    
    
• Printing:
  
  
  • Print Preview Window: Next Page and Previous Page buttons: fixed some background show-through in Mac OS X, and improved drawing of buttons when hilighted.
    
    
  • Fixed unexpected quit that would sometimes occur when invoking “Print” from the Print Preview Window.
    
    
  • Fixed slight right edge clipping, visible on some systems when printing.
    
    
  • Printed page two headers and footers now print consistently.
    
    
  • Print Preview is now faster on Windows.
    
    
  • Improved headers and footers on multipage printouts.
    
    
    
• Miscellaneous:
  
  
  • Go To Coordinates Window now provides a space for the Epoch, instead of assuming the epoch of date.
    
    
  • Help tags and balloon help added to Renew Window, User Object Windows, Log Windows, and all other windows that otherwise were missing help data.
    
    
  • Implemented “Sync. to Current Coords.” command for Gemini models.
    
    
  • Main Window’s “Define...” button has been changed to “Find...” when a non-LX200 Classic instrument is connected.
    
    
  • Revised About Window graphics, and revised About Window close routine to be more reliable.
    
    
  • Revised icons for application and support files.
    
    
  • Slew Rate Reporter (small numeric or text in the Main Window’s “Telescope Motion” region — to the immediate right of the “Slew” button) now smart-resizes its clickable area according to telescope type.
    
    
  • Menu items are no longer hidden when their actions are unavailable for the model currently connected. Instead, menu items appear disabled when connected to a model that doesn’t support the menu item’s function.
    
    
  • Menu->Quit error fixed. This affected some Windows users, and would present an error at quit if selecting Quit from the menu (not a button or app’s close box).
    
    
  • Dialog text rewritten for hundreds of ScopeDriver dialogs.
    
    
  • Mac OS X Dialogs are getting closer to conforming to Apple’s guidelines. Mac OS X dialogs look and read closer to spec., but full implementation will have to wait until 2.1.
    
    
  • License agreement text now displays better on Windows.
    
    
  • Mac OS X: Fixed “little arrows” control in following windows: Import to Observing Log, Import to Observing List, and Print Preview Window. “Up” arrow now repeats when mouse is held down without having to move mouse.
    
    
    

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