MOVE supports commanding remotely via an RS232 port (on COM2).
All remote commands consist of a two letter command, followed by up to three optional arguments. The arguments are separated by spaces and the entire command is terminated by a carriage return. The first two optional commands are ASCII integer numbers and the third is a string enclosed in double quotes ("). If you leave out a required parameter, it will default to zero or blanks.
Examples are:
WK (no arguments)
ER 1234 -55555 (two numeric arguments)
DM 0 (one numeric argument)
EE "filename" (string argument only)
There currently are no commands which take numeric arguments and
a string argument.
Most commands are only executed while MOVE is waiting for character input (ie when the "Enter Command" prompt is on the screen). Commands are input via a character interrupt routine, so that if MOVE is not currently executing commands, command input will be buffered until MOVE is ready to execute them. Four commands are executed asynchronously in that MOVE checks ahead in the buffer (even when it is not at the "Enter Command" prompt) and executes them as soon as they are found. These are TS, ON, LP, and AB.
Most remote commands can return a single character completion code. Since the code is returned on completion of the command, you can synchronize operations by sending a command and waiting for the completion code.
For historical reasons, the completion codes have to be enabled via the RC command. If this is not done, all remote commands will return only a single carriage return. If remote commanding is enabled, all remote commands will return a completion code followed by a carriage return.
Also for historical reasons, the TS command initially returns a shorter status string. Use ES to enable the entire string.
If the telescope is asleep only NU, WK, TS, ON, LP, ES, RC, and SL, VR are recognized. Any other command sent while asleep will return a code of 1.
Remote commands are also recognized (and executed) while guiding (42"/72").
| Command | Description |
| AA N M | Move telescope to a given alt/az. N is the destination altitude in degrees times 10,000 and M is the destination azimuth in degrees times 10,000. |
| AB | Abort dome initialization or a point-to-point move. |
| BA N | Set the remote port baud rate to 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, or 115200 as N is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, respectively. |
| BL | Break Lock if guiding |
| CF | Close observing list file if one is open. |
| CO N M | Move telescope to the given coordinates. N is the destination RA in hours times 100,000 and M is the destination Dec in degrees times 10,000. |
| CS N | Close dome shutter(s) (PSST/ 31"/Table Mt/McAllister). N used at the 31" and Table Mountain. At the 31", N is the number of seconds to do the operation; both shutters are moved. At Table Mt, if N is 2 both shutters are closed; if N is 1 only the upper shutter is closed. At PSST this command closes the roof shutter. At the the McAlister, both shutters are closed |
| DE | Delete all current ephemerides. |
| DJ N | Jog dome right if N is positive; left if negative (all except PSST and Wallace).. |
| DM N | Turn dome following on if N is one and off if zero (all except PSST and Wallace) |
| DS N | Set Deadman shutdown time. N is the time to shutdown in minutes. If N = 0, deadman is disabled. |
| EE "string" | Open ephemeris file defined by "string". |
| EG N | Go to current location of the object in ephemeris N. |
| ER N M | Enter rates. N is the RA rate in time-sec per hour times 10 and M is the Dec rate in arc-sec per hour times 10. |
| ES N | Turn on extended status (TS) return if N is one and off if zero. |
| FI | Initalize focus axis. |
| FG N | Absolute focus move to N |
| FR N | Relative focus move to N |
| FS | Move to flat screen (not at PSST, Table Mt. or McAlister). |
| FW N | Move filter wheel to position N (72"/42"/PSST). |
| FT N | Set focus mode to relative if N is one and absolute if N is zero |
| HO | Move telescope to home. |
| IC | Initialize coordinates (PSST/31"/Table Mt. only). |
| ID | Initialize the dome (LONEOS/Astrograph only) |
| LI N | Turn on dome lights if N is one and off if zero (31"/72"/Table Mt.) |
| LM N | Set Lock Mode. Lock off if N is zero. Sidereal lock if N is one. Track Lock if N is two. |
| LP | Request the last position that the telescope moved to. The return is a carriage return, followed by a 25 characters, followed by a carriage return. The 25 characters are in the same format as in the TS status return: 10 characters for the RA, 9 for the Dec and 6 for the equinox. There is no error return. |
| LS N | Supress turning on dome light during a move if N is one and allow it if zero (only 31") |
| NU | Null command |
| OF "string" | Open observing list file defined by "string". |
| ON | Request the current object name. The return is a carriage return, followed by a 20 character name string, followed by a carriage return. There is no error return |
| OS N | Open dome shutter(s) (PSST/ 31"/Table Mt/McAllister). N used at the 31" and Table Mountain. At the 31", N is the number of seconds to do the operation; both shutters are moved. At Table Mt, if N is 2 both shutters are opened; if N is 1 only the upper shutter is opened. At PSST this command opens the roof shutter. At the the McAlister, both shutters are opened. |
| PD | Disable a pause while guiding (72"/42" only) |
| PE | Enable a pause while guiding (72"/42" only) |
| PM N | Move telescope to previous move position N. |
| PP | Find dome power pad (31"/Table Mt. only). |
| QU | Exit MOVE |
| RC N | Enable remote codes on if N is one and off if zero. |
| RF N | Move to position N in the currently opened observing list file. |
| RM N M | Do a relative move. N is offset in RA in arcsec times 10 and M is the offset in Dec in arcsec times 10. |
| SC | Save current coordinates on previous move stack. |
| SD "string" | Set the system date. "string" contains the date in the form DD-MMM-YY. The month, MMM, is three letters and can be mixed capitals and small letters. |
| SF N | Move to sky position N in the currently opened observing list file. |
| SH | Set current position as telescope home position. |
| SL | Put telescope to sleep. |
| SM N | Request the sun or moon position. The return is a carriage return, followed by a 9 characters, followed by a carriage return. If N is 0, the data are for the Sun. If N is one, for the Moon. The string is EEIIISAAC wehre EEE is the elongation (deg) from the telescope, II is the percent illuminated (blank for the sun) and SAAC is the altitude where S is the sign and C is R if it is rising and S if it is setting. If N is not 0/1 the string is returned as '9999999999'. |
| ST "string" | Set the system time. "string" contains the date in the form HH:MM:SS |
| TC N | Turn on sidereal track if N is one and off if zero. |
| TS | Request a telescope status string. If extended status if on, this string
is a carriage return followed by a 96 character status string followed by
a second carriage return. If off, it is a carriage return, followed by
a 45 character status string (the first 45 of the 96 character string), followed
by a carriage return. There is no error code.
Summary of TS Arguments |
| UC | Update coordinates to those of the last location we moved to. |
| UI | Move to uniform illumination spot. |
| VR | Request the program version. The return is a carriage return, followed by a 18 characters, followed by a carriage return. The 18 characters are, for example, V04.69 - 04-Apr-02. There is no error return. |
| WK | Wake telescope up. |
| ZE | Move telescope to zenith. |