ASCOM Platform 6.1

[Bi2L]

ASCOM Platform 6

 

The next generation of the ASCOM Platform provides compatibility with Windows 7 User Account Control and 64-bit systems, some new device interfaces, and even more support for both drivers and astronomy applications. It contains new simulators, updated Visual Studio driver templates, and much more. This huge project is nearing completion with several people working on it, and is expected to be available in May 2011.

 

An absolute requirement for Platform 6 is that it be 100% compatible with existing astronomy software and drivers. It is currently being tested by driver and application developerws to make sure this requirement is met. For details on Platform 6 click the link below.

 

Detailed Description of ASCOM Platform 6 (April 2011)

 

Changes Coming in Platform 6 (for Developers)

Elimination of the requirement for early-binding interfaces in drivers. This will greatly ease the driver development process.

Return to registry based storage for Chooser registration and driver data storage. Again this will be transparent to drivers which use the Chooser and Profile objects.

Full support for 64-bit drivers, new simulators can run with 64-bit clients.

Integration with X2 and TheSky X

 

Software Bisque has implemented a cross-platform driver architecture called X2 that provides interfacing with asronomical devices from TheSky X Pro. The ASCOM X2 Integration project has the goal of developing generic X2 drivers that convert from X2 to ASCOM, allowing TheSky X to take advantage of all existing ASCOM drivers. The new X2 drivers will replace the old TeleAPI, FocusAPI, and DomeAPI plugins that are legacy from TheSky 6. The X2 interfaces provide a richer set of capabilities, allowing TheSky X to take advantage of more features of devices via their ASCOM drivers. In development are generic X2 to ASCOM drivers for Mounts, Focusers, Cameras, FilterWheels, Rotators, and Domes. Some of the X2 interfaces themselves are evolving, so we're tracking these developments. Look for the first set of these X2 to ASCOM drivers early Summer 2011.

 

Note that ASCOM is Windows-only, so these X2 to ASCOM drivers will not work with TheSky X Pro running on Mac OS X.

 

http://www.ascom-standards.org/About/Projects.htm

[Bi2L]

Δεν νομίζω ότι η νέα εκδοσή θα φέρει επανάσταση, αλλά σίγουρα είναι καλό να υπάρχει εξέλιξη

Ας ελπίσουμε η νέα πλατφόρμα να δουλεύει σωστά με ότι έχουμε τώρα στα χέρια μας και να μας λύσει τυχών προβλήματα της υπάρχουσας έκδοσης.

[Bi2L]

Βγήκε και η RC εκδοση (Release Candidate)

 

Project: ASCOM Platform 6 (now a Release Candidate)

 

The next generation of the ASCOM Platform provides compatibility with Windows 7's enhanced security and 64-bit systems, greatly expanded support for .NET languages, some new device interfaces, and even more support for both drivers and astronomy applications. It contains new simulators, updated Visual Studio driver templates, and much more. This huge project just completed a 2 month beta test with application and driver developers, and is now available as a Release Candidate for general testing and use.

 

Most of you don't need to know what's going on inside the Platform. All you need to know is that it is a set of components that are used by ASCOM drivers and programs that work with ASCOM drivers. If you are a developer, or just want to know the details about the things that changed in Platform 6, here's a detailed description of ASCOM Platform 6 (May 2011).

How to upgrade to Platform 6 Release Candidate

 

The installer for Platform 6 has been designed to upgrade previous Platform installations (back through 4.1) without your needing to uninstall. Just download the Platform 6 Release Candidate via the link below, then run the installer. You will be able to install the final Platform 6 right over the Release Candidate.

http://download.ascom-standards.org/beta/ASCOMPlatform6RC.exe

 

The developer components and help have been placed into a separate installer to create a cleaner Platform install and to allow them to be updated whenever required. There is no need to install these tools if you do not develop your own ASCOM client applications or drivers.

http://download.ascom-standards.org/beta/ASCOMPlatform6DeveloperRC.exe

How to get help with problems and report bugs

 

If you have a problem after upgrading from an older Platform or with a new installation, first post to the ASCOM Talk Forum and ask for help. Try to supply enough info so that others can understand your problem (e.g., "ASCOM is broken" is insufficient). Have a look at How to Get Support for details on reporting problems. The Platform does not replace or modify any Windows components nor does it change settings for any program. It is strictly a support package for ASCOM drivers and programs which use ASCOM drivers.

 

If you are reasonably certain that you have found a bug, you can report it and file a ticket for it to be fixed. Have a look at The ASCOM Initiative Community to see how the developer community operates. To file a bug (or improvement request), use the ASCOM Jira Issue Tracker. You will need to sign yourself up for an account. Select the ASCOM Platform project and open a new issue. Don't assign anyone to it. Try to select the best fit for the type of issue. Be as detailed as possible, including a step by step repro scenario if available.

 

Εδω το λινκ http://www.ascom-standards.org/About/Projects.htm

[Bi2L]

Βγήκε και η Τελική εκδοση της Ascom

http://www.ascom-standards.org/

 

εμένα πάντως η 6RC μου έπαιζε μια χαρά τον τελευταίο καιρό...

[Andreas72]

 

εμένα πάντως η 6RC μου έπαιζε μια χαρά τον τελευταίο καιρό...

 

Μια από τα ίδια Bill αν και την κατέβασα την τελική έκδοση δεν ξέρω κατά πόσο θα την εγκαταστήσω....Αρκετά θέματα είχα στο παρελθόν δεν θέλω να δημιουργώ νέα...

[Bi2L]

Βγήκε και η ASCOM Platform 6SP1 - http://ascom-standards.org/index.htm

[Bi2L]

ASCOM SP2 για όποιον ενδιαφέρεται

http://ascom-standards.org/index.htm

 

ReleaseNotes

[Bi2L]

Βγήκε και SP3

 

http://ascom-standards.org/Downloads/Index.htm

[Bi2L]

βγήκε και η 6.1 έκδοση

 

ASCOM Platform 6.1

 

 

about

 

Key Changes in 6.1 - For Everyone

 

The Platform now supports ASCOM Video device drivers and clients and a Video simulator is included in the Platform install.

The Platform now provides an improved Switch interface that can read and control multi-position switches, digital rheostat like devices and sensors.

The 6.1 installer will now clean up corrupted Platform installs if required, providing more reliable implementation. This capbility is based on the ForceRemove program that previously had to be run manually.

The Platform now requires .NET Framework 4.0 Client or above and the Visual C++ 10.0 libraries. The .NET Framework will need to be installed before the Platform installer is run but the C++ libraries will be automatically installed by the Platform installer if required.

Telescope Simulator for .NET

The default Axis Rates have been revised to create non-contiguous rate ranges of 0.0-16.7 and 25.0-50.0 degrees /second.

Additional tracking mode checks have been added to the Slew... and Sync... methods to test for unexpected behaviour such as slewing to RA/Dec with tracking disabled.

Chooser - Enabling serial tracing through the Chooser menu has been made simpler by removing infrequently required options and by selecting automatic file naming by default. Operation is now simply through an on/off option similar to all the other types of trace. Manual serial trace file name selection and all other historic options can still be made through the Diagnostics Trace menu.

Diagnostics - Choose Device Tool

This tool can now be started in either 32bit or 64bit modes on 64bit operating systems to provide emulation of both 32bit and 64bit clients.

The main window is now resizable to cope with extensive Profile contents

The device Profile is now returned in plain rather than XML format.

Values from the common device methods are now reported for all device types.

The Connect capability now has a check box to control whether the device is Connected before the Setup dialogue is dispayed.

Selection of a new device type automatically selects the relevant simulator.

The Delta T predictive algorithm has been updated with real data to January 2014.

 

 

Collapse imageKey Changes in 6.1 - For Developers

 

The IVideo interface has been added plus support for the DriverAccess, Driver Installer and Video driver templates.

A set of Video utiliites have been added to the Platform together with a video driver developer guide.

The ISwitch interface has been revised to ISwitchV2 and a new simulator and driver template have been provided to support the new features.

The ASCOM driver templates are now installed by a custom installer which avoids the dialogues that used to appear from the Micorsoft content distribution tool.

The driver templates are now correctly installed on all Visual Studio Express editions as well as full Visual Studio editions.

Although the Platform client applications have been transitioned to .NET 4, development of ASCOM clients and drivers based on Framework 3.5 is still supported by the Platform.

The device template icons have been tidied up and made consistent.

The driver installer generator now supports in-process .NET drivers targeted at Framework 4.

Cosmetic: Installation instructions for Inno in the Driver Install Script Generator - have been updated to match recent changes to the Inno installer.