Pascal script reference

This page contain reference material for scripting functions using the Pascal language. Beware Pascal script are not supported on ARM processor. Refer to this page if you want to use the Python language.

See the script description page for general information.

See the script example page for a quick start with the programming functions.

Script language

The language to use is Pascal Script.
For a complete reference of the Object Pascal language your can read the Free Pascal Reference guide. But beware that some feature are not implemented by the script language, for example: no pointer, no assembler, no overloading.

In addition to the standard Pascal Script feature the following CCDciel specific function are added.

Retrieve script parameters

name	value
ParamCount	the number of parameters available
ParamStr	array of string containing the parameters. ParamStr[0] is always the script filename

Constants

name	value
deg2rad	degree to radian conversion constant
rad2deg	radian to degree conversion constant
msgOK	returned when a CCDciel command complete successfully
msgFailed	returned when a CCDciel command fail

Global variables access

function GetS(varname:string; var str: string):Boolean;
Get the global string variable identified by varname
varname	value
CoverStatus	The status of the telescope cover
CalibratorStatus	The status of the flat calibrator
LastError	The text of the last error
HostOS	The operating system on the computer running CCDciel
DirectorySeparator	The directory separator symbol on the computer running CCDciel
AppDir	The directory where the program is installed
TmpDir	The directory for temporary files
CaptureDir	The directory to save the images from capture sequence
Preview_getbinning	Get the preview binning
Capture_getbinning	Get the capture binning
Capture_getobjectname	Get the capture object name
Capture_getframetype	Get the capture frame type
Str1 .. Str10	Ten global variable for your use

function SetS(varname:string; str: string):Boolean;
Set the global string variable identified by varname for later use
varname	value
Str1 .. Str10	Ten global variable for your use

function GetSL(varname:string; var strl: Tstringlist):Boolean;
Get the global stringlist variable identified by varname
varname	value
Strl1 .. Strl10	Ten global variable for your use

function SetSL(varname:string; stlr: Tstringlist):Boolean;
Set the global stringlist variable identified by varname for later use
varname	value
Strl1 .. Strl10	Ten global variable for your use

function GetI(varname:string; var i: Integer):Boolean;
Get the global integer variable identified by varname
varname	value
FocuserPosition	The focuser absolute position
CalibratorBrightness	The brightness of the calibrator
Capture_getcount	Get the capture image count
Capture_getdither	Get the capture Dither count
Int1 .. Int10	Ten global variable for your use

function SetI(varname:string; i: Integer):Boolean;
Set the global integer variable identified by varname for later use
varname	value
Int1 .. Int10	Ten global variable for your use

function GetD(varname:string; var x: double):boolean;
Get the global double variable identified by varname
varname	value
TelescopeRA	The telescope position right ascension
TelescopeDE	The telescope position declination
TimeNow	The current time in TDateTime format
CCDTEMP	The current CCD temperature
OBS_LATITUDE	The observer latitude
OBS_LONGITUDE	The observer longitude
OBS_ELEVATION	The observer elevation
Preview_getexposure	Get the preview exposure time
Capture_getexposure	Get the capture exposure
Double1 .. Double10	Ten global variable for your use

function SetD(varname:string; x: Double):Boolean;
Set the global double variable identified by varname for later use
varname	value
Double1 .. Double10	Ten global variable for your use

function GetB(varname:string; var x: boolean):boolean;
Get the global boolean variable identified by varname
varname	value
TELESCOPE_CONNECTED	True if the telescope is connected
TELESCOPE_PARKED	True if the telescope is parked
TELESCOPE_TRACKING	True if the telescope is tracking
TELESCOPE_SLEWING	True if the telescope is slewing
TELESCOPE_EQMOD	True if the telescope use the EqMod driver
AUTOGUIDER_CONNECTED	True if the auto-guider is connected
AUTOGUIDER_RUNNING	True if the auto-guider is running
AUTOGUIDER_GUIDING	True if the auto-guider is guiding
WHEEL_CONNECTED	True if the filter wheel is connected
FOCUSER_CONNECTED	True if the focuser is connected
CAMERA_CONNECTED	True if the camera is connected
PLANETARIUM_CONNECTED	True if the planetarium is connected
PREVIEW_RUNNING	True if the preview is running
PREVIEW_LOOP	True if the preview is in loop
CAPTURE_RUNNING	True if a capture is running

function GetV(varname:string; var v: Variant):Boolean;
Get the ASCOM interface for the device identified by varname (Windows only)
varname	value
TELESCOPE, DOME, CAMERA, GUIDERCAMERA, FINDERCAMERA, FOCUSER, FILTER, ROTATOR, COVER, SAFETY, WEATHER	The corresponding ASCOM device connected to CCDciel
Variant1 .. Variant10	Ten global variable for your use

function SetV(varname:string; v: Variant):Boolean;
Set the global variant variable identified by varname for later use
varname	value
Variant1 .. Variant10	Ten global variable for your use

Commands

function Cmd(cname:string):string;
Execute a simple command cname in CCDciel.

Valid Cmd() command are:

Command	Description
TELESCOPE_ABORTMOTION	Stop any telescope movement
TELESCOPE_TRACK	Start telescope tracking
EQMOD_CLEARPOINTS	Clear EqMod alignment data
EQMOD_CLEARSYNCDELTA	Clear Eqmod sync delta
EQMOD_STDSYNC	Set Eqmod in Standard sync mode
EQMOD_APPENDSYNC	Set Eqmod in Add point on sync mode
AUTOGUIDER_CONNECT	Connect to the autoguider software
AUTOGUIDER_CALIBRATE	Force a new calibration of the autoguider
AUTOGUIDER_STARTGUIDING	Start to guide
AUTOGUIDER_STOPGUIDING	Stop guiding
AUTOGUIDER_PAUSE	Pause guiding
AUTOGUIDER_UNPAUSE	Restart after pause
AUTOGUIDER_DITHER	Dither now
AUTOGUIDER_SHUTDOWN	Close the autoguider program
AUTOGUIDER_GETLOCKPOSITION	Return the current guide lock position
WHEEL_GETFILTER	Get the current filter number in the wheel
PREVIEW_SINGLE	Start a single preview
PREVIEW_LOOP	Start a preview loop
PREVIEW_WAITLOOP	Wait until the user stop the preview loop
PREVIEW_STOP	Stop any in progress preview or preview loop
CAPTURE_START	Start a capture
CAPTURE_STOP	Stop a capture
FINDER_STOPLOOP	Stop the finder loop
ASTROMETRY_SOLVE	Plate solve the current image
ASTROMETRY_SYNC	Plate solve the current image and sync the telescope
ASTROMETRY_SLEW_IMAGE_CENTER	Plate solve the current image and slew the telescope
ASTROMETRY_PLOT_DSO	Plate solve the current image and annotate DSO
ASTROMETRY_PLOT_HYPERLEDA	Plate solve the current image and annotate DSO using the hyperleda catalog
PLANETARIUM_CONNECT	Connect the planetarium software
PLANETARIUM_SHOWIMAGE	Plate solve the current image and show in planetarium
PLANETARIUM_SHUTDOWN	Close the planetarium software
PROGRAM_SHUTDOWN	Close CCDciel
CLEAR_REFERENCE_IMAGE	Remove the reference image
AUTOFOCUS	Run auto-focus at the current position
AUTOMATICAUTOFOCUS	Move to a bright star and run auto-focus, return to last position when finished
COVER_OPEN	Open the telescope cover
COVER_CLOSE	Close the telescope cover
CALIBRATOR_LIGHT_OFF	Turn flat calibrator light off
CUSTOMHEADER_CLEAR	Delete all the custom header keywords

function CmdArg(cname:string; arg:Tstringlist):string;
Execute a command cname in CCDciel with parameters arg. Add each parameter to the string list.

Valid CmdArg() command are:

Command	Arguments	Description
DEVICES_CONNECTION	ON/OFF	Connect or disconnect the devices
TELESCOPE_SLEW	RA, DEC	Slew to specified coordinates, do not return until the slew is complete
TELESCOPE_SLEWASYNC	RA, DEC	Slew to specified coordinates, return immediatelly
TELESCOPE_SYNC	RA, DEC	Sync to specified coordinates
TELESCOPE_PARK	ON/OFF	Park or unpark the telescope
AUTOGUIDER_SETLOCKPOSITION	x,y	Set immediately the new guide lock position in PHD2 or Internal guider
AUTOGUIDER_STORELOCKPOSITION	x,y	Store the guide lock position for the next time guiding is started
WHEEL_SETFILTER	number	Set the filter number in the wheel
WHEEL_GETFILTERSNAME	arg	On return arg contain the name of the filters
WHEEL_SETFILTERSNAME	arg	Put each filter name in arg
FOCUSER_SETPOSITION	number	Set the focuser absolute position
SetFocusXY	X,Y	Select the star at position X,Y for focus operation
Get_Switch	nickname,switchname	Return the current value for the switch
Set_Switch	nickname,switchname,value	Set the value of the switch
CCD_SETTEMPERATURE	temp	Set the CCD temperature
PREVIEW_SETEXPOSURE	exp	Set the preview exposure time
PREVIEW_SETBINNING	bin	Set the preview binning
CAPTURE_SETEXPOSURE	exp	Set the capture exposure
CAPTURE_SETBINNING	bin	Set the capture binning
CAPTURE_SETOBJECTNAME	name	Set the capture object name
CAPTURE_SETCOUNT	count	Set the capture image count
CAPTURE_SETFRAMETYPE	Light/Bias/Dark/Flat	Set the capture frame type
CAPTURE_SETDITHER	count	Set the capture Dither count
FINDER_SAVEIMAGES	ON/OFF	Activate the saving of finder image when looping
FINDER_STARTLOOP	exposure time	Start the finder loop with the given exposure time
Finder_Snapshot	exposure time, filename, count	Take a series of finder snapshot
Internalguider_Snapshot	exposure time, filename, count	Take a series of guide camera snapshot, guiding must be stopped before to use this command
SEQUENCE_START	sequence	Load and start the sequence
SAVE_FITS_FILE	filename	Save the FITS file
OPEN_FITS_FILE	filename	Open the FITS file
OPEN_REFERENCE_IMAGE	filename	Load a reference image
PLANETARIUM_SHOWIMAGE_FOV	FOV [degree]	Plate solve the current image and show in planetarium using the specified field of view
CALIBRATOR_LIGHT_ON	brightness	Light the flat calibrator at the specified brightness
CUSTOMHEADER_ADD	key, value	Add a new custom header keyword with value. Replace the value if the key already exist
CUSTOMHEADER_DEL	key	Delete all the occurrence of this custom header keyword
CUSTOMHEADER	key	Return the value for this keyword

Delay functions

procedure Wait(wt:integer);
Wait wt seconds before to continue the execution

function WaitTill(hour:string; showdialog: boolean):boolean;
Wait until the time is “hour”, encoded as 23:30:00 . If the time is already passed by less than 12h the function return immediately, if it is passed for more than 12h it wait for the next day. If showdialog is true a dialog with time countdown is show, this dialog also allow to cancel or to continue immediately, it return False if the wait is canceled.

Coordinates conversion

Procedure Eq2Hz(var ra,de : double ; var a,h : double);
Convert Equatorial ra,de to Alt/Az a,h for the location and time of the current chart. RA in hours, all other angle in degree

Procedure Hz2Eq(var a,h : double; var ra,de : double);
Convert Alt/Az a,h to equatorial ra,de for the location and time of the current chart. RA in hours, all other angle in degree

Formating and conversion

Function ARtoStr(var ar: Double) : string;
Return a string formated Right Ascension of ar value

Function DEtoStr(var de: Double) : string;
Return a string formated Declination of de value

Function StrtoAR(str:string; var ar: Double) : boolean;
Convert a formated string to Right Ascension decimal value

Function StrtoDE(str:string; var de: Double) : boolean;
Convert a formated string to Declination decimal value

Function JDtoStr(var jd: Double) : string;
Format a julian date to YYYY-MM-DD string

Function StrtoJD(dt:string; var jdt: Double) : boolean;
Convert a formated string YYYY-MM-DD to julian date value

Function FormatFloat(Const Format : String; var Value : double) : String;
Format a decimal number according to the Format specification

Function Format(Const Fmt : String; const Args : Array of const) : String;
The Format Pascal function

Procedure StrtoFloatD(str:string; var defval: Double; var val: Double);
Convert a string to a floating point value. Return defval if the string is a invalid number

function IsNumber(str: String): boolean;
Return True if the string represent a valid number

function StringReplace(str,s1,s2: String): string;
Replace all occurrence of s1 by s2 in str

Dialog

function MsgBox(const aMsg: string):boolean;
A message confirmation dialog. Return True if YES is clicked.

Procedure ShowMessage(const aMsg: string);
Display a message.

Procedure LogMsg(const aMsg: string);
Write a message to the log

Run external program

function Run(cmdline:string):boolean;
Execute the specified command. Return immediately without waiting for the execution to end.

function RunWait(cmdline:string):boolean;
Execute the specified command. Wait for termination.

function RunOutput(cmdline:string; var output:TStringlist):boolean;
Execute the specified command, wait for termination and put the stdout to “output”. Beware this function can completely lock the main program if it not finish in time.

function OpenFile(fn:string):boolean;
Open a document file using the default program

CCDciel

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Table of Contents

Pascal script reference

Script language

Retrieve script parameters

Constants

Global variables access

Commands

Delay functions

Coordinates conversion

Formating and conversion

Dialog

Run external program

CCDciel

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Table of Contents

Pascal script reference

Script language

Retrieve script parameters

Constants

Global variables access

Commands

Delay functions

Coordinates conversion

Formating and conversion

Dialog

Run external program

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