The SkyRoof and SkyRoofHub drivers are 100% compatible with all astronomy software that utilize an ASCOM dome driver.

 The SkyRoof ASCOM drivers are 'local server' based drivers. This enables the drivers to serve several applications concurrently.

 For example, one could have ACP, Starry Night Pro and Maxim all connected to the SkyRoof driver and able to control and monitor the roof 

 functions simultaneously.


 While it is not necessary to run the SkyRoof program when using the driver, it is recommended to do so as the SkyRoof program 

contains many safeguard features and monitors along with messaging features that can keep the remote observatory user alert of 

the current observatory status.


 Connect the SkyRoof driver to the application you are using as you would with any other ASCOM driver.


 Below are instructions to connect some of the more popular software applications to the SkyRoof driver.



Astronomers Control Panel: Click on the “ACP” drop down tool bar option and select “Preferences”. Click on the “Dome

Control” tab and click the “Select Dome” button. Proceed to use the ASCOM chooser to connect to the SkyRoof dome

driver.


CCD AutoPilot: From the Main setup page, select “ASCOM” in the “Dome” drop down box, tick the Change Driver

check box. When linking to the software, choose SkyRoof from the ASCOM Dome chooser as outlined in the 'Initial settings' section.


CCD Commander: From the main menu tool bar, select the “Setup” drop down option. Next, click on the Control/Device

tab. Select “ASCOM Driver” from the drop down box and click on the “Configure” button. Proceed to connect to the

SkyRoof driver as outlined in the 'Initial settings' section.


Maxim DL: From the “View” tool bar drop down option, choose “Observatory” to open the Observatory control panel. Click

on the “Setup” tab and click the “Options” button. Click “Setup” from the context menu that appears and proceed to connect

to the SkyRoof driver.


SGP: Click the “Tools” drop down item from the main dialog window then select “Equipment Profile Manager”. In the dialog

window that appears, select the “Other” tab then click on the “Observatory” drop down. Select the SkyRoof driver and then

follow the ASCOM driver connection procedure as outlined in the 'Initial settings' section.


The SkyX: A SkyX X2 plug-in is available for SkyRoof to control the roof directly through The SkyX interface.

The X2 plug-in is available at this url: https://rti-zone.org/macosx_x2dome_plugins.php


N.I.N.A: From the "Dome" equipment page, use the drop down source selection menu and choose "SkyRoof Hub".

Click on the gear shaped icon and set the SkyRoof driver properties page to the COM port that the the SkyRoof controller is connected

to. If you are unsure which COM port it is using, use the Windows Device manager and see which port is displaying the words "Arduino Uno"

Click on the button to connect the SkyRoof driver to N.I.N.A.


Voyager: Open the "Setup Form" dialog and click on the "Dome" tab.Click on the "Dome" drop down control and select "ASCOM Dome".

Now, click on the "ASCOM" button. A standard ASCOM chooser control will open. Select the "SkyRoof Hub" entry.

Click the Properties button and the SkyRoof Driver-Hub. Click the appropriate COM port from the driver and then click "OK".

In some cases, the SkyRoof driver may not connect properly to due to a bitness conflict between Voyager and any other programs

that are currently connected to the driver (including but not limited to the SkyRoof Control Panel app.). In order to resolve the conflict, the other app(s) must be set to run in

the 64-bit mode. Normally, this simply means to launch the program as "Administrator". The SkyRoof Control Panel is a little different in this regard. Because the SkyRoof

Control Panel app uses the Microsoft™ Click-Once installation and update schema, the option to "Run as Administrator" option is not available.

The workaround for this issue is to create a batch file that points to the SkyRoof shortcut and launches the app.

For more details about how to launch SkyRoof as an Administrator, download this link: 

https:// interactiveastronomy.com/launch_skyroof_as_admin.mov




Configuration recommendations:


 There are multiple ways to configure the SkyRoof software when using it in tandem with an imaging application.


 As a general rule of thumb, it is usually best practice to let the imaging software control the roof to avoid conflicts. In this case leave all of the 

 Action/Alert check boxes in SkyRoof unchecked with the exception of the 'Hardware Failure...' check box and the 'Internet connection...'

 check box (if desired). 
















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