Skychart

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====== Script reference ======

This page contain reference material for scripting functions.

See the [[toolbox|Tool Box]] description page for general information.

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

===== Script language =====

The language to use is [[wp>Pascal_Script|Pascal Script]].\\
For a complete reference of the Object Pascal language your can read the [[http://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/ref/ref.html|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 Skychart specific function are added.

===== Main menu function =====

Every items of the main menu can be used from the scripts.\\
The full list of menu items name is available from the [[http://sourceforge.net/p/skychart/code/HEAD/tree/trunk/skychart/menu.txt|menu list]].\\

You can execute the menu action by using the Click method, or test if an option is activated by testing the Checked property.

===== Translation string =====

Every string translated for the main program can be used in a script.\\
Directly use the rsXXX constant to get the translated string.\\
The full list of available string is available from the [[http://sourceforge.net/p/skychart/code/HEAD/tree/trunk/skychart/u_translation.pas|source code]].\\
If a string is not translated for your language don't hesitate [[:en:translations#software_translation|to do it yourself]].

===== Constants =====

^name^value^
|deg2rad| degree to radian conversion constant|
|rad2deg| radian to degree conversion constant|
===== Global variables access =====

^function GetS(varname:string; var str: string):Boolean;^^
|Get the global string variable identified by varname||
^varname^value^
|ChartName|The name of the last chart that send an event|
|RefreshText|The text of the ChartRefresh event|
|SelectionText|The short text of the selected object|
|DescriptionText|The object full description|
|DistanceText|The text of the last distance measurement event|
|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^
|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|
|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 GetV(varname:string; var v: Variant):Boolean;^^
|Get the global variant variable identified by varname||
^varname^value^
|Telescope1 , Telescope2|Two ASCOM Telescope objects|
|Dome1 , Dome2|Two ASCOM Dome objects|
|Camera1 , Camera2|Two ASCOM Camera objects|
|Focuser1 , Focuser2|Two ASCOM Focuser objects|
|Filter1 , Filter2|Two ASCOM Filter wheel objects|
|Rotator1 , Rotator2|Two ASCOM Rotator objects|
|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^
|Telescope1 , Telescope2|Two ASCOM Telescope objects|
|Dome1 , Dome2|Two ASCOM Dome objects|
|Camera1 , Camera2|Two ASCOM Camera objects|
|Focuser1 , Focuser2|Two ASCOM Focuser objects|
|Filter1 , Filter2|Two ASCOM Filter wheel objects|
|Rotator1 , Rotator2|Two ASCOM Rotator objects|
|Variant1 .. Variant10|Ten global variable for your use|

===== Chart and Celestial objects =====

^function  Cmd(cname:string; arg:Tstringlist):string;^
|Execute one of the [[server_commands|Skychart server]] command. Add the command name first to the string list, then each parameter. |

^procedure SendInfo(origin,str:string);^
|Send a message to the clients connected to the [[server_commands|Skychart server]].|

^function GetObservatoryList(list:TstringList):boolean;^
|Return the list of the Observatory favorite|

^function GetScopeRates(list:TstringList):boolean;^
|Return a list of speed rate supported by the telescope|

^function GetCometList(const filter: string; maxnum:integer; list:TstringList):boolean;^
|Return a list of comet according to the filter|

^function GetAsteroidList(const filter: string; maxnum:integer; list:TstringList):boolean;^
|Return a list of asteroid according to the filter|

^function CometMark(list:TstringList):boolean;^
|Mark the listed comet to the chart|

^function AsteroidMark(list:TstringList):boolean;^
|Mark the listed asteroid to the chart|


===== 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, all angle in radian|

^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, all angle in radian|

^Procedure Eq2Gal(var ra,de : double ; var l,b : double);^
|Convert Equatorial ra,de to Galactic l,b , all angle in radian|

^Procedure Gal2Eq(var l,b : double; var ra,de : double);^
|Convert Galactic l,b to equatorial ra,de , all angle in radian|

^Procedure Eq2Ecl(var ra,de : double ; var l,b : double);^
|Convert Equatorial ra,de to Ecliptic l,b with obliquity for the date of the current chart, all angle in radian |

^Procedure Ecl2Eq(var l,b : double; var ra,de : double);^
|Convert Ecliptic l,b to Equatorial ra,de with obliquity for the date of the current chart, all angle in radian|



===== 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 [[http://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/rtl/sysutils/formatfloat.html|Format]] specification|

^Function Format(Const Fmt : String; const Args : Array of const) : String;^
|The [[http://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/rtl/sysutils/format.html|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|

^procedure JsonToStringlist(jsontxt:string; var SK,SV: TStringList);^
|Parse a JSON formated string and return two stringlist. SK contain the names and SV the corresponding values|



===== Dialog =====

^function OpenDialog(var fn: string): boolean;^
|The standard Open File dialog. Return True if the OK button is pressed after the file selection.|

^function SaveDialog(var fn: string): boolean;^
|The standard Save File dialog. Return True if the OK button is pressed after the file selection.|

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

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

^function CalendarDialog(var dt: double): boolean;^
|The Skychart Calendar dialog. Return dt julian date|

===== Run external program =====

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

^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|

Also see the [[script_example|example]] about how to call a function in an external library.

===== TCP/IP client socket =====

For all this functions **socknum** identify the socket to use. This is a number between 1 and 10, thus allowing 10 simultaneous connection to different server.

^function TcpConnect(socknum:integer; ipaddr,port,timeout:string):boolean;^
|Connect to the server at ipaddr:port and set the **timeout** for the subsequent operations|

^function TcpDisconnect(socknum:integer):boolean;^
|Disconnect from the server|

^Function TcpConnected(socknum:integer) : boolean;^
|Return **True** if the socket is connected|

^Function TcpRead(socknum:integer; var buf : string; termchar:string) : boolean;^
|Read data from the socket until the character **termchar** is encountered, typically termchar is CRLF|

^Function TcpReadCount(socknum:integer; var buf : string; var count : integer) : boolean;^
|Read data from the socket until **count** character are read or **timeout** is reached|

^Function TcpWrite(socknum:integer; var buf : string; var count : integer) : boolean;^
|Write data to the socket from **buf** for a length of **count**|

^Procedure TcpPurgeBuffer(socknum:integer);^
|Purge all the received data currently queued in the receive buffer|