Frequently Asked Questions
If you don't find your answer here, try the user group, or e-mail the developer.
Topics
1. Getting Started
2. General Operation
3. Telescope Control
4. Catalogues
5. Other Applications
6. Performance
7. Troubleshooting
8. Platform Specific
9. Licencing
10. Upgrading
1. Getting Started
1.1
1.1.1 How do I move my installation to another computer?
1.2 Installing and First Time Use
1.2.1 Installing AstroPlanner V1.x in Windows Vista
1.2.2 The application is intimidating and I don't know where to start. What can I do?
1.3 Preferences
1.3.1 How do I reset my preferences back to the "factory" settings?
1.3.2 Where are the application preferences stored?
1.4 Registration
1.4.1 I have a desktop and a laptop computer. Do I have to buy two licences?
1.4.2 I just upgraded my computer from Windows/Mac to a Mac/Windows computer. Do I have to reregister? Are my plan documents and catalogues going to work?
1.4.3 I ordered the CD-ROM. How long will I wait before I can get going?
1.4.4 I registered and paid my fee. What happens now?
1.4.5 I thought I registered long ago. Why can't I download the version without nags and all the catalogues?
1.4.6 I'm uncomfortable using PayPal to pay. What's this Kagi service?
1.5 Uninstalling
1.5.1 How do I uninstall AstroPlanner?
1.5.2 I tried the beta version. How to I revert back to the previous release version?
2. General Operation
2.1 Observing/Planning
2.1.1 What is the Best Pair feature, and how can it help me?
2.1.2 Why can't I select more than one object in the Observing/Planning lists?
3. Telescope Control
3.1 Alignment
3.1.1 Can I set up and align my telescope from AstroPlanner?
3.2 ASCOM
3.2.1 Does AstroPlanner use ASCOM for controlling telescopes?
3.3 Requirements
3.3.1 Do I have to connect my computer to my telescope to use AstroPlanner?
3.3.2 How do I connect a telescope to AstroPlanner?
3.4 Telescope Support
3.4.1 Does AstroPlanner support the Bisque Paramount?
3.4.2 Does AstroPlanner support the Celestron NexRemote application (on Windows)?
3.4.3 Does AstroPlanner support the Takahashi Temma mount?
3.4.4 Exactly what telescope mount controllers does AstroPlanner support?
3.5 Troubleshooting
3.5.1 I have connected up my telescope, but AstroPlanner doesn't communicate with it. What do I do?
4. Catalogues
4.1 Creating catalogues
4.1.1 Can I create my own catalogues?
4.2 Selecting
4.2.1 What catalogues should I download/install and use?
5. Other Applications
5.1 Planetarium Applications
5.1.1 Can I connect AstroPlanner to other star charting software to show where my objects are on a sky map?
5.1.2 What versions of EquinoX work with AstroPlanner?
6. Performance
6.1 Mac OS X
6.1.1 AstroPlanner seems quite sluggish on Mac OS X. What gives?
7. Troubleshooting
7.1 Bugs
7.1.1 AstroPlanner just announced that it was going to crash and then did so. What must I do?
7.1.2 How do I find out if a bug has already been noted and/or fixed?
7.1.3 AstroPlanner crashes on startup
7.1.4 Why does my computer hang up for 5 minutes on startup?
7.2 Non-English Systems
7.2.1 I'm on a non-English system (e.g. French, German, Spanish, etc.). Are there problems?
7.3 Telescope
7.3.1 I have connected up my telescope, but AstroPlanner doesn't communicate with it. What do I do?
7.4 Virus
7.4.1 My Windows virus checker reports a virus in AstroPlanner. What should I do?
8. Platform Specific
8.1 Linux
8.1.1 Is there or will there be a Linux version?
8.2 Mac OS X
8.2.1 Will there be a Cocoa version of AstroPlanner ?
8.2.2 Will there be a Universal Binary version of AstroPlanner that will run natively on the new Intel-based Macs?
8.3 Windows
8.3.1 AstroPlanner doesn't work very well on Windows 98, and keeps freezing. What gives?
8.3.2 How can I get V3 of Cartes du Ciel to work with AstroPlanner?
8.3.3 I can't get Cartes du Ciel communication to work on Vista. What gives?
8.3.4 Installing AstroPlanner V1 on Windows Vista
8.3.5 The Night Vision mode doesn't work very well under Windows XP. Why not?
9. Licencing
9.1 Version 1.x
9.1.1 I registered and paid for V1.x.x of AstroPlanner. What are the licence terms?
9.1.2 Will I have to pay for an upgrade to V2 when it is released?
10. Upgrading
10.1 General
10.1.1 I upgraded to the latest version, but now the application says I'm "unregistered". What gives?
10.2 Windows
10.2.1 Upgrading to Vista or Windows 7