Starting and Exiting Astro Scheduler Engine

Starting Astro Scheduler Engine (GUI Entry Point)

To start Astro Scheduler Engine, double-click on the Astro Scheduler Engine icon on the desktop. Astro Scheduler Engine will start with a blank schedule. No STK scenario will be loaded. Astro Scheduler Engine may be run completely independently of STK. However, if STK is to be used, use the controls found on the STK Properties Tab of the Schedule Properties Form to browse for and select the desired STK scenario file. If STK is not already running with the selected STK scenario open, the application will then start and/or the selected scenario file will be opened, as necessary.

Alternatively, you may double-click on a previously saved Astro Scheduler Engine schedule file to simultaneously open Astro Scheduler Engine and load the schedule file. If the schedule file has an associated STK Scenario, the software will check to see if STK is already up and running with the correct scenario open. If not, STK will be started and/or the appropriate scenario opened, as necessary.

Multiple instances of Astro Scheduler Engine can be opened and configured through the command line.

The GUI entry point should be used if a windows service is not needed.

Starting Astro Scheduler Engine Windows Service (Windows Service Entry Point)

By default Astro Scheduler Engine Windows Service is installed as a Manual Start service. If it is desired to have Astro Scheduler Engine Windows Service start automatically this setting can be changed in the Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services application. Astro Scheduler Engine Windows Service can be controlled through a Socket Interface. Some other notes on the Astro Scheduler Engine Windows Service:

• The bin directory files AstroSchedulerWinServiceReg.bat and AstroSchedulerWinServiceUnReg.bat contain the windows commands to register and unregister the AstroSchedulerWinService.exe file.
• Upon first run as a windows service, default configuration files will be written to C:\ProgramData\AstroScheduler\configuration. It includes AstroScheduler11.Config, AstroSchedulerEventLog.Config. These files will need to be manually modified when the service is not running if any values need to be changed.
• Default location for the event log file is C:\ProgramData\AstroScheduler\events and default location for the user directory is C:\ProgramData\AstroScheduler.
• The windows service runs as GUI-less only and cannot show the GUI.
• The windows service runs as a system level service so it will remain running even if you log out.
• The windows service cannot accept a COM connection. Therefore communication should be through the TCP/IP connection.
• The windows service does not initially have a schedule file loaded, so the first command sent should be the NewSchedule or OpenSchedule command.

Exiting Astro Scheduler Engine

To exit Astro Scheduler Engine select File -> Exit from the Astro Scheduler Engine Menu Bar. If the schedule file has been changed since the last time it was saved a message box will appear asking if you want to save the current schedule file. Answering No to this question will exit Astro Scheduler Engine without saving the schedule. Answering Yes will either save the schedule, if it has a defined name and location, or it will open a form that will allow you to define the name and the save location (See Saving a Schedule File for more details on saving).