LUNATICOASTRO.COM

Operating several Dragonflies

Having any number of Dragonflies in the same network is no problem as long as each one has its own network name – something you can set from the “Dragonfly configurator”, general configuration:

Dragonfly v.2.0 configuration screen

If you want to command more than one from the same PC, just using the control panel window, it is fine; you can change the “Connect with controller name” back an forth and access any number of them.

But, if you use automation, ASCOM and / or scripting, then you need a special version of the software (so the windows automation objects have a different name).

For a second dragonfly (I don’t expect anyone needing three!), please install this version:

/dragonfly/current/Dragonfly2nd-Install.exe

It will install in a different folder, “connect to” will default to “dragonfly2” and internal port 10001.

Regarding scripts, there are some examples, it is the same but the object is “Dragonfly2nd”, so: set dfly = CreateObject(“Dragonfly2nd.Help”)       … and so on. 

ASCOM dome is not supported in this “2nd” version, so please use your first or main Dragonfly for ASCOM automation.

Alternatively, we’re developing a Multiple dragonfly application; it is not yet fully finished, but it controls any number of dragonflies in a convenient way. We welcome trying it out and contributing with ideas and suggestions. It is available from here.

Multi Dragonfly
Features not yet supported:
– support for scripts
– nothing ASCOM (it is just the control panel, the driver will go in a different software)
– no logs
– no checks (you can wreck it typing invalid data)
– no zeroconfÂ