checked scripting shortcuts

A participant asked about scripts at the end of the Stellarium webinar. What they are, if I had used them, and how to stop them.

I explained they are sequences. We can make Stellarium do a series of actions automatically and I had used them in the past during astronomy presentations to automate activity in the application while I spoke over the steps. It's been a while but it was very much like programming. (I didn't say it at the time but they are like macros in spreadsheets. The Stellarium script language reminds me a bit of JavaScript.)

He correctly noted there are built in scripts, ready to go. See the Configuration menu (F2) and the Scripts tab. Quite a few actually, such as the analemma. Or triple shadow instances on Jupiter past and future (Ctrl d, then m, then 1).

I started to show my keyboard shortcut list but remembered that I had specifically not included the scripting ones.

Here they are:

• run or start a script: Ctrl d then the assigned letter code(s)
• pause a running script: Ctrl d then p
• resume script execution: Ctrl d, r
• stop a script: Ctrl d, s
• show the script console window: F12

Note 1: For the Ctrl d keypress, do the usual process, i.e. hold Ctrl and tap d. Then, for the subsequent steps, let go of the Ctrl and tap the letters or numbers required.

Note 2: Keyboard shortcuts for starting a macro are defined by the script developer. Not all scripts have shortcuts assigned.

Maybe I should include these in my next shortcut update...

During the webinar Q&A, I also showed the built-in shortcut list in the tool, emphasising F1, the only key you need to memorise.

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Scripts files or SSC files (on Windows) are in the Program Files folder, the Stellarium app folder, and the Scripts subfolder.