After implementing the automatic meridian flip, I have the simple Ekos schedular on my TODO list. Like the meridian flip (which I had to do manually a few days ago), I need a simple schedular with very simple contraints to make my life easier. I know there are many advanced heriustic schedulars out there and I am not trying to make something fancy, just the minimum required to achive a single unit of observation. So I'll share my thoughts here and any comments/ideas are welcome.

1. Object selection
User can select object from a list (from objects in the observation list) or enter a custom RA/DEC. The custom RA/DEC can be needed if I had a specific frame I want to observe. So I would plate-solve that particular frame and put the reported solution RA/DEC here.

2. Sequence Queue
Specify Ekos Sequence File (.seq) to be used during the capture session

3. Observation Start
A. Specific time. OR
B. Specific altitude: X < Alt < Y

4. Observation End
A. Specific altitude. Alt < X or Alt > Y
B. Specific time.
If (A) or (B) is true, capture is aborted. Otherwise, it will carry out until all jobs in the sequence queue are complete.

5. Options
EDIT: A & B are in Ekos Sequence File already.
A. Name: Prefix
B. CCD Temperature (if supported): XX
C. Auto dither: XX
D. Auto In Sequence HFR (Value of HFR value will be 5% to 10% higher than HFR reached in the auto focus step?)
E. Maximum Guide Deviation: XX
F. Auto Meridian Flip
G. Park when complete/aborted.

The primary place where I expect to be issue is the calibation & guide process; i.e. I have to figure out a smart algorithim that can iterateively select the best "real" star from all the noise and reasonable away from the edge and not within the vicinity of any close by stars. All this I do manually now, but it has to be automated for this to work. If anyone is interested in working on the development of Ekos schedular, please stop a note.

Hopefully, a contribution to your thoughts by two additional option. Of course, it the scheduler has to be "simple" these suggestions may add some complexity - but very useful ones in my opinion:

- solve the astrometry (each xxx images) and test that the coordinates of the field are within a certain distance from the nominal ones. If the solver fails: option to continue anyway, or to abort the session, or to proceed to the following target. If the solver is ok but a correction is needed, sync to the solved center and slew to the requested coordinates...

- before each exposure, test the status of meteo station; this can be as easy as reading a GO/NO-GO status from a file; optionally, in case of NO-GO the user can decide either to end the whole session, or to park (close the dome?) and wait for a status change

Hi, I am Janaka.
I study as a Computer Science & Engineering student at University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. So I have good background in C++ and Qt.

I found "Project: Ekos Scheduler" at ideas page of KDE for GSoC 2015.
Further I have good background in Astronomy and using telescopes. Actually I'm not familiar with Ekos but I have used Stellarium for many purposes. I would like to join the project. I have many questions.
So I want to know how to contact you?

Thank you.

Please send me an email (Jasem Mutlaq) look it up.

What's the status of the schedular please? it sounds very interesting.
Is it going to be scripted? as in, run a bash script and off it goes.....
No need to monitor anything. "wake up telescope, take pictures, shutdown telescope"

No it's not quite there yet, you will select targets and it will image them according to the conditions. The telescope and complete system are assumed to be running. Once GSoC is over, I will include additional steps to power equipment, check weather...etc.