The application is designed to make it easier to control and adjust already configured profiles - directly via a tablet or smartphone. This makes handling more mobile and convenient, especially when setting up the equipment and starting the recording.

• This WebApp requires a fully configured and running installation of NINA.

• The Advanced API plugin in the latest version is required.

  • The API port must be set to 1888.
  • In addition, “Use Access-Control-Allow-Origin Header” must be enabled.

• Version 2.2.2.0 or newer is required for Three Point Polar Alignment.

• The app is intended as a supplement to the desktop software and offers mobile access to essential functions.

• ⚠️ Important: When using this app, certain settings in NINA will be automatically adjusted to ensure full compatibility and functionality with TouchNStars:

  • Target coordinates selected in the app are transferred directly to the mount via NINA.
  • In the Framing module, the Offline Skymap will be automatically selected for better performance on mobile devices.
  • These adjustments are required for proper operation and are applied automatically during use.

• ✅ Recommendation: To avoid conflicts with other workflows or personal settings, it is highly recommended to create a separate NINA profile specifically for TouchNStars. This allows you to isolate the app's adjustments and easily switch between configurations without affecting your primary setup.

✅ Install Plugins:

1. Go to Plugins > Available Plugins in NINA.
2. Search for Advanced API.
3. Install the plugin.
4. Search for Touch'N'Stars.
5. Install it.
6. Restart NINA.

• Video First steps

Open the Advanced API Plugin settings in NINA and configure:

👉 Note: Port 1888 is needed for communication between Touch'N'Stars and NINA.

• After installation, you can freely choose the Touch'N'Stars port.
• The default is 5000, but you can change it if necessary.
• Example: Set the port to 5010 if port 5000 is already in use.

• Allow the configured Touch'N'Stars port (e.g., 5000 or 5010) through the Windows Firewall.
• Also allow port 1888 for the Advanced API Plugin.

Open a browser on your device and enter:

http://<your-NINA-PC-IP-address>:<port>

Examples:

• If your NINA PC IP is 192.168.1.23 and the port is 5000:
  👉 http://192.168.1.23:5000
• If you changed the port to 5010:
  👉 http://192.168.1.23:5010

• Video First Steps with app

1. Download the Touch'N'Stars APK from GitHub or from the Play Store.
2. Install it on your Android device (minimum Android 10).
3. At first launch, enter:
   • Instance Name: any name you like
   • IP Address: your NINA PC's IP address
   • Port: the port you configured (e.g., 5000 or 5010)

1. Download the Touch'N'Stars App from the App Store
2. Install it
3. At first launch, enter:
   • Instance Name: any name you like
   • IP Address: your NINA PC's IP address
   • Port: the port you configured (e.g., 5000 or 5010)

• The most important functions can be accessed via the navigation bar
• The icons in the navigation bar are displayed and shown depending on the status of the connected devices. Devices that cannot be operated during a running sequence are also hidden

• As long as no equipment is connected, a NINA profile can be selected. The settings for the camera are also adopted by NINA.
• The equipment can be connected or disconnected using the individual buttons.

• Green frame means is connected

• Orange frame means there is a restriction. This can be viewed using the info button

• Red frame means there is an error

This page is used to operate the camera and take a photo.

Depending on which functions the camera supports, the setting options are displayed. To do this, the “Info & settings” must be opened

• The exposure time can be set in seconds
• ISO or gain can be set
• you can set the binnig here
• you can set the readout mode here
• Cooling can be started with the target temperature (in °C) and the duration (in minutes) for cooling down. When stopped, the camera is warmed up for the set time.
• The dew heater can be switched on/off
• If a filter wheel is connected, the filter can be adjusted.
• If a rotator is connected, the angle can be set in degrees and the rotator can be moved
• You can set whether a platesolve should be performed after recording

• All relevant camera data is displayed here

• Click “Start recording” to create an image with the set values (gain / ISO and exposure time). The current status of the recording is displayed in the button.
• If “Continuous loop” is activated, an image is created until the check mark is removed.
• An ongoing exposure can be cancelled with “Cancel”.
• Once an image is finished, it is displayed.

• Press on the picture. A window opens in which you can zoom the image

• Platesolve must be activated for this function
• With DLSR, the camera settings must be set in NINA in the Framinig Assistant
• If the platesolve was successful, this icon is displayed at the top right of the screen.

• If you press it, a new window opens. Here you can move the small frame on the picture.
• the new destination can be approached using the slew / slwe and center buttons

• You can control the filter wheel on the camera page under Settings
• If you want to change the filters manually. Use the filter wheel of the API. This is compatible with Touch N Stars.

The focuser can be controlled, and the autofocus started on this page

• The focuser can be moved manually using “New position”.
• The available current information is displayed above.

• The autofocus can be started using “Start autofocus” and can also be cancelled again when it is running.
• When the autofocus is running. A live curve is displayed
• The last autofocus curve of the current session is displayed under the “Autofocus graphic”. This can also be collapsed.
• If an error occurs, this is displayed instead of the curve

• The mount is controlled here.
• It can be panned to a target and centered via Platesolve.
• If the plugin “Three Point Polar Alignment” is installed. The polar alignment can be carried out with its help
• The color of the icon changes depending on the operating status
  • Red = Parked
  • Yellow = No tracking active
  • Green = Tracking active

• The mount can be moved to “Parked”, “Unparked” and “Home position”.
• Tracking can be started and stopped
• They can also be controlled manually.

• An object can be searched for using the search function.
• There is a list of the brightest stars
• An image of the target object is displayed below it. You can select whether it should be loaded from the NINA cache or online.
• A sky chart with the current time is displayed
• The coordinates for RA and DEC or Alt / Az can also be entered or adjusted manually.
• The target is approached with “Slew”
• With “Slew and center” it is approached and centered using Platesolve.
• Rotate is used to rotate the camera, the settings for this come from the framing assistant

• It shows the course of the destination.
• The dark area indicates the astronomical twilight and night

• A destination must be selected for the Assistant to be available

• The frame can be moved in the target image
• With "field of view" you can adjust the field of view of the target
• "Camera rotation" can be used to rotate the image as it should be later
• You can also use Platesolve to determine the current rotation of the camera and set it up manually

• This button is used to replace the current destination of the sequence.
• If there are several destinations in a sequence, only the first one is replaced.

• TPPA can be started and stopped
• The current status is displayed.
• The alignment errors for altitude and azimuth are displayed and the correction direction is shown with arrows or text
• The total error is also displayed.

This symbol can be used to open a window that displays the error with an arrow diagram. The display adapts to the error and changes colour.

• Red = error greater than 2"
• Yellow = error greater than 1"
• Green = error less than 1"

This enlarges the view to make it easier to read from greater distances

• The current information is displayed.
• Depending on what the dome supports, it can be controlled

• The flatdevice can be controlled here
• The color of the icon changes depending on the operating status
  • Red = Closed
  • Yellow = Light on
  • Green = Open

• You can slew the mount to the zenith
• You can choose between three functions
  • Auto exposure
  • Auto brightness
  • Skyflat
• The functions are the same as in NINA

• With "Start" the guider can be started without recalibration
• Guiding is started with "Start with calibration". However, a calibration is carried out first.
• Stop, stopt the guiding
• The graph shows the same as in NINA. The settings are adopted from NINA.

• If a sequence is loaded (Attention: Only the Advanced Sequencer is supported), the current status is displayed here.
• The sequence can be started and stopped and, if necessary, the entire sequence can be reset.

• When a sequence is running, the last image and its data are displayed here.
  • If you click on the image, it will open larger.
• A graphic of “HFR” and “Number of stars” of the entire sequence is displayed below it
• The guide graph and the curve of the last autofocus can be displayed
• It is possible to set what is to be displayed

• When this is connected, a small sign is displayed at the bottom left. This is green if everything is OK and changes to red if something is unsafe

• The last log message from NINA is displayed at the bottom. Therefore it depends on the log setting of NINA. I recommend “Info” here

• If you click on “Current message”, the log with the last 100 entries is loaded.
• In both cases, errors are displayed in red, warnings in orange and everything else in green

• you can activate the debug option in the settings
• A new button appears with which the window can be opened.