Guiding and adapter/rotator control software approach: The VST case

The adapter of the VST telescope hosts many devices handled by the overall telescope control software: a probe system to select the guide star realized with motions in polar coordinates, a pickup mirror to fold the light to the image analysis and guiding cameras, a selectable reference light system and a focusing device. The algorithm to select the guide star depends on the specific geometry of the system. All these devices deeply interface with autoguiding, active optics and field rotation compensation systems. A reverse engineering approach mixed to the integration of new specific solutions has been fundamental to match the ESO commitments in terms of software re-use, in order to smoothen the integration of a new telescope designed and built by an external institute in the ESO environment. The control software architecture is here described, as well as the status of work.