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brownrb
2020-06-27
2024-09-19

  • brownrb

    brownrb - 2020-06-27

    June 2020
    Updated ASCOM Driver, Firmware, Windows App etc

     

  • brownrb

    brownrb - 2021-08-24

    24 August 2021
    I have uploaded a revised PDF document. This also has details on the new Linux application

    Linux Application
    Uploaded today is the new Linux Application release 001. Most things work. The application is written in Free Pascal using the Lazarus IDE.

    Full source is included so that users can recompile the source code to match their system. There are some notes included as to how to do that,

    Cheers
    Robert

     

  • brownrb

    brownrb - 2023-04-14

    Hi everyone

    A number of issues have arisen with the current firmware, mainly that it is seriously broken.
    Apologies for that

    I hope to be able to upload the new updates in the coming week, firmware, windows app, ascom driver, PDF and Linux application.

    Regards
    Robert

     

  • brownrb

    brownrb - 2023-06-29

    30-Jun-2023
    Announcement
    Firmware 125-1, Windows App 2_0_0_1 and PDF 125_02 are slotted for release soon.
    This will address a number of issues (list below)

    Regards
    Robert

    125_1 24-06-2023
    Fix for ULN2003 driver

    125 23-06-2023
    Add Backlash Support
    Add debounce for Home sensor
    Add Read_Homesensor() to driver_board.cpp
    Add Save Settings to EEPROM in myrotator_comms.cpp
    Add positional counter for sub-degree accuracy (requires large Maxsteps value)
    Add additional test programs (located in the Tests folder)
    Add STEPSPERMOTORSHAFT360 and STEPSPERROTATOR360 to rotator config
    Move driver board code into new class driver_board()
    Move Serial code into new class myrotator_comms()
    Fix missing initialisation of values in constructor: driver_board.cpp
    Fix missing initialisation of values in constructor: myrotator_comms.cpp
    Fix redundant assignments, shadowvars in myrotator_comms class

     

  • brownrb

    brownrb - 2023-10-25

    25-Oct-2023
    Advice Notice: ASCOM Driver issues

    I am working through a number of issues which are caused by both the firmware and ascom driver.

    At times, during initial operations, incorrect settings (angle) may occur, however this seems to settle down after a few moves. I believe this issue dates back to firmware v125-00

    I do not have a time frame on when this will be fixed.

    Regards
    Robert

     

  • brownrb

    brownrb - 2023-12-24

    Just to let interested parties know,
    I am still working on the firmware, as stated a lot of changes were done across the spectrum but am closer fo the finish line. To be honest, I have been extremely busy with myFP2ESP32, which needed some fixes etc: as I use the focuser all the time I switch over to fixing the issues with myfp2esp32 before coming back to the rotator. As the update of myFP2ESP32 has been released to test group, I am back now on the rotator.

    Regards
    Robert

     

  • brownrb

    brownrb - 2024-02-13

    Hi

    I have uploaded the new Firmware for myRotator. I stress this is a significant firmware update. Some features/additions have been held back in this release because the testing of those features has not been completed yet. But this release is good to go.

    The firmware version is now 2024-06

    BEFORE programming your controller with 204-06, you MUST program the controller with the Clear EEPROM program found in the tests folder when the firmware is unzipped.

    The list of changes are at the end of this message.

    I would point out that the firmware change file has a significant number of bug-fixes, corrections and new code. The majority of the motor code has changed and is now controlled by a timer, similar to the myFP2 projects.

    Moving the motor is under the control of an interrupt timer. The library that does this is called TimerOne. Other versions of TimerOne have issues where the motor will not move. This is a library issue. If you use a different version then you could have this problem. the version of TimerOne that works is 1.1.1

    Install the TimerOne libray found in the Required_Libraries folder first, after clearing the EEPROM and BEFORE programming the Controller with the new firmware 2024-06 .

    I have used Arduino IDE version 2.3.0 to program the controller. Please pay extra attention to the following sentence.

    The Arduino IDE has an update feature for libraries, and displays a message box saying it has found an updated library, SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that if a message occurs about a library update you should ensure that the TimerOne library is NOT updated by the Arduino IDE

    So the procedure to use this firmware is
    1. Program the controller using the Clear EEPROM program (found in the tests folder)

    1. Run the Arduino IDE and install (using the Library Manager) these libraries found in the Required-Libraries folder
      myEEPROM
      myQueue
      TimerOne
      Bounce2

    2. In the Arduino IDE, click on the tab for the file myrotatorconfig.h and configure the Controller by enabling the options that reflect your controller. The value for MOTORSTEPSPERROTATOR360_DEFAULT can be left as is, because the value you can find out after the controller is running, as part of a post-config using the Windows Application to finish the final parts of getting your controller up and running. The same applies for stepmode, motor-power, reverse, backlash, motor speed delay,

    3. Do NOT enable debugging because debug info is written to the serial port, and the ASCOM driver and Windows application do not know how to deal with debug messages, so these apps will probably crash if debugging is enabled. If you do encounter an issue please send me an email at gmail or post a message here.

    Finally the firmware link for 2024-06 is
    https://sourceforge.net/projects/arduino-myrotator/files/Firmware/myRotator-Firmware-2024-06.zip/download

    Regards
    Robert

    24-06 08-Feb-2024
    Move setuprotator into State Engine, add STATE_SETUPROTATOR and STATE_HANDLE_SETUPROTATOR
    Rewrite Move Motor Timer and replace loop code in STATE_MOVING
    Rewrite STATE_MOVING to handle Halt_alert
    Rewrite STATE_HANDLEBACKLASH to use a simple loop count (disable backlash timer)
    Simplify STATE_MOVECOMPLETED

    24-04 07-Feb-2024
    myrotator_comms.cpp
    Add ismoving check to Set Default Settings :30#
    Add range checking to Set Motor speed delay :19#
    Add range checking to Set Stepmode :42#
    Add range checking to Set Backlash Steps CW and CC# :38 and :40
    Add range checking to Set Motor Speed :17#
    Add range checking to Get Driver Board Type :44#
    Add range checking to Set Backlash Steps ::40#,
    Add range checking to Set STEPSPERROTATOR360 :21#
    Add range checking to Set STEPSPERMOTORSHAFT360 :23#
    Fix move error when Set Default changes rotator settings :30#
    Change Case :02 and :03 to if..elseif.. (myrotator_comms.cpp)
    driver_board.cpp
    Rewrite logic tests for Moving Motor
    Rewrite Backlash code, Backlash Timer not used
    Fix error in checking step_count in timer_homesteps (driver_board.cpp)
    Fix error in Home Position Sensor debounce not working (driver_board.cpp)
    Fix Read Home Sensor, returning wrong state
    Move all debug text statements into PROGMEM
    Fix error in saving settings to EEPROM
    Fix for PrintSummary not printing Direction of move
    Fix Setup rotator not rotating correct steps (myRotator_2024_04.ino, myrotator_comms.cpp)

    24-02 29-Jan-2024
    Add Get Home Sensor State

    24-01 28-Jan-2024
    Add dedicated timer for moving home by steps
    Delete multiple initialisation of some Rotator settings
    Fix for HomeSensor timer code
    Rewrite timers and handler code to be uniform across all timers

    24-00 17-Jan-2024
    Add new Machine state STATE_HOMEBACKLASH
    Add Backlash code when Move Home (using sensor or steps)
    Add Backlash Timer to handle Backlash when moving to new Angle, and when moving Home
    Add Check to findhome if findhome is already true
    Add Configure Stepmode from STEPSPERMOTORSHAFT360 at compile time
    Add Debug code
    Add Delay 1ms when Enabling DRV8825 driver board
    Add faq.h and maths.h files
    Add Handle_Backlash() to .ino for move rotator and move Home
    Add Home Sensor Enabled State (case 42 and case 43)
    Add L298N driver board
    Add Major and Minor version numbers
    Add Move Timer to control movement of motor using Semaphore (from myesp8266 )
    Add StepSize (case 44 and case 45)
    Add improved Serial handling using a Queue in myrotator_comms.cpp
    Delete Serial handling in myrotator_comms.cpp
    Delete #include "WString.h", #include "Print.h" from myRotator_comms.h
    Move backlash code into Handle_Backlash()
    Remove HardwareSerial library (myrotator_comms.cpp) - no longer required
    Replace debug Text with debug Codes to reduce memory footprint
    Rewrite CHECKBACKLASH and APPLYBACKLASH
    Update to Protocol v24-00
    Use PROGMEM around debug codes in myrotator_comms.cpp and driver_board.cpp and.ino
    Fix Case 28: myrotator_comms.cpp not setting position correctly
    Fix Error move 10 to 0, angle not updated, direction wrong, case 14
    Fix Error move to 0 from 10, not moving, case 14
    Fix Error set rotator angle not setting angle correctly (case 12)
    Fix Find Home Using Steps(case 16)
    Fix Halt_alert not working (case 9)
    Fix Incorrect values for PG19 NEMA motors
    Fix Move to degree sometimes stopping short of destination angle
    Fix MotorPower reverting to false after a move
    Fix Rotator settings, when changed, are not saved in EEPROM
    Fix Stepsize (must be set to Minimum movement in degrees)

     

    Last edit: brownrb 2024-02-14

  • Juan Gonzalez

    Juan Gonzalez - 2024-03-10

    Hi Robert.
    You did a fantastic job! My rotator is back in place after a few months in the box because of problems that started when I moved to win11. Thanks for all your interest trying to fix it. Windows app already worked but ascom was still lacking.
    Now works fine!
    Best whishes

     

  • brownrb

    brownrb - 2024-05-17

    18-May-2024

    ERROR
    Reported for myROTATOR DRV8825 PCB
    Connector J12 has the + denoted on the wrong pin. The + is actually on the other pin.

    I have corrected this and produced a v103 PCB. Reported by Jaroslaw Ryks,

    Regards
    Robert

     
    Thumbnail
    PCB v102-Error.png

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