Hi Chris
Yes, I sorta forgot about the EQMOD Yahoo group, I was a member till a year or 2 back and sorta left that group and stopped particpating in the ASCOM groups around the same time. I think for the ascom group that was over the change in protocol re temperature compensation - not going to rehash that here.
But thats good information and I never thought to look back there so for those using EQMOD who don't know about that group it really is worth a check out and you will find Chris very helpful.
I am not aware that any of the drivers or software here for this project would require admin rights, I certainly do not run them as admin or code them requiring such a privledge, the only exception would be the Linux program that runs on linux but then that interfaces direct to the serial port on linux systems.
The log that was emailled earlier seems to indicate that it was not running in admin and thus denied access to the comport (something abour requiring admin rights to access the serial port on that system) - I can't understand why that would be as there is nothing in the code that requires it to run as admin - and I never thought to question why that was, it certainly was something that I shouldve pcked up on more and I appreciate your thoughts on that. Hopefully we can get a logfile using the new release and shed some more light on it.
Once again, thanks Chris,
Regards
Robert
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Hi Robert/ Chris
attached is the debug.txt file you requested, there appear to be 2 errors although the focuser one is the one that prevents connection. The message about the temperature probe is not currently attached to the controller, but it is my understanding that whilst not attached but enabled it will return a value of zero compensation. If that is going to be a future problem I can either try with a probe connected or disable it in the controller.
As I have previously said connecting initially or setting up as a relative focuser it connects okay.
I have briefly noticed that with a contiouous move of 500 on version 1.2 I had to hold the button down and then it would stop on reaching a move of 500.
On version 2.09 which the debug.txt is from moving 500 holding the button it does not stop when reaching 500 but starts another 500 sequence move etc. etc.
I need to try this in greater detail but its late and my brain is fried. I will try version 2.12 and keep you updated
Regards
CharlesClark
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Hi Chris/Robert
I briefly tried out v2.12 of Ascompad and while I could initially connect up with the focuser, when I tried to connect a second time I got the Incompatible focuser message that it was requiring an absolute read.
The attached log file does not show any error mesages it just seems to report back what it has found.
I can also confirm that when it did initially connect up with v2.12. the 500 move did not halt on reaching 500, there was a very brief stop and it started on another move of 500 etc. etc.
Trying to remove the focusersetup and reconnecting after initiating setup in relative mode failed to connect with the Absolute error
Its 1am so I am packing in
Regards
Charles Clark
With regard to the movement stategy, tha tis what I would expect. A continuous move implemented as sequential 500 step moves. If you just want a single 500 step move then you would set the preset to "1-Shot" and then holding the button down wil move 500 steps and halt - only if th ebutton is released and pressed again would another move be triggered. If the focuser driver supports the ASCOM Halt method then both 1-shot and Continuous movements can be halted at any postion by releaseing the button - if the Halt method isn't supported then the current 500 step move would complete.
Thankyou for your paitence with this.
Chris.
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Hi Chris, thanks for the heads up. I had just finished my testing of v2.12 with the screenshots I promised. I guess there is no point posting my findings on this but I will keep them for now and start again with v2.13
You are right by the way I am a numpty setting 500 move as a one shot moves 500 then stops. I never should have set it as continouous.
I told you my brain is fried.
Any way I now have a orrk round to ensure v2.12 connects after the initial error.
In short in v2.12 when I start it it immediatley tries to connect without prompting and generates the error. I just disconnect, remove, run setup, then select and aslong as setup shows relative it connects then changes to absolute reporting the focus controllers current position
I will try v2.13 and get back to you.
Regards
Charles Clark
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Hi Chris, quick test of v2.13 yields the following.
Opening up Ascompad it tries to connect directly with the focuser andgenerates the error
(see screen shot 35)
Error is Opening debug.txt
See Opening error text after closing the error message (3times)
(see screen shot 36)
Select Devices Focuser Disconnect
(see screenshot 37)
Then Select Devices Focuser Setup making sure it says relative focuser
(see screen shot 38)
Then Select Properties and hitting OK it connects and works
See Screenshot 39)
When connected the text message is Conn after reset
Just a further observation I have noticed
In the Windows application that Robert Brown wrote forh is focuser you are able to check that stepsize is enabled and you can also qyery the contoller to see what the stepsize is in the contoller.
See screen shots(43) and (42)
But when Ascompad successfully connects whilst it reports the maximum stesize and max step correctly as 13700
But It reports that Can Report Step Size as NO when it is enabled in the controller,and
Step Size is 0 when it is set in controller as 5.4 micro metres
I don't know if this has any bearing when trying to reconnect the fosuer at a later date.
Regards
Charles Clark
It could be that whilst the widows app can read the step size it is not something that is explosed via the ASCOM interface. Perhaps Robert can confirm if it is.
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Hi Charles
I suspect that you have not enabled this feature for the ASCOM driver.
For the ASCOM driver - you need to open up the extra settings, enable Step Size checksize, enter stepsize value and check update on connect BEFORE clicking OK on the setup dialogbox for the ASCOM driver.
Thanks Robert, your right I hadn't
Thats sorted that out
I can say that v2.13 works as expected with your latest Ascom drivers v266
I have to own up that I have been trying to solve problems on two laptops at the same time and it was only when looking at the Ascom_Focuser_debug.txt that I noticed that one lap top had an older Ascom driver on which probably contributed to the Absolute error message. It now connects up error free. After updating to Ascompad to v2.13
I need to ensure that any updates need to be done on both laptops.
Thanks to Chris and yourself for the new v2.13 of Ascompad and pointing me in the right direction.
And thanks to you both for your patience
Regards
Charles Clark
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Hi Charles/Chris
It is I that have to thank each of you. It is a great thing that you both worked together to resolve this issue and I am really happy about that. It is for the benefit of all that we now have moved forward, and its a credit to you both for resolving this. That spirit of coperation you both have shown is really inspiring and heat-warming to see.
Congrats to you both.
regards
Robert
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Hi Chris
Yes, I sorta forgot about the EQMOD Yahoo group, I was a member till a year or 2 back and sorta left that group and stopped particpating in the ASCOM groups around the same time. I think for the ascom group that was over the change in protocol re temperature compensation - not going to rehash that here.
But thats good information and I never thought to look back there so for those using EQMOD who don't know about that group it really is worth a check out and you will find Chris very helpful.
I am not aware that any of the drivers or software here for this project would require admin rights, I certainly do not run them as admin or code them requiring such a privledge, the only exception would be the Linux program that runs on linux but then that interfaces direct to the serial port on linux systems.
The log that was emailled earlier seems to indicate that it was not running in admin and thus denied access to the comport (something abour requiring admin rights to access the serial port on that system) - I can't understand why that would be as there is nothing in the code that requires it to run as admin - and I never thought to question why that was, it certainly was something that I shouldve pcked up on more and I appreciate your thoughts on that. Hopefully we can get a logfile using the new release and shed some more light on it.
Once again, thanks Chris,
Regards
Robert
Hi Robert/ Chris
attached is the debug.txt file you requested, there appear to be 2 errors although the focuser one is the one that prevents connection. The message about the temperature probe is not currently attached to the controller, but it is my understanding that whilst not attached but enabled it will return a value of zero compensation. If that is going to be a future problem I can either try with a probe connected or disable it in the controller.
As I have previously said connecting initially or setting up as a relative focuser it connects okay.
I have briefly noticed that with a contiouous move of 500 on version 1.2 I had to hold the button down and then it would stop on reaching a move of 500.
On version 2.09 which the debug.txt is from moving 500 holding the button it does not stop when reaching 500 but starts another 500 sequence move etc. etc.
I need to try this in greater detail but its late and my brain is fried. I will try version 2.12 and keep you updated
Regards
CharlesClark
DEug.txt wouldnt load on previous message so here it is
Hi Chris/Robert
I briefly tried out v2.12 of Ascompad and while I could initially connect up with the focuser, when I tried to connect a second time I got the Incompatible focuser message that it was requiring an absolute read.
The attached log file does not show any error mesages it just seems to report back what it has found.
I can also confirm that when it did initially connect up with v2.12. the 500 move did not halt on reaching 500, there was a very brief stop and it started on another move of 500 etc. etc.
Trying to remove the focusersetup and reconnecting after initiating setup in relative mode failed to connect with the Absolute error
Its 1am so I am packing in
Regards
Charles Clark
Hi Charles,
OK I've released anoter verison for you to try when you get the chance.
This has some additional debug output - I've also tied up some areas of the code that I didn't like the look of.
http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/files/ASCOMPAD_V213_Setup.exe
With regard to the movement stategy, tha tis what I would expect. A continuous move implemented as sequential 500 step moves. If you just want a single 500 step move then you would set the preset to "1-Shot" and then holding the button down wil move 500 steps and halt - only if th ebutton is released and pressed again would another move be triggered. If the focuser driver supports the ASCOM Halt method then both 1-shot and Continuous movements can be halted at any postion by releaseing the button - if the Halt method isn't supported then the current 500 step move would complete.
Thankyou for your paitence with this.
Chris.
I can confirm the driver supports HALT
Hi Chris, thanks for the heads up. I had just finished my testing of v2.12 with the screenshots I promised. I guess there is no point posting my findings on this but I will keep them for now and start again with v2.13
You are right by the way I am a numpty setting 500 move as a one shot moves 500 then stops. I never should have set it as continouous.
I told you my brain is fried.
Any way I now have a orrk round to ensure v2.12 connects after the initial error.
In short in v2.12 when I start it it immediatley tries to connect without prompting and generates the error. I just disconnect, remove, run setup, then select and aslong as setup shows relative it connects then changes to absolute reporting the focus controllers current position
I will try v2.13 and get back to you.
Regards
Charles Clark
Hi Chris, quick test of v2.13 yields the following.
Opening up Ascompad it tries to connect directly with the focuser andgenerates the error
(see screen shot 35)
Error is Opening debug.txt
See Opening error text after closing the error message (3times)
(see screen shot 36)
Select Devices Focuser Disconnect
(see screenshot 37)
Then Select Devices Focuser Setup making sure it says relative focuser
(see screen shot 38)
Then Select Properties and hitting OK it connects and works
See Screenshot 39)
When connected the text message is Conn after reset
Just a further observation I have noticed
In the Windows application that Robert Brown wrote forh is focuser you are able to check that stepsize is enabled and you can also qyery the contoller to see what the stepsize is in the contoller.
See screen shots(43) and (42)
But when Ascompad successfully connects whilst it reports the maximum stesize and max step correctly as 13700
But It reports that Can Report Step Size as NO when it is enabled in the controller,and
Step Size is 0 when it is set in controller as 5.4 micro metres
I don't know if this has any bearing when trying to reconnect the fosuer at a later date.
Regards
Charles Clark
It could be that whilst the widows app can read the step size it is not something that is explosed via the ASCOM interface. Perhaps Robert can confirm if it is.
Hi Charles
I suspect that you have not enabled this feature for the ASCOM driver.
For the ASCOM driver - you need to open up the extra settings, enable Step Size checksize, enter stepsize value and check update on connect BEFORE clicking OK on the setup dialogbox for the ASCOM driver.
regards
Robert
Last edit: brownrb 2019-05-08
Thanks Robert, your right I hadn't
Thats sorted that out
I can say that v2.13 works as expected with your latest Ascom drivers v266
I have to own up that I have been trying to solve problems on two laptops at the same time and it was only when looking at the Ascom_Focuser_debug.txt that I noticed that one lap top had an older Ascom driver on which probably contributed to the Absolute error message. It now connects up error free. After updating to Ascompad to v2.13
I need to ensure that any updates need to be done on both laptops.
Thanks to Chris and yourself for the new v2.13 of Ascompad and pointing me in the right direction.
And thanks to you both for your patience
Regards
Charles Clark
Hi Charles/Chris
It is I that have to thank each of you. It is a great thing that you both worked together to resolve this issue and I am really happy about that. It is for the benefit of all that we now have moved forward, and its a credit to you both for resolving this. That spirit of coperation you both have shown is really inspiring and heat-warming to see.
Congrats to you both.
regards
Robert