Live stack new exposure time issue

[Oberon510]

As requested and FWIIW here is the run tonight with an ASI2600M and RGB (30s exposures) ,Ha,OIII filters (240s exposures).

Load Profile for 30s
ran Live Stack, Clear/Live Stack - exposure cancelled OK
selected new filter, Live Stack, clear/Live Stack - Single frame capture failed error and Frame keeps going with Live Stack inactive along with Stop Capture button.
selected new filter, Live Stack, clear/Live Stack - exposure cancelled OK
selected new filter, Live Stack, clear/Live Stack - exposure cancelled OK
selected new profile for NB filters (240s)
selected new filter, Live Stack, clear/Live Stack - exposure cancelled OK
selected new filter, Live Stack, clear/Live Stack - exposure cancelled OK but Frame progress still going.

As you can see it is not definitive what causes this. I hope this helps.

Ken

[admin]

Hi Ken,

I really need the SharpCap log from that session to go along with the detailed instructions - I should then be able to see why you get the single frame capture failed error and track things through the process. SharpCap saves previous log files for about 30 days, so you should be able to locate the log from that session. You can find the folder with the log files in by running SharpCap, choosing 'Help'->'Show Log' then pressing the 'Locate on Disk' button - that will open the folder in Windows explorer highlighting the current log file, but previous ones will be there too. The name of the file indicates when SharpCap was started (date and time), so you should be able to locate the log of interest that way. More details here : https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/4.1/#The%20SharpCap%20Log

cheers,

Robin

[Oberon510]

Forgot to add it - here it is.

Thanks,
Ken

[admin]

Hi Ken,

thanks for the log - I have worked though it to try to diagnose what is happening and can see two issues

1) Sometimes the cancellation of a frame is reported as a failure - I don't think this is actually causing a problem, but annoyingly I can't quite see how it can happen.

2) Sometimes when you close live stacking it cancels the current frame (as it is supposed to) and then immediately starts another (not supposed to). I have found and resolved one potential way this could happen (but unlikely in your setup I think) and added more logging to some other code that might reveal just why this is happening.

Please update to next week's new version when it is available on Monday and we will see if the problem still exists and if it does if we learn anything new from the new logging.

thanks,

Robin

[Oberon510]

Thanks Robin - will test next week's version and get back to you with the results.

Ken

[Oberon510]

Here you go Robin - thanks, Ken

Loaded new version of SC today and ran the following with attachments

Loaded 240s,0G,25B Profile
Loaded Lum filter
Ran Live Stack
Ended stack with Clear/Live Stack - new frame started in bottom right. Waited for frame to complete
Loaded Red filter
Ran Live Stack
Ended stack with Clear/Live Stack - new frame started in bottom right. Waited for frame to complete (see image attached)
Loaded Green filter
Ran Live Stack
Ended stack with Clear/Live Stack - Error shows Single Frame capture failed and Frame still running at bottom of screen. (See image attached)
Loaded Blue filter
Ran Live Stack
Ended stack with Clear/Live Stack - new frame started in bottom right. Waited for frame to complete
Changed Camera Profile for 300s,100G,25B while frame was still running (bottom R)
Loaded Ha filter
Ran Live Stack
Ended stack with Clear/Live Stack - new frame started in bottom right. Waited for frame to complete

It looks like the new frame is not cancelled after the Clear/Live Stack is pressed. Note when I press Clear/Live stack I can change the filter and Camera profile while the frame is running.

[admin]

Hi,

thanks for testing and posting - I have downloaded the log and will do some analysis and see what I can work out.

cheers,

Robin

[admin]

Hi,

having looked into this, I think the most likely cause is that there is a duplicated request for a still frame to be captured at some point - when such a request arrives with a frame already in progress, it means that a new still frame will automatically start after the current one finishes.

I did add some extra logging to try to track down this problem in the current version, but it is not enabled by default. It can be turned on by going to the settings and enabling extra logging of 'Camera Hardware Communication' in the logging settings before opening the camera. Unfortunately this will also enable a lot of other additional logging and make the logs much longer and more confusing, but it should trigger some lines with the text

Code: Select all

Still frame request received

in them. With a log with that setting enabled I would likely be able to check those requests and see if there are duplicates.

However, on the assumption that this problem is the most likely cause, I have changed the code already so that in the next version the duplicated request will be ignored if it arrives before the current frame is finished. It's possible that this will cure the problem - we will see in next week's update... If it still happens then at least we have eliminated that particular problem, which narrows down the remaining places to look somewhat.

cheers,

Robin

[Oberon510]

Thanks Robin - to add to my steps and as an FYI I usually wait until the frame is finished and the live stack frame count increments before cancelling the live stack.

I will test your next release when the weather clears in a couple of weeks (result of buying a new telescope).

Many thanks again,
Ken