SharpCap Forums

Posted: **Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:06 pm**

Hi Robin:

I will capture the log files after I hit the "plate-solve" button on the bolded "mount"

Dan Kahraman

Posted: **Sat Dec 26, 2020 8:37 pm**

Hello,

Does somebody try and use the ASCOM Sky-Simulator ?

I do today some installation of the plate-solve software on my laptop ... and after ~ 3 hours of different tests, it was not possible to have the different plate solve software installed (and working) on my laptop. Then I install the Sky-Simulator on my laptop. And it was not working.

So I try the Sky-Simulator from my desktop computer ... and it is not more working.

What was changed between my last use (in September) and today ?
ASCOM SP1 and new version of SharpCap ...
I deinstall the last version of SharpCap and I reinstall the 3.2.6433 version ... the same, it is not running.

: Sky_Simulation_error.png (49.1 KiB) Viewed 1505 times

- Closing the camera and retrying: yes, I do it, but it does not work better.
- Restarting SharpCap: yes, no effect.
- Unplugging and re-connecting the camera: ... it is a virtual camera ... nothing to plug.

It can work partly with the "Camera V2 simulator" ... only one time one image.
I think when SharpCap read the image the first time, then the other software can not have access on the file for actualization while the image is still "opened" in SharpCap. Also no actualization of the simulated star field.
I try with "Folder Monitor Camera" ... it can view the first image, but the "Folder Monitor Camera" expects a growing number of images. It is not the case with the Sky-Simulator ... it writes over the same image file as soon as the field (telescope movement) is changed.

Does somebody has the same problems ?

Regards,
Jean-Francois

Posted: **Sun Dec 27, 2020 7:15 pm**

Hello,

For information ... Sky-Simulator works again ... but it was a long way for that.

On my desktop computer:
It was working yesterday after my message, but only with the ASCOM Hub. But this morning, I receive a message that the ASCOM 6.5 SP1 was released.
Also I download it and install it ... and Sky-Simulator was no more working on my desktop after the ASCOM update.
Then I de-install the 6.5 SP1 and I reinstall the 6.5 (no SP1 RC or SP1). ... and it works again, this time with the ASCOM telescope simulator (not with the ASCOM Hub).

On my laptop:
I install (or before de-install) exactly the same software and version as on my desktop ... and it does not works like on my desktop.
I can only use the ASCOM Hub.

On my EAGLE2 computer:
I update some programs ... and it works, but only with the ASCOM Hub.

=> I have no idea why I can use the Sky-Simulator with the normal telescope driver on my desktop.
In addition ... the focuser simulator works sometimes together (SharpCap and Sky-Simulator) sometimes not.

Concerning the plate solve programs ... I de-install all and I install only ASTAP (+ PlateSolve2.8 which is running independent from SharpCap).

Regards,
Jean-Francois

Posted: **Mon Dec 28, 2020 5:14 pm**

Hi,

I found your bug report on 3.2.6433 and had a look at what was going on. The SkySimulator camera is causing an error when SharpCap first tries to create the camera object (before even trying to connect to it). It looks like it is trying to load a bitmap from file - maybe the file is missing or is not an image file?

Code: Select all

Error:	23:26:40.7422737 Thread:#1 SharpCap.Base.Utilities.Logger.Error(Exception e, String action, String additionalInfo, Boolean stackTrace) :: Inner Exception : System.ArgumentException: Ungültiger Parameter.
   at System.Drawing.Bitmap..ctor(String filename)
   at ASCOM.Sky_Simulator.Camera.LoadBitmapUnlocked(String file_name)
   at ASCOM.Sky_Simulator.Camera.InitialiseSimulator()
   at ASCOM.Sky_Simulator.Camera..ctor()

This seems likely to be a bug in the simulator, although it may just be possible to work around by somehow changing the file it is trying to load, putting the required file in the right place or similar. You could if you wanted use Sysinternals Procmon to find which file it is trying to access.

cheers,

Robin

Posted: **Mon Dec 28, 2020 8:37 pm**

Hello Robin,

I re-install now the last version 3.2.6457.

It works good, but only without the ASCOM 6.5 SP1 or the SP1 RC.
I re-install the simple ASCOM 6.5 and it works ... on my desktop with the ASCOM telescope simulator direct, but on my laptop or EAGLE computer it works only using the "device hub telescope".

Concerning the error (my past message with 3.2.6433) ... it appears before loading completely the Sky-Simulator camera ... so it is not possible to change the image path in SharpCap. Note that the error disappear when I reinstall ASCOM 6.5.

It could be something not compatible between ASCOM 6.5 SP1 and Sky-Simulator ... It is OK with ASCOM 6.5.
So no further investigation (except for the programmer of the Sky-Simulator

)

Regards,
Jean-Francois

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