SharpCap Forums

Gemini's artificial intelligence tells me this:


import time

# 1. Check if the mount is connected
if SharpCap.Mounts.SelectedMount is None:

print("Error: Connect the ESP32go first in the Hardware tab.")
else:

mount = SharpCap.Mounts.SelectedMount

print("Connected to: " + mount.Name)

# 2. Start Plate Solve

# This command uses the configuration you have in:

# File -> Settings -> Plate Solve (e.g., ASTAP or PlateSolve2)

print("Starting Plate Solve...")

# The SolveAndSync method does 3 things:

# Captures, solves, and synchronizes the coordinates in the ESP32go's ASCOM

result = SharpCap.Transforms.PlateSolveAndSync()

if result:

print("Success! The ESP32go has been synchronized.")

# Optional: Re-center the object to ensure accuracy

# mount.SlewToTarget()

else:

print("The Plate Solve failed. Check the exposure or focus.")

Hello;

For me, it would probably be easier to use the NINA program for this.

But I'd prefer to use SharpCap so I don't have to use any other programs for this.

The easiest solution for my needs would certainly be to keep pressing the button to perform plate solvent, given the difficulties I've encountered.

Regards

Hello,

Would it be so difficult to write that script and implement it in SharpCap?
I certainly wouldn't be able to do it alone.

Difficult ? No, but you need perseverance and the will to do it.
It is not done in five minutes or five days ... it is more five weeks with every day work on it.
I did it ... and other million of Python user (or other language). Note that I'm still learning after 7 years of programming script for SharpCap.
I did in the "far" past some programming with my HP48 calculator or other small school project in C or Pascal !

For the Gemini code ... it is a begin.
The missing part is the "trigger" to start the plate solve when the GOTO (commanded from extern program) finish.
You can try to modify the prompt to add the trigger.

Regards,
Jean-Francois

Hello;
For what I'm going to use it for—astrometria and observing some stellar occultations by asteroids—I'll just keep pressing the button and that's it.

Regards

Hello,

Concerning the asteroid occultation ... do you know my script or the script from Michael Camilleri ?

Jean-Francois

Hi,

I'm afraid that my take on this feature idea is still the same - that anything trying to do this would be prone to either false positives (plate solve and recenter when the users intent was not a new target GOTO) or false negatives (not doing it when the user wanted it to happen), or even possibly both.

For a particular user who always works in a particular way, it might be possible to make something via scripting that largely worked, but as a general feature in SharpCap it would break far too often for it to be viable for me to add it (features that appear broken to large number of users are generally better off not happening at all)...

One thing that would be workable I think is a third option in the SharpCap 'Goto Catalog Target/Co-ordinates' tool - as well as the options to choose a target from the catalog and to enter co-ordinates, the third option would be

'Goto mount target co-ordinates at <TARGET co-ordinates>'

That way, if your planetarium transfers the target co-ordinates to the ASCOM driver as discussed above, SharpCap will then pick those co-ordinates up automatically and give a way to kick off a GOTO from within SharpCap to those co-ordinates with the plate solve included.

Of course, it doesn't really succeed in the goal of reducing total mouse clicks, since you would have to swap to SharpCap, select 'Tools' then 'Goto catalog target...' then OK.

cheers,

Robin

Hello;

Thank you all for your help. The only thing I'm going to try is the plate solvin integrated into the SharpCap to see if it's faster than the ASTAP, although I also find the ASTAP fast and effective.
With the ASTAP, the field of view at a 1279mm focal length with the Uranus C is about 30' x 17'.
I'll continue using the method of pressing the button to center the object in the image, and that should solve it.
Jean-Francois, I'm not familiar with your script about asteroid occultation.
I have performed some occultations and this is to find out ephemerides and such.

Regards.