New Sequencer Steps
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2021 6:34 pm
Hi,
just a heads up that I will be adding new steps to the Sequence editor in the next update to SC 4.0 (most likely to be released on 16th August). These will start to fill some of the gaps that have been noticed by Sequencer users. Coming up next week we have some steps to make it easy to ensure that a sequence finishes cleanly and that any steps needed to 'shut down' your setup can be run even if there is an error in the main part of the sequence.
First, there is a group of four new steps that limit how long a sequence will run :
All of these can contain other steps - the contained steps are run as normal, but if the limit is reached then the sequencer will stop running the contained steps and move on to any parts of the sequence after the 'Stop running...' step.
These steps let you set up sequences that will capture images until 3AM, or until astronomical dawn, or until the target falls to within 25 degrees of the horizon. It may well be possible to set up a primitive 'meridian flip' sequence based on the stop when near meridian step (I have not tested this yet, and plan to include a meridian flip step properly later).
Note that the 'stopping running the contained steps' may not happen instantly, but will usually happen within a few seconds.
Another new step to improve sequencing is to allow 'clean up' actions to be run at the end of a sequence even if the sequence encounters an error (normally, encountering an error means the sequence stops straight away).
Again, this is a step that can contain other steps. Include this step near the beginning of the sequence, but add to it any steps that you want to run at the end, just as the sequence finishes. The contained steps will be run if your sequence runs to completion *OR* if it stops early due to an error. The only time they will not run is if you cancel your sequence using the Stop/Emergency Stop buttons.
cheers,
Robin
just a heads up that I will be adding new steps to the Sequence editor in the next update to SC 4.0 (most likely to be released on 16th August). These will start to fill some of the gaps that have been noticed by Sequencer users. Coming up next week we have some steps to make it easy to ensure that a sequence finishes cleanly and that any steps needed to 'shut down' your setup can be run even if there is an error in the main part of the sequence.
First, there is a group of four new steps that limit how long a sequence will run :
Code: Select all
Stop running these steps at <Time>
Stop running these steps when <AstronomicalEvent> happens (or has already happened)
Stop running these steps when <Degrees> degrees from the meridian
Stop running these steps when less than <Degrees> degrees above the horizon
These steps let you set up sequences that will capture images until 3AM, or until astronomical dawn, or until the target falls to within 25 degrees of the horizon. It may well be possible to set up a primitive 'meridian flip' sequence based on the stop when near meridian step (I have not tested this yet, and plan to include a meridian flip step properly later).
Note that the 'stopping running the contained steps' may not happen instantly, but will usually happen within a few seconds.
Another new step to improve sequencing is to allow 'clean up' actions to be run at the end of a sequence even if the sequence encounters an error (normally, encountering an error means the sequence stops straight away).
Code: Select all
Setup steps to run just before the sequence finishes, even if an error has occurred.
cheers,
Robin