SharpCap V4.0 Not Displaying Sky Simulator Images
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:15 am
I am unable to get SharpCap to display images provided by Sky Simulator.
Both Sky Simulator and SharpCap Hardware are set to:
• ASCOM Focuser Simulator Driver
• Telescope Simulator for .Net
With these settings RA and Dec are the same in both programs, tracking is on, and they both track the same.
Sky Simulator is set to use DSS and to put images in C:\Users\My\Documents\ASCOM
SharpCap
Live View> set to “still Image”
Cameras>Sky Simulator selected
Camera Control> exposure 5 seconds
Camera Control>Show, Get Image from C:\Users\My\Documents\ASCOM\image.png
Camera Control>Show, all other settings left at default
Scope Controls>Connected, checked, RA Dec match Sky Simulator RA Dec, directional arrows active and functional, Rate and Tracking functional.
Scope Controls>ASCOM Simulator Focuser Driver, Not Setup until camera is working
Everything else in Control Panel is untouched.
Testing
Sky Simulator is running in separate window.
When RA Dec changes Sky Simulator indicates “slewing” as the scope is moving, when scope stops, Sky Simulator indicates “Image download started” and then “Image download finished.” The path to the downloaded image is C:\Users\My\Documents\ASCOM\image.png and the new image can be viewed there (in Photos). This is the same path entered in SharpCap Camera Control>Show
So far everything is as expected. My difficulty is that the new image is not displayed in SharpCap. I think I’m missing something, perhaps a simple work flow step. The image.png file displays if I copy it to Folder Monitor Camera watch folder and set the camera appropriately. The image.png file changes to a new star field each time the scope is moved indicating Sky Simulator is working as expected up to that point. How does Sky Simulator let SharpCap know that a new image is ready? I’ve tried taking a “Snapshot” but that does not trigger display of the new image.png file.
Any assistance in helping me understand the proper SharpCap workflow to display Sky Simulator images will be much appreciated.
SharpCap V4.0 8138.0 and ASCOM 6.5.1.3234 SP1 and Sky Simulator v0.1.28 (8/27/21) are current versions.
Both Sky Simulator and SharpCap Hardware are set to:
• ASCOM Focuser Simulator Driver
• Telescope Simulator for .Net
With these settings RA and Dec are the same in both programs, tracking is on, and they both track the same.
Sky Simulator is set to use DSS and to put images in C:\Users\My\Documents\ASCOM
SharpCap
Live View> set to “still Image”
Cameras>Sky Simulator selected
Camera Control> exposure 5 seconds
Camera Control>Show, Get Image from C:\Users\My\Documents\ASCOM\image.png
Camera Control>Show, all other settings left at default
Scope Controls>Connected, checked, RA Dec match Sky Simulator RA Dec, directional arrows active and functional, Rate and Tracking functional.
Scope Controls>ASCOM Simulator Focuser Driver, Not Setup until camera is working
Everything else in Control Panel is untouched.
Testing
Sky Simulator is running in separate window.
When RA Dec changes Sky Simulator indicates “slewing” as the scope is moving, when scope stops, Sky Simulator indicates “Image download started” and then “Image download finished.” The path to the downloaded image is C:\Users\My\Documents\ASCOM\image.png and the new image can be viewed there (in Photos). This is the same path entered in SharpCap Camera Control>Show
So far everything is as expected. My difficulty is that the new image is not displayed in SharpCap. I think I’m missing something, perhaps a simple work flow step. The image.png file displays if I copy it to Folder Monitor Camera watch folder and set the camera appropriately. The image.png file changes to a new star field each time the scope is moved indicating Sky Simulator is working as expected up to that point. How does Sky Simulator let SharpCap know that a new image is ready? I’ve tried taking a “Snapshot” but that does not trigger display of the new image.png file.
Any assistance in helping me understand the proper SharpCap workflow to display Sky Simulator images will be much appreciated.
SharpCap V4.0 8138.0 and ASCOM 6.5.1.3234 SP1 and Sky Simulator v0.1.28 (8/27/21) are current versions.