Plate solving not working - LX200Classic/ASCOM 6.5SP1

[MikeT]

Hi, Previously with sharpcap 3.2 connected to ASCOM POTH hub and Meade LX200 classic driver I have used automatic plate solving without a problem.

I've now updated several software components and plate solving no longer works - hope somebody can help with where I've gone wrong.

Current setup is now SharpCap Pro v4.0.8395 32-bit
ASCOM v6.5SP1
Platesolver - AstroTortilla
Telescope selected in Sharpcap is the "Device Hub Telescope"
The driver selected in the Device Hub is the LX-200 classic driver "Meade LX200 Classic and Autostar #494, #495, and #497 (combined telescope/focuser, 5.0.4, May 2013)"

When SharpCap connects to the mount I get the message that movement buttons will be disabled since it does not support the MoveAxis command (I don't think I used to get that when using the earlier versions and the POTH hub in ASCOM but I'm not certain). The PlateSolve button is not greyed out but when I click it nothing appears to happen - no messages on screen.

If I use the PlateSolve test button in the settings windows that shows a success result. Log file attached with extra diagnostics selected for mount hardware logging.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

[admin]

Hi Mike,

thanks for including the log

I can see from the log that your ASCOM driver not only doesn't support the MoveAxis command, it also returns an empty list when asked for the rates at which each axis can be moved. Now, interestingly, a long time ago I wrote some code that is supposed to enable this functionality for (certain) Meade mounts by directly sending commands to the mount. This is not being activated in your case, because the name of the ASCOM driver is 'LX200' and doesn't contain the word 'Meade'. I'm not sure if it would work correctly via the Device Hub, but it is surely worth a try... I will add 'LX200' as a keyword to enable this workaround functionality for the next update.

As to the plate solving doing nothing, that's a little bug that is related to the lack of ability to move... The code for handling all the mount movement buttons (including the plate solve button) is common. All the other buttons require the ability to move axis (and a movement rate to be selected). The code that checks for that also (incorrectly) bypasses the plate solve functionality if the mount cannot be moved by SharpCap. I will also fix this for next week's update.

For now, use the 'Plate Solve' options from the tools menu - they should not be affected by this bug (in 4.0, the Plate solve and resync functionality is also in the Tools menu as well as in the mount 'GPS' button).

cheers,

Robin

[MikeT]

Robin,
Thanks, as always, for the prompt reply.

I'll try out the changes after you post the next update. I found the following lines out of an old log file while using an older ASCOM and POTH - in that case your MeadeProxy code was triggered. There is a more recent Meade driver being developed which does report MoveAxis and rates - unfortunately it seems to have other problems so I can't use it (yet).

Happy New Year,
Mike

Info: 16:47:05.2063590 Thread:#1 SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper..ctor(String deviceName, String progId, IUIDisableSource disableSource) :: Creating ASCOM Telescope mount of type POTH.Telescope ('POTH Hub')
Debug: 16:47:05.2233425 Thread:#1 SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper..ctor(String deviceName, String progId, IUIDisableSource disableSource) :: Ended
Info: 16:47:05.4836179 Thread:#1 SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.TryConnect() :: The mount claims to be POTH->I_LX200, POTH->I_LX200
POTH (Plain Old Telescope Handset) 6.0.3
Developed by Jon Brewster. Focuser part by P.de Ponthiere.
Copyright © 2003, Jon Brewster
An ASCOM scope, dome and focuser hub

Connected to a scope driver with the following information:
ASCOM Meade Telescope/Focuser driver for classic and Autostar I 5.0.4
ASCOM Iniative
http://ascom-standards.org/
Last Modified 10/06/2013 20:06:54, Meade LX200 Classic, 6.0
Info: 16:47:05.4846151 Thread:#1 SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.TryConnect() :: Using a MeadeProxy to try to get working MoveAxis on this mount
Info: 16:47:05.4846151 Thread:#1 SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.TryConnect() :: The mount reports an alignment mode of algPolar
Info: 16:47:05.4846151 Thread:#1 SharpCap.Models.ConnectableHardware.OnConnectedChanged() :: Mount 'POTH Hub' now Conneted:True

[MikeT]

Robin,

I have tried the v4.0.8532 this evening. I think all the functionality I had before is restored. The various telescope control buttons are no longer greyed out and the plate solve button works again. The movement buttons do not work properly as they seem to move at a very slow rate regardless of the rate drop down box - I think that is the same as in previous SharpCap versions and when I used POTH. that's not a problem for me as I can make movements using the Device Hub control buttons. But if you want to do any further problem solving on that let me know - happy to help out.

The "Meade Generic" driver currently being developed does implement MoveAxis on the LX-200 classic, however, at least in my case, it does not park and unpark the scope correctly so I'm sticking with the older driver for now.

Thanks for your help,
Mike

Extract from log :-
Debug 21:37:19.324449 #1 Started new SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper(string deviceName, string progId, IUIDisableSource disableSource) in new SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper(string deviceName, string progId, IUIDisableSource disableSource)
Info 21:37:19.325447 #1 Creating ASCOM Telescope mount of type ASCOM.DeviceHub.Telescope ('Device Hub Telescope') in new SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper(string deviceName, string progId, IUIDisableSource disableSource)
Debug 21:37:19.364342 #1 Ended new SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper(string deviceName, string progId, IUIDisableSource disableSource) in new SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper(string deviceName, string progId, IUIDisableSource disableSource)
Info 21:37:20.961632 #1 The mount claims to be DeviceHub -> LX200, DeviceHub telescope driver. Version: 6.5, Device Hub Telescope, 6.5 in void SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.TryConnect()
Info 21:37:20.961632 #1 Using a MeadeProxy to try to get working MoveAxis on this mount in void SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.TryConnect()
Info 21:37:20.962600 #1 The mount reports an alignment mode of algPolar in void SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.TryConnect()
Info 21:37:20.962600 #1 Mount 'Device Hub Telescope' now Conneted:True in void SharpCap.Models.ConnectableHardware.OnConnectedChanged()
Info 21:37:20.980581 #1 Axis 0 has 1 slew rates. in Tuple<double, double>[] SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.GetSlewRatesViaIndexing(int axis)
Info 21:37:20.981578 #1 Slew rates are : 0.004-5 in Tuple<double, double>[] SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.GetSlewRatesViaIndexing(int axis)
Info 21:37:20.981578 #1 Axis 1 has 1 slew rates. in Tuple<double, double>[] SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.GetSlewRatesViaIndexing(int axis)
Info 21:37:20.982547 #1 Slew rates are : 0.004-5 in Tuple<double, double>[] SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.GetSlewRatesViaIndexing(int axis)
Info 21:37:20.992546 #1 Testing slew rates for availability : 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 60, 120, 239.3447, 480, 720, 960, 1920, 4800, 9600, 12000 in IEnumerable<double> SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.GetSlewRates()
Info 21:37:20.995512 #1 Slew rate of 1920 is not allowed for axis 0 in bool SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.IsAllowed(double d, Tuple<double, double>[] axisRates, int i)
Info 21:37:20.996509 #1 Slew rate of 4800 is not allowed for axis 0 in bool SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.IsAllowed(double d, Tuple<double, double>[] axisRates, int i)
Info 21:37:20.996509 #1 Slew rate of 9600 is not allowed for axis 0 in bool SharpCap.MountProxy.ASCOM.MountWrapper.IsAllowed(double d, Tuple<double, double>[] axisRates, int i)
Info 21:37:20.996509 #1 Slew rate of 12000 is not allowed for axis 0

[admin]

Hi,

good to hear that you are back in action, although the slow speed seems odd. The special meade in SharpCap sends the 'EK' command to set the slew speed followed by 'M' for movement in the desired direction. Having had a search online I can also find a reference to an 'R' command to set slew rate - I wonder if the right command depends on what model of Meade mount you have?

cheers,

Robin

[MikeT]

Robin,

Yes for the LX-200 classic the rate selection commands are

R – Slew Rate Commands
:RC# Set Slew rate to Centering rate (2nd slowest)
Returns: Nothing
:RG# Set Slew rate to Guiding Rate (slowest)
Returns: Nothing
:RM# Set Slew rate to Find Rate (2nd Fastest)
Returns: Nothing
:RS# Set Slew rate to max (fastest)
Returns: Nothing

Mike

[admin]

Hi Mike,

on the grounds that there is the new ASCOM driver in the works that will hopefully make all this messing around redundant, I think I might skip making any changes to the move rates - particularly since I have no idea how to reliably tell which mount requires the 'EK' commands and which requires 'R'.

cheers,

Robin

[MikeT]

I agree, all this stuff should be in the driver. I will try contacting the developer of the new Meade driver and describe the parking problems that I have - hopefully that will get resolved and then I can switch over.

Mike