Finished sequence to do it all need feedback

[yomamma]

I am writing a sequence to do all my nights work. This includes going to the object and plate solving, guiding, focusing, meridian flip, and live stacking. I also have a routine to periodically focus during the live stack and was wondering if anyone else refocuses and at what frequency. I have included the code below in hopes that anyone with experience in using the sequencer for guiding or focusing or live stacking might be able to give me some hints on what works best. My meridian flip starts a new stack but that is not a big deal as I use them all for astrophotos. I use camera profiles to hold all camera info so I don't have to make any camera calls except load profile.

Subroutine Notes

Meridian flip delay 240 is the time you think it will take for the object to pass the meridian. Will differ.

GotoDSO delay 70 is to allow for 2 full frames to be captured before proceeding with platesolve. My DSO exposure time is 30s so two frames is 60s plus another 10 for measure. Delay 10 is to allow for any settling/backlash to occur after platesolve.

Focus offsets are for esprit 100 that has laser focus and I do a quick manual focus to get close before I start so 200 works but I may raise it up if there is any substantial time between the time I manual focus and the run actually starts. For my 8" SCT I would use at least 1000 offset at first.

Main Program Notes

I connect all hardware then wait until time to goto, that way I can make sure all hardware is connected and running properly.

I stop for meridian flip using time but you can use degrees also just make sure you alter the delay in meridianflip sub.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

SEQUENCE

DEF SUB MeridianFlip
MOUNT TRACKING None
DELAY 240
MOUNT TRACKING Sidereal
GOSUB GotoDSO
END SUB

DEF SUB GotoDSO
PRESERVE CAMERA SETTINGS
LOAD PROFILE "MCProGotoDSO (ZWO ASI294MC Pro)"
MOUNT GOTO RA=05:35:17,DEC=-05:23:28
DELAY 70
MOUNT SOLVEANDSYNC
DELAY 10
END PRESERVE
END SUB

DEF SUB Focus
PRESERVE CAMERA SETTINGS
LOAD PROFILE "MCProFocus (ZWO ASI294MC Pro)"
AUTOFOCUS OFFSET 200 TO -200 STEP COUNT 20 BACKLASH 0
AUTOFOCUS OFFSET 20 TO -20 STEP COUNT 20 BACKLASH 0
END PRESERVE
END SUB

DEF SUB GuideandFocus
GUIDING START
GUIDING WAIT
GOSUB Focus
GUIDING DITHER EVERY 1 FRAMES
END SUB

DEF SUB PeriodicFocus
LIVE STACKING PAUSE
GUIDING DITHER EVERY STOP
GOSUB Focus
GUIDING DITHER EVERY 1 FRAMES
LIVE STACKING RESUME
END SUB

CAMERA OPEN "ZWO ASI294MC Pro"
LOAD PROFILE "MCProDSO180 (ZWO ASI294MC Pro)"
LIVE MODE
FOCUSER SELECT "FocusLynx ThirdLynx 1"
FOCUSER CONNECT
MOUNT SELECT "EQMOD ASCOM HEQ5/6"
MOUNT CONNECT
WAIT UNTIL LOCALTIME "11:00 PM"
MOUNT TRACKING Sidereal
GOSUB GotoDSO
GUIDING CONNECT ABORT False
GOSUB GuideandFocus
STOP AT LOCALTIME "12:00 AM"
LIVE STACKING START
LIVE STACKING RESET
LOOP 20 TIMES
DELAY 3600
GOSUB PeriodicFocus
END LOOP
END STOP AT
LIVE STACKING STOP
GUIDING STOP
GOSUB MeridianFlip
GOSUB GuideandFocus
STOP AT LOCALTIME "5:00 AM"
LIVE STACKING START
LOOP 20 TIMES
DELAY 3600
GOSUB PeriodicFocus
END LOOP
END STOP AT
SHOW NOTIFICATION "Job Complete" COLOUR Green DURATION 30
LIVE STACKING STOP
GUIDING STOP
CAMERA CLOSE
FOCUSER DISCONNECT
MOUNT PARK
END SEQUENCE

[admin]

Hi,

looks promising from a first read through.

Did you know that SharpCap has a 'STOP AT XXX DEGREES FROM MERIDIAN' step? That allows SharpCap to do the work of calculating when the object is nearing the meridian rather than you having to set a time for it. If you select 1 degree then it will stop when the target is 1 degree short of the meridian, which would then mean it should cross the meridian about 4 minutes later.

cheers,

Robin