PHD2, Sharpcap, planetrium software

[Szumi]

I'm trying to figure out issues where phd2 stops tracking for me. I see that sharpcap has a setting to talk to phd2, I see in phd2 an option to enable the server. When I plate solve in sharpcap does it tell phd2 that a slew is happening and to resume tracking after that is done?

Next question. Say I'm using cartes de ciel and tell it to point my scope to a new target. What happens then? I have an external app commanding a slew. Does sharpcap get involved?

[admin]

Hi,

SharpCap can communicate with PHD2, but that communication is only activated in two situations : live stacking and when using the sequencing tools.

SharpCap will only send guiding pauses in a very limited set of circumstances - currently that is only enabled during the plate solve + resync stage of sequences built using the Deep Sky Sequence planner where both guiding and plate solving are enabled.

Of course during a live stack you won't be moving the mount around, so there is no need to pause guiding in that situation.

I did think about adding code to automatically pause guiding when SharpCap commands the mount to move, but that would require SharpCap to remain connected to PHD all the time, rather than just when live stacking or running a sequence, which would be a significant change.

When you use CdC to move to a new target, you will have set up both CdC and SharpCap to talk to your ASCOM mount driver. CdC will send the slew command direct to the ASCOM driver. SharpCap is just an interested observer in that situation - it will see the mount co-ordinates changing and update the display readouts regularly, but takes no active part in what is going on.

cheers,

Robin

[Jean-Francois]

Hello Robin,

I propose a third situation ... with a script.
Or it is maybe already available from a script. If yes, how ?

Regards,
Jean-Francois

[admin]

Hi,

I suppose you could write a python script in SharpCap that checks the mount 'Slewing' property every few seconds. If it finds that 'Slewing' has changed from false to true then send a guiding pause to PHD2. If it changes from true to false and you have previously sent a pause, send a resume.

You would have to talk to the PHD2 server API directly, since SharpCap will normally not be connected as outlined above. I suppose that you could force SharpCap to connect when your script starts (or on button press) - I think that would be OK.

Access PHD from inside SharpCap via

Code: Select all

SharpCap.ExternalGuiding

You can check the connected status (.IsConnected), Connect and Disconnect, check the current state of guiding (.State) and pause/resume using .Pause() and .Resume()

cheers,

Robin

[Szumi]

If I'm understanding this correct, if I send my scope to a target and pick the menu selection to plate solve and sync, sharpcap is not going to tell phd2 to pause and restart? I want to make sure I'm understanding you correctly.

Thank you,

[Jean-Francois]

Hello Szumi,

In "normal" use of SharpCap ... no, PHD2 does not receive a command to stop the guiding if you move the telescope from SharpCap (or perform a GOTO to Target). I forget fast each time to stop or pause PHD2 before changing the object in SharpCap and then PHD2 lost the star.

Robin, thanks for the information. But ... I was expecting some additional command ... for example to tune the lock position coordinates.

Regards,
Jean-Francois

[admin]

Hi,

@Szumi - you are correct - SharpCap will not tell PHD2 to pause when you do plate solve + sync. As mentioned above, SharpCap will not even be talking to PHD2 at that point, since PHD2 integration is only activated during live stacking or during certain sequencer runs.

@Jean-Franciois - no direct way through SharpCap to tell PHD2 to do that - when you resume guiding it will just send a 'set_paused=false' message to PHD. Even when you tell it to start guiding, it will let PHD2 do everything automatically (auto select guide star, etc). Of course you can talk directly to PHD2 if you want... https://github.com/OpenPHDGuiding/phd2/ ... Monitoring

cheers,

Robin

[Jean-Francois]

Hello Robin,

Thanks for the info.
I can do a connection, but not yet the command to PHD2.

Regards,
Jean-Francois