SC4.1 64 functionality with Non MoveAxis Ascom Driver

[Himmelwarte]

Hi

I like to use your wonderful new mosaic tool for sun and moon imaging.

So I tested the SC4.1 version and realized that my ASCOM driver AdvancedLX200 Telescope/ FS2 Controller Mount and its combinations with Generic Hub, Poth Hub and the TheSky6/non GPS Meade LX200 are not functional because of the MoveAxis commands coming from the SC4.1. They are never recognized... Bad luck.

My Driver AdvancedLX200 Telescope directly linked to SC4.1 offers high lighted arrows in the guider command screen, but when I tick them the driver crashes with the hint move axis is not supported. Only the right arrow allows a short time movements but than it stops also with the same error. ticking the guide box start guiding?! but the selection of the type as sun, moon,... is not possible.

My questions:

1. Is it still possible that the SC4.1 succesfully uses the AdvancedLX200 Telescope driver for the pointing of mosaic targets or autocorrections? Or is the Move Axis command always involved in those guiding routines?

2. In order to set the 3 calibration points I may use the controller instead of the arrows to approach the right points. Is this possible as a work around?

3. Is it possible to implement an option +/- move axis commands like the FireCapture Programm 64 offers? In the software my AdvancedLX200 Telescope works nicely when the moveaxis command option is not selected.

Thank you very much indeed and kind regards Christoph

[admin]

Hi,

actually, SharpCap contains code that is supposed to get the MoveAxis command to work with LX200 mounts by sending raw commands via the ASCOM driver to add the missing functionality. In order to work out what is going on, we need to check to see if that code is being activated and then failing, or if it is not being activated at all.

If the Meade workaround code is being activated then there should be a line containing this text in the SharpCap log at about the point where you connected to the mount

Code: Select all

Using a MeadeProxy to try to get working MoveAxis on this mount

If that is not present then we should try to work out why the workaround is not being activated, as fixing that may resolve your issue.

Could you connect to the mount in SharpCap, try to move the axis, tell SharpCap to ignore any error and then send me the log file contents after all the above is done please? That will help me work out what is going on.

Another possibility would be to use the handset to do the alignment - I could enable that if we have no luck with the workaround.

cheers,

Robin

[Himmelwarte]

Thank you!

I just send you two reports each situation

1. Generic Hub plus AdvancedLX200 Telescope driver
2. AdvancedLX200 Telescope directly linked to SC4.1

I hope you received the by pushing the button in the software error messages

Kind regards Christoph

[admin]

Hi Christoph,

thanks for sending the bug reports - I have those now, and I think I can fix the immediate issue that is stopping the workaround from being tried.

Unfortunately the Meade driver in use not only fails to implement MoveAxis, but it incorrectly responds that it *is* able to perform MoveAxis when asked So, to deal with the possibility that there are other Meade drivers out there that actually work properly, SharpCap tries one attempt at using the MoveAxis command and is supposed to pick up on that failing and switch over to the workaround. But there's no point switching to the workaround for just any error - if the error is 'not connected' or 'cannot open serial port' then that should just be allowed to be treated as an error as usual.

Anyway, long story short... The logic to work out what sort of errors were related to the missing MoveAxis and what was related to other causes was incorrect - perhaps something has changed in ASCOM when I upgraded to a newer version or we get different errors from different Meade drivers.

I have a fix which I will put into the next update - hopefully that will get you going.

cheers,

Robin

[Himmelwarte]

Thank you Robin!

I am not an expert in programming, but I have the impression it could work and that would be great! When do you think I can try it out I am ready

Kind regards Christoph

[Himmelwarte]

Good afternoon Robin

Thank you very much indeed for implementing a correction for the MEADE driver error.

Now it works and you have one customer more... I will upgrade to the Pro Version.

Have a nice day and kind regards Christoph