Using Focuser

[vidalv]

Hello all, first sorry if the post is not at the right place, I put it on general discussions by default !
So, in my configuration I use a Primaluce Sesto-Senso 2 focuser.
I setup it in the SharpCap settings on the Hardware tab :

SC-Focuser.jpg (28.6 KiB) Viewed 5505 times

First confusion, when I click on Select Hardware I found two SS2 driver :

SC-ASCOM.jpg (44.93 KiB) Viewed 5505 times

By default I choose the first one.
On properties I select the right port where the focuser is connected.

SC-props.jpg (38.84 KiB) Viewed 5505 times

After validation, back to the Scope Controls and by default the focuser position value is set to Zero !

SC-Main-Focuser.jpg (23.45 KiB) Viewed 5505 times

On both Coarse and Fine I put some steps values "35000" and by clicking on Negative or Positive, the focuser move Up or Down for the number of steps. That's good.
My problem is after that it seems the panel is frozen, no way to return back on original position, change any number and so on

SC-Focuser-moved.jpg (21.92 KiB) Viewed 5505 times

I have read the documentation and I can't find any help to understand what's going on.
I'm probably wrong, but where ?
Thanks for help.

[admin]

Hi,

when you click the movement buttons, SharpCap sends the command to the focuser to move and then monitors the focuser position to see when it arrives at the requested position. So, if you press 'Positive' on fine, SharpCap will be expecting the focuser to move from position zero to 3500. It doesn't look like that's happening, so SharpCap sits there waiting for it to happen. If you hit the stop button then SharpCap will send a 'stop moving' command to the focuser and the other buttons will re-activate.

So, it seems likely to me that the focuser ASCOM driver isn't reporting the updated position to SharpCap as the focuser moves. Can you see the focuser position updating in some other application (maybe one related to the focuser itself)?

cheers,

Robin

[admin]

One more thing I should add - check the SharpCap log for any lines reporting errors, especially if they also mention the focuser movement - it may be that SharpCap is encountering an error when trying to monitor the focuser position, which will stop it from updating.

cheers,

Robin

[vidalv]

Hello Robin, thanks for quick answer !
The Focuser Manager from manufacturer step from 0 (zero) to 78220 (the Max).
I've made a calibration first to set this value to the focuser settings memory.
Using the Focuser Manager all works fine.
When starting SC I select one camera (the one used with focuser), the focuser panel stay to zero, why not.
I put 1000 step on the coarse panel, then "enter", when clicking on "Positive" the focuser move out to 1000 steps, then stop. Here you can see the panel "frozen" :

1000-steps.jpg (20.27 KiB) Viewed 5462 times

If I click to "Stop" button nothing is happening!
I joint the log file from now, I don't see any warning or error inside, what do you thins an propose?
Thanks again.
Vincent.

[admin]

Hi,

yes, sadly nothing exciting revealed in that log

The next step is to turn on additional logging (SharpCap settings, Logging tab, tick the 'Focuser hardware communications' box then press OK). Do that before opening the camera, then run through the test again. This time the log file should be quite a bit bigger as all the data flowing between SharpCap and the ASCOM driver for the focuser will be logged. Hopefully that extra info will start to shed some light on the problem.

thanks,

Robin

[vidalv]

Thanks Robin for your patience!
I followed your request, it is sure that the log file is much larger!
Unfortunately I am not sure to understand everything ....

[admin]

Hi,

thanks for making the log. It confirms the issue that I was suspecting - the ASCOM driver is not giving SharpCap accurate information on the status of the device

Right from the start of the log, when SharpCap asks if the focuser is moving, the ASCOM driver responds that it is...

Code: Select all

Verbose	14:53:19.815094	#28	Focuser : ASCOM.Common.DeviceInterfaces.IFocuserV3.get_IsMoving :: Starting get_IsMoving()
Verbose	14:53:19.815255	#28	Focuser : ASCOM.Common.DeviceInterfaces.IFocuserV3.get_IsMoving :: Completed (returned True) get_IsMoving()

On every single request for the focuser position, the ASCOM driver returns a current position of zero

Code: Select all

Verbose	14:56:17.227012	#28	Focuser : ASCOM.Common.DeviceInterfaces.IFocuserV3.get_Position :: Starting get_Position()
Verbose	14:56:17.227059	#28	Focuser : ASCOM.Common.DeviceInterfaces.IFocuserV3.get_Position :: Completed (returned 0) get_Position()

This continues even after the command is sent to move the focuser to position 1000

Code: Select all

Verbose	14:56:05.485569	#1 	Focuser : Focuser moving to 1000 started, final target is
Verbose	14:56:05.485801	#1 	Focuser : ASCOM.Common.DeviceInterfaces.IFocuserV3.Move :: Starting Move(1000)

Unfortunately I don't think there is much I can do about this issue in SharpCap - it's going to need a fix in the ASCOM driver to stop it from reporting bad information. I did notice in the log that the ASCOM driver is listed as version 1.3, but on the downloads page there is a version 3.3 listed (https://www.primalucelab.com/info/downloads.html). I did try to download the newer version to see if the ASCOM driver inside was also version 3.3, but I can't get the download to complete at the moment - it keeps failing

cheers,

Robin

[vidalv]

Hi Robin, you are the Boss!
Following your link, I install the PLL ASCOM V3.3 of the driver.
To test it I start the ASCOM Diagnostics and check for testing it.

ASCOM_Test.jpg (82.92 KiB) Viewed 5432 times

Then select the right one and connect it :

ASCOM_Connect.jpg (76.56 KiB) Viewed 5432 times

Now, I've removed log on SC, I select the right ASCOM driver (Not SESTO SENSO) PLL ASCOM Focuser :

SC_Setup_Focuser.jpg (152.24 KiB) Viewed 5432 times

Now, and thank you again, the actual position of the focuser is set to the panel, by changing it, the Focuser move on the new position ! Congratulation

SC_Setup_Focuser2.jpg (20.84 KiB) Viewed 5432 times

I hope my mistake help some otherwise with the same problem

[admin]

Hi,

that's good news! Maybe the old version worked properly with an older version of the hardware or something?

clear skies!

Robin