Error after focuser connects!

[humblepie]

Hi,
In SharpCap version 4.1.11433 I connect my GCUSB-nFOCUS it works for about 10 seconds in this time the focuser moves and the readout
also changes. Then I get an error that read error while trying to connect .... details unknown name.

Out side of SharpCap the focuser works fine with the driver/software that it comes with and it works fine with other capture software.

Any help would be appreciated I also have an image of the error message on my hard drive.

[admin]

Hi,

the most useful thing to me would be to have the SharpCap log captured after trying to use the focuser and seeing the error - that will contain all the information that I hopefully need to find/understand the issue.

I did have the GCUSB focuser at one point and had it working with SharpCap. Unfortunately I had a bit of an accident with the telescope slipping out of the dovetail. It landed on and broke the GCUSB focus motor, but luckily everything else survived. It could have been worse!

cheers,

Robin

[humblepie]

Hi Robin,
Thanks for the tips. Please see attachment

Log_2023-12-14T14_55_42-6204.log

Log file for the GCUSB focuser error

(169.97 KiB) Downloaded 368 times

Thanks
Troy

[admin]

Hi Troy,

from the logs, it looks like the ASCOM communication with the focuser driver is failing as it tries to connect. I have a feeling that what is going on is that older ASCOM focuser drivers had a 'Link' property for connecting, this has now been replaced by a 'Connected' property and ASCOM is supposed to hide the difference from applications like SharpCap. It doesn't look like that is happening and SharpCap is trying to set the connect status and getting an error that the property is not found.

The first troubleshooting steps to try are

* Check you have the latest version of the ASCOM platform and update if you don't (reinstall if you do wouldn't be a bad idea)
* Check you have the latest ASCOM driver for the nStep and update if you don't

Hopefully one of those will fix the issue,

cheers,

Robin

[humblepie]

Yes I have the latest drives installed.
I did install an old version of SharpCap 3.2.6433 and the focuser works with no problems so I think
something has been changed in the newer SharpCap code.

I could just use old version of SharpCap but unfortunately it tries to run my latest camera in direct show
or via ascom - so no direct support for the ASI462mm.

[admin]

Hi,

unfortunately lots of things have changed, including using a newer version of the ASCOM platform components inside SharpCap which could be causing the incompatibility.

Can you let me know the exact versions of

* ASCOM Platform
* Focuser ASCOM Driver
* SharpCap 4.1

that you have installed - that will let me try to set up a matching environment to test.

cheers,

Robin

[humblepie]

Yes sure,
Ascom 6.6 sp2
SharCap 4,1.11388
nFocus 5.0.5v6

Thanks

[admin]

Hi,

I just had a look on the rigel systems web site, and I can see that the latest NSTEP driver is 8.0.1 (see https://www.rigelsys.com/steppermotor.html#software). Before I broke my nstep, I was using 6.0.0.2, so I think that 5.0.5 is a rather old version of the NSTEP Ascom driver. Hopefully updating to the latest version will fix the issue for you.

cheers,

Robin

[humblepie]

Hi thanks for your persistence.
I have a different version of controller - I own this version here: https://www.rigelsys.com/crayfordmotornfocus.html
On this controller the driver is 5.0.5 latest. But I did try the drivers to the nstep and it's not compatible to the controller I have.

Thanks

[admin]

Hi,

Ok, no problem - I still think the update is the key, and I just found this folder full of various versions of installer for what I think is the older version of the hardware :

http://www.astrogene1000.com/products/gcusb_nstep/

I can't see the 5.0.5 that you have in that folder, but I can see 5.0.4 and 5.0.6 and they are dates 2011, so quite old.

I would suggest trying this version which looks to be the latest for that hardware and is dated 2016 - I think it is quite close to the version I was using successfully before my mishap...

http://www.astrogene1000.com/products/g ... v6.0.5.zip

Hopefully this will help

Robin