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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Gphoto command structure, vs. the new Pentax pslr updates.

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Hi guys,
I've been working on my motor systems for a while and just turned back to the camera. Now that Pentax k-50 is working in Gphoto2 at the command line I waa wondering if anyone has tried with the indilib driver yet. I'm currently getting some errors that appear to be related to the enumerator - the bit that translates commands for each model. The K-50 and other later models have different numbers there. Before I start hacking up a k-50 version of I thought it might be good if I asked around first to see if anyone else is working on it. I haven't sent them to Marcus at Gphoto yet since the command line and most of the driver working, it just fails to trigger the shutter

Here's the errors:
Driver indi_gphoto_ccd: pentax/pslr.c:1560:scsi_write(fd, cmd, sizeof (cmd), 0, 0) failed: 2
2017-07-11T15:08:58: Driver indi_gphoto_ccd: pentax/pslr.c:1216:command(p->fd, 0, 8, 0) failed: 2
2017-07-11T15:08:58: Driver indi_gphoto_ccd: pentax/pslr.c:484:ipslr_status_full(p, &p->status) failed: 2

If there's a fix that doesn't require forking the driver that would be great too.
I'm familiar with pslr.c but not the way the indi driver interacts with it. am I right that it is calling it as a class library? Also - Still not a programmer so try to understand my ignorance when appropriate. :)

ps. fixed my mount sync problem. Next up goto and meridian flip(fear)
6 years 8 months ago #17813

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I've tried porting pslr.c to the Mac but gave up because I didn't have the Pentax API.

Tested gphoto2 with the K5-II on a Mac but it seems the driver may be working but not recognizing the K5 so give an error, unsupported camera.

I just don't have the skills but I'll cheer you on and hope you can get Pentax support on gphoto2 working.

I know that the iAstrohub developers have Pentax support working on a linux OS. You might want to contact them for help.

Good luck!
6 years 8 months ago #17838

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I recently helped get the Pentax k50 working in gphoto2 by suggesting that they reintegrate pktriggercord then testing a zillion commits for MMiesner. Gphoto's pentax driver and pktriggercord were both based on pkremote and those earlier efforts. you might want to try compiling from git source to see if your camera is now listed. you can also start an issue there if your camera is not yet listed and it would be very helpful to offer to help test. Marcus is very enthusiastic and great to work with. The docs page was still out of date last I looked and many of the newer cameras are now at least partly functional at the command line.
Hope this helps!
github.com/gphoto/libgphoto2

As for my problem i'm pretty sure it's something in the indi-driver, or i'm not holding my head right. I already started comparing code to try to find the whacky bit...especially since I've seen it work in the past. I might try compiling an old version to see if it is a regression error.
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Last edit: 6 years 8 months ago by Ray Wells.
6 years 8 months ago #17839

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Oh hey turns out I already mentioned my issue. I've been so busy I must have lost track of it. It's back on the agenda now that the eclipse is finally over. An older version of indi_gphoto_ccd made no difference. Head scratching to commence shortly.
6 years 6 months ago #19153

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Quick followup, Here's a copy of what I just posted at the k50 issue at github/libgphoto :

Eureka! I realize this is not strictly related to this issue but I wanted to share my discovery in hopes of helping more people. I was trying to work around the fiddly indilib drivers and hit upon a workaround for the K-50 bulb problem. Unlike some other cameras I've tried, the K-50 leaves its hardware trigger port enabled. I found out by taking apart a cellphone size plug and making a test plug with it. Then I ran: gphoto2 --wait-event-and-download and touched two of the wires together, and it worked! The focus trigger also works. This means hardware triggers can be used to get around the problem. They usually work by waiting for an active call to toggle on their attached usb port, to the effect of "cts low - cts high" This means I might be able to use a workaround in indilib/ekos similar to the one used for Nikon to get bulb to work on my remote telescope! I know it's not a great solution but at least now we have a direction to send folks on this issue.
cheers!
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6 years 6 months ago #19239

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Can you please write a summary about all issues regarding Pentax for the page here: indilib.org/devices/ccds/gphoto.html

This way users can get informed about Pentax. Are you using the libgphoto2-bleeding from my PPA or stock version?
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6 years 6 months ago #19244

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OOH! I hadn't heard about that! I'll go get it and see how it goes. Then work on that list. I hadn't gone directly at it because the problems are a bit glitchy and I've been trying to narrow the cause. The camera fails to trigger or triggers wrong in most circumstances with libgphoto from github. I'll try your version asap...as in right now!

Hrm. apt-get updated your PPA but didn't find libgphoto2-bleeding. --got it.
I needed to add the bleeding repo. :P
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mutlaqja/libgphoto2

edit: I had trouble with names at the repo on that one. ^^^ It might clash with the main one the way it is but for today was ahead. --or my head isn't crewed on well today. In either case, I got it finally after a fair bit of wrangling. --edit sources and enable dev then get libgphoto-* seemed to do the trick and did pull from the right ppa

Should use the bug tracker at launchpad for gphoto? sourceforge.net/p/indi/bugs/
or make a review?
Last edit: 6 years 6 months ago by Ray Wells. Reason: further developments
6 years 6 months ago #19255

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Okay, when I read the full log I made I was able to narrow the problem. It appears to be trying to use bulb mode all the time, regardless of setting. Bulb doesn't work on the later models* so we get shutter open and stay, and the requisite errors.
I'll be glad to post this where you think best, but decided not to run off and paste it willy nilly until I verified where you want the issue.

The k-50 bulb issue is due to a problem in the k-50 code. the command structure changed when they added press on-press off in menus and none of us has figured out how to get around that yet. - hence the attempts at external triggering(much of the day). Most of the basic settings appear to work, with the exception of exposure and trigger.

*ASalamon of pktriggercord fame recently reported success with bulb in the K-70 and he said it was a workaround he figured out. He had me try it in the k-50 with no help - but I wouldn't run out and buy one[k-70] based on that.
Last edit: 5 years 5 months ago by Ray Wells.
6 years 6 months ago #19275
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Thanks for the testing. Should we then declare Pentax as not supported currently due to this problem? If you can't properly expose, no use!
6 years 6 months ago #19281

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Wait a minute!

This is strange. I bought StellarMate because I have been able to control the Pentax (K-5II) with INDI based solutions like iAStroHub - and also pk-triggercord on a RPi3 (provided its the latest gpoto2 libraries). So there is definitely Pentax support out there.

I tried StellarMate yesterday and except for a little problem where linux automounts the Pentax - I just unmount it and I was able to use Kstars both locally and remotely, and control the K5 with intervals and long exposures. Presently I have a ticket open to fix the automount issue with the Pentax but otherwise its quite acceptable.

What is going on here?
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6 years 6 months ago #19291

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@knro I don't think we should give up support, in fact I think we're close, especially with the possible use of external trigger like a few Nikons do. I tested the external trigger and bulbing works great with it while using the wait and download command from gphoto, so that should make it doable in any case, Many models will likely work, though we need more testers to report on it, the fact that there aren't many complaints is a good sign, especially after the announcement about the new additions to main libgphoto2. Most of the functions are working in the current version (with the dial set to user mode) and I have seen it work at least for exposures on earlier versions of kstars/ekos. This might be just an error introduced while sorting some other camera brand since there are so many attributed to this one driver.

@Gbeaton Good to see you got something working. depending on distro, you can usually open the system file manager and access volume management that way in order to set automount of plugged in devices to off. Which Linux distro/version are you using that works? I'm not above making partition space to run this thing. :)
Could it be that the repositories are lagging as they do? if so it might lend credence to my idea that this may be a new bug. It may also be that the K5 is older and may not be susceptible to the bulb issue the k50 has. The software changing the camera to bulb and doing the timing externally(pc side) would work just fine on those models and you wouldn't even notice if it was doing that instead of setting exposure unless debug showed it.

I'll go give this another couple hours of head scratching, this time from a code perspective.
--why is it changing to bulb, and why is it reporting exposure as empty..and are they related?
--And the other line of questioning-- why didn't it change to external trigger when I set the port? --does RTS toggle high/low or low/high? Does it trigger once and hold or does it trigger and then retrigger to close? and can't we just send a string like BOO or something? :D

"You never hear about a comfortable bike saddle. ~Ray Wells 4.0"
6 years 6 months ago #19294

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Stellarmate uses ubuntu and i think iastrohub uses the raspian Linux, whatever that is :-s. And I used the os that comes with rpi3, I think raspian.
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Last edit: 6 years 6 months ago by Greg.
6 years 6 months ago #19321

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