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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Dithering is not executed with external lin_guider

  • Posts: 48
  • Thank you received: 7
Hello.
I am running the INDI server with Raspbian on Raspberry Pi 3.
It is very nice and fully working.

I have one problem.
I am using an external lin_guider, but dithering is not done.
When I execute the capture and shoot the first shot, "Dithering failed!" Is output to the Guide log and the capture is abort.

In LinGuider::processResponse () {case DITHER:}, lin_guider expects "OK" response, but the actual response seems to be "Long time cmd finished".

Examining the source code of lin_guider, the response waits for a timeout by the timer in lin_guider::onRemoteCmd () {case server :: DITHER:}.
And, in lin_guider::onCmdTimer (), "Long time cmd finished" is returned.
Perhaps lin_guider will not return "OK".
Is there a way to work around this problem?

My setting is as follows.

Kstars&Ekos ver2.7.5
Guide - Options - Guide Settings
Type : lin_guider
Host : 192.168.7.10
Port : 5656
Algorithm : Smart
Dither : checked, 5pixel, 1frames

lin_guider ver4.1.0
Settings
Command server
use TCP : checked
port : 5656
dithering : 5pixel
time out : 5sec

thank you.
7 years 3 weeks ago #14929

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I asked Rumen Bogdanovski from LinGuider to take a look at this, so hopefully we will hear from him soon.
7 years 3 weeks ago #14930

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Hallo,
i am not at home now and I can not check it. It is a national holiday today and I am traveling during the long weekend. I will be able to check this on Monday.
The first thing that comes to mind is to verify if you have performed calibration. Guiding and dithering will not work if the calibration is not performed. Unfortunately this can not be done via command. You have to perform this on lin_guider end.
Also you can check if lin_guider works with lg_tool, it is located in lin_guider/tools/lg_tool.pl
try:
lg_tool.pl guider start
lg_tool.pl dither
lg_tool.pl guider stop
Please let me know if this helps. If it does not I will test it on Monday.
7 years 3 weeks ago #14935

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Hello.
Thanks for the advice.
I performed a calibration before the guide.
I will check for calibration errors. And I will try lg_tool.pl tonight.
7 years 3 weeks ago #14936

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same here. calibration is successful but when first dithering is ordered it throws this "timeout error" and actually does not proceed to next shot until manual intervention. Thus I gave up on dither to collect at least some data during the night. Pity as linguider gives superior guiding performance to integrated guider(at least calibration actually works there).

Or like today for some reason during exposing 4th shot I came to the rig, checked via VNCviewer how is it going (I looked at guiding tab and examined 3th frame in FITSviewer) - all good, and when I returned 4 hours later indi was still downloading 4th frame (btw download takes no more than10s). So after first useful clear night this year I have just 3 frames and heaps of frustration. I guess there might be a hitch in some settings but can't find where. When I start imaging I get question something like "image transfer disabled, wanna unable (or opposite)?" so I click yes and shooting starts but at least this last time for first picture only, than I had to restart shooting and after 3 shots it happened again. Don't understand what is it asking. there are only 2 devices connected: QHY9 and RPi3. No client, nothing else (not counting VNCviewer and guider).
7 years 3 weeks ago #14958

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For the linguider part, we'd have to wait until Rumen replies. I changed the behavior in Ekos to resume capture even in case of dither failure since it is not usually detrimental to the capture process, but will make this configurable later.

For the 2nd issue, is QHY9 the only device in the Ekos profile?
7 years 3 weeks ago #14963

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Ok I updated Ekos behavior so that it ignores the CCD when using remote guiding application. PPA build should be ready within a couple of hours.
7 years 3 weeks ago #14973

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Hi, rumen.
I tried lg_tool.pl after doing the calibration.
"Long time cmd finished" will be returned.

I have found another problem.
When dithering is executed from Ekos, the status will be displayed as "Dither ..." and the sequence may stop.
In normal operation, Ekos first sends the SET_DITHERING_RANGE command to the external lin_guider and then the DITHER command.
However, after SET_DITHERING_RANGE is sent, there seems to be a case where DITHER is not sent.
When lin_guider receives SET_DITHERING_RANGE, it returns "OK".
This "Dither ..." problem does not always occur.

knro wrote:Thanks for the update.
I will also test it.
7 years 3 weeks ago #14978

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Didn't mention it earlier but I run whole Kstars on RPi, not just server. Only QHY9s is physically present and mounted, rest are simulators (telescope, focuser, guidecam) and guiding QHY5L-ii-m stays unconnected as being used by Lin guider. I'll try tonight with some changes and maybe keep an eye on it for a while... it's windy anyway.

btw QHY9 filterwheel still gives me requested filter +1 making unreachable 1st filter (1st returns #2, 2nd returns #3, 3rd returns #4, 4th returns #5 and 5th returns confirmation of #5 with ordinary delay but without rotating filters leaving effectively last called filter in the path). There must be some tiny hitch in the code since filterwheel works fine in EZCAP.

One last think why I prefer LG to integrated guiding interface. There is full manual control over gain and white point in linguider but in INDI it's running on auto. When there is significant change in star contrast/brightness Kstars freezes for a while when processing last image and eventually loosing guiding star or making panic corrections => guiding aborted. also reticule in LG is user-friendly as I can mark position of guide star and return there later after making some work around the mount (like fixing hand controller as last night) and it shows directions of RA and DEC.
7 years 3 weeks ago #14989

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I pushed a fix for the QHY filter wheel, should be in PPA tomorrow.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jan Hruby
7 years 3 weeks ago #14990

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Great, looking forward trying it.
7 years 3 weeks ago #14995

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For problem #14929, I fixed lin_guider.

Line 996 of lin_guider_pack / lin_guider / src / lin_guider.cpp.
-         answer_sz = snprintf (answer, answer_sz_max, "Long time cmd finished");
+         answer_sz = snprintf (answer, answer_sz_max, "OK");
Lin_guider will now return "OK" after dithering.
I will wait for the correct fix by rumen.

However, the problem of #14978 has not been solved yet.
My Ekos sometimes stops as "Dither ...".
This does not always happen, it seems to be caused by bad timing.
7 years 2 weeks ago #15082

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