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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Controlling multiple dslr with Ekos

  • Posts: 26
  • Thank you received: 1
I'm trying to control 3 DSLR's with Ekos. I read this threat indilib.org/forum/ekos/512-controlling-3...os.html?limitstart=0 , but this doesn't seem to help me.

In device manager, I do get another GPhoto CCD tab to connect to when I add a new host.. but guess that's twice the same camera. (I don't get another option in drop down for camera control. And I noticed the name becoming GPhoto CCD 2 when I add a local device (not connected though..)

On the camera's I can see that only 1 of them goes into the 'PC-modus'.

How can I control multiple camera's using the gphoto_ccd driver?
Last edit: 7 years 11 months ago by chrisvdberge.
7 years 11 months ago #7843

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A quick way is to edit /usr/share/indi_gphoto.xml file and add 3 custom names. For example:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<driversList>
<devGroup group="CCDs">
        <device label="Canon DSLR">
                <driver name="GPhoto CCD">indi_gphoto_ccd</driver>
                <version>1.4</version>
        </device>
        <device label="Nikon DSLR">
                <driver name="GPhoto CCD">indi_gphoto_ccd</driver>
                <version>1.4</version>
        </device>
        <device label="GPhoto CCD">
                <driver name="GPhoto CCD">indi_gphoto_ccd</driver>
                <version>1.4</version>
	</device>
        <device label="My Camera #1">
                <driver name="GPhoto CCD">indi_gphoto_ccd</driver>
                <version>1.4</version>
	</device>
        <device label="My Camera #2">
                <driver name="GPhoto CCD">indi_gphoto_ccd</driver>
                <version>1.4</version>
	</device>
        <device label="My Camera #3">
                <driver name="GPhoto CCD">indi_gphoto_ccd</driver>
                <version>1.4</version>
	</device>
</devGroup>
</driversList>
7 years 11 months ago #7844

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Thx. Just wondering if I then need to start the INDI server in a different way, or just regular with 1 time the indi_gphoto_ccd driver?
(I guess I'm wondering how the driver knows it has mutliple camera's connected, and which is which.. )

Furthermore; do you mean to do the edit on the server side or on the client? And I guess you mean the /usr/share/indi/indi_gphoto.xml file? For which I get the message I don't have the rights to edit it.
Last edit: 7 years 11 months ago by chrisvdberge.
7 years 11 months ago #7845

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From terminal in KDE:
sudo kate /usr/share/indi/indi_gphoto.xml

From Gnome/Mate:
sudo gedit /usr/share/indi/indi_gphoto.xml

For consistency sake, you should edit the file on both the server and client side. With that done, you can control 3 CCDs from Ekos. Select your primary camera as the CCD, and then select the other two cameras from the Aux1 and Aux2 combo boxes.

Alternatively, you can start more than one INDI GPhoto driver if you start the server in FIFO mode:

In one terminal, run indiserver
mkfifo /tmp/indiFIFO
indiserver -v -m 100 -f /tmp/indiFIFO

In another terminal:
echo "start indi_gphoto_ccd -n \"My Camera #1\"" > /tmp/indiFIFO     
echo "start indi_gphoto_ccd -n \"My Camera #2\"" > /tmp/indiFIFO     
...etc

So this is another method to establish INDI server on the server side. I think the XML solution would be the easier to use.
7 years 11 months ago #7847

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Many thanks for your assistance. I edited the xml on both the client and the server.
However, I still can't figure out how to get them to appear in the drop downs so I can select them in the Aux boxes. (they are not there)
I DO see my added camera's in the devices list when I go there from tools->devices->device manager

any steps I'm missing/doing wrong?
7 years 11 months ago #7848

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You should see them in local but not in remote. Remote only lists unique drivers (no labels). To add labels, go to Options --> Ekos and fill the exact labels in the Remote Device Names as you have in drivers.xml. Then you should see them appear in the dropdown menu.
7 years 11 months ago #7849

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Ok, I added them in the Options and can select them in the drop down. However, when I start INDI only a single tab opens up in control panel named 'GPhoto CCD'.
When I go to the Device Manager they are indeed also there. Starting them as Local opens up 2 new tabs with correct naming of my camera label in the INDI Control Panel, however I cannot connect to them. Seems to make sense to me since the camera's are connected to the server, not locally.
However, if I start the devices from Device Manager in Server Mode, nothing happens.

I'm sure I'm overlooking something easy, but cannot figure out what.

So my steps;

- Edit /usr/share/indi/indi_gphoto.xml and add 2 camera's with different device labels, but with the same driver name. Is this correct?
- start the INDI server on my raspberry pi using: indiserver -v -m 100 indi_gphoto_ccd
- open Ekos
- the added labels are listed in the drop downs for CCD and Aux 1. (added this through Ekos->options)
- Start INDI
- The INDI Control Panel starts up with 1 tab named "GPhoto CCD".
- I can Connect to the device and start using 1 of my camera's.

Please advice where I miss something or am going in the wrong direction ;)
7 years 11 months ago #7850

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No, you are creating an INDI server with just ONE driver. The XML method works fine for local drivers. For remote drivers such as GPhoto which cannot handle multiple devices, then you must start INDI server in FIFO mode, and then start each driver by using "echo start ....etc" and name each driver individually as I explained previously. Then in Ekos set the names as you did when starting each driver in FIFO mode.
7 years 11 months ago #7852

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Ok clear, thx.

Trying the FIFO method, I can successfully add the camera's (I get the tab pop up on the INDI Control Panel), but I can only connect to the first one. Second one simply states: "Can not open camera: Power OK?"
7 years 11 months ago #7855

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