Hi,
I worked on my INDI client for android and I am happy to announce the first release of IPARCOS.
IPARCOS
IPARCOS (Indi Protocol Android Remote COntrol Software) is an INDI client for Android. It features a generic control panel and others specialized tools to easily control your devices.
You need to allow app installs from unknown sources in Android settings (Settings > Security > Unknown sources)
Usage
1. Prerequisite
Minimum Android version: 4.0.3
An INDI server must be running on the remote computer.
You must have a network access to this computer.
To achieve this, the Android device and the remote computer can be placed on your home network.
Alternatively, you can create a wireless network with your Android device and connect the remote computer to this network (the PC address is likely to be 192.168.43.71)
2. Connection
Choose the server address in the list or touch "Add server" to add a new server in the list
Optionally, you can change the port number if you do not use the default value for the INDI protocol (7624)
Click on "Connect"
3. Use the generic control panel
Click on the gear icon in the action bar to display the generic control panel
Use the tabs to switch between the devices
The properties of the device are displayed in a list. Click on a property to edit it or show the details.
4. Control the telescope motion
Click on the icon with four arrows in the action bar to display the telescope motion control panel
The buttons will be enabled (red) or disabled (grey) depending on the devices features.
The arrows are enabled if one device provide the TELESCOPE_ABORT_MOTION, TELESCOPE_MOTION_NS and/or TELESCOPE_MOTION_WE properties
The + and - buttons are enabled if one device provide the standard property to control the speed (TELESCOPE_MOTION_RATE) or the LX200 style property (Slew Rate) or the EQMod style property (SLEWMODE)
If the device is not connected, the properties may not appears and the buttons will be disabled
Tested with RaspberryPi directly connected to HEQ 5 and Samsung galaxy S4 mini - works like a charm!
Exactly what I was looking for, thanks for the great work, keep it up!
thanks again for your great work. I have some questions and maybe suggestions to make.
I would love to use your app together with my pi as my standard interface for working with my HEQ5.
So far everything works great, motion control by joystick-buttons, park, etc.
Now I have some trouble in understanding how you implemented Alignment.
I entered my location and started from park postion (Polaris).
If I enter then the coordinates of a given star, say Vega, telescope slews to this. Now I correct
difference manually via joystick-buttons. Then once centered Vega in eyepiece, I don't understand how to
tell telescope to sync actual coordinates with the ones I entered for vega. (sync with kstars works and
alignment points are shown in the app, but I would find it really cool just to be out there with my mobile
without any laptop needed.)
Also I think it would be better if you would categorize the options tabwise, like
- actual coordinates
- telescope information (position, driver etc.)
- driver information
- alignment module
- etc.
right now scrolling down the whole list is kind of annoying.
In fact I did not implement the alignment. It only displays the generic properties. However you can still perform the alignment.
Center the star in the eyepiece
Set the "On set" property to "Sync"
Set the star coordinates in "Eq. Coordinates"
It's not very practical with the app. Ekos performs the two last operations when you click on sync. I will try to add an interface to sync and goto.
About the categories, they are defined by the driver but I can change the way they are displayed. The tabs are already used to switch between the devices. An alternative is to display only the categories names in the current interface and to open a new screen with the properties when you click on the category name.
thanks for your advice, farom. Works how you described it, although as you said not very practical.
Looking forward to a sync / goto interface.
I think only displaying the categories names and then open a new screen by clicking would
greatly improve overview of the functions and settings of one device.