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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

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I agree with Alain here.
Simple solutions are usually the best.
Complex solutions are rarely needed, and always have drawbacks, either immediately or in the future (technical debt).

Having the BME280 on an SHC will work, but also incurs some considerations, such as:

- We now need an SHC that is always connected
- We need an ST4 port
- If it is a WiFi SHC, then it needs a power source
- In either case, we have one more device that polls OnStep constantly
- More cables ...

Related: I have a room sensor based on the BME280, and to exclude the heat generated from the ESP8266 that runs it, I just extended the cable from the case. That is all that is needed.
1 year 2 weeks ago #91226

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To All,

I have issued a pull request for version 1.18 that enables Focuser Temperature Compensation Control (Compensation is done at firmware level) .
Hope this will help some people.
1 year 2 weeks ago #91246

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Latest lx200_OnStep driver version 1.18 was successfully merged into main branch of Indi.

Packaged versions should be available soon for most common distros:
- Raspberry
- Ubuntu
- Stellarmate

For other distros, either one has to wait that maintainers update the packages or compile from source.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Wieslaw Stawiski
1 year 2 weeks ago #91257

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Finally got my changes uploaded:

github.com/james-lan/indi/tree/azwing-mychanges

Mostly amounts to checking on probe (I think all OnStep > 3.6 are good. However, Not sure if all versions will return or if they'll timeout.) Changing types to use double specifically vs the int (and it handles that error, if not doubles) and moving it to it's own update function.

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The (BMP/BME)280 series temperature isn't the most reliable for ambient conditions, as the temp sensor is intended mostly to compensate the pressure sensor. It will be a bit hotter than all the other sensors I've tested by 1-2C, unless read only rarely. (30sec+) It is good for low power though. I've used them for wifi sensors that last for a *long* time on batteries.
1 year 1 week ago #91274

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Hello,

I’ve been out for two weeks and wasn’t able to test anything, sorry.
Yesterday I tried to compile INDI and in two OnStep tabs - weather and focuser - the right temperature is presented. Well done, thanks!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make KStars working properly - the compiled version has some issues - most likely with optical train, as it wasn’t possible to set it working - and in the end EKOS still uses weather temperature in the focuser module.

It might be operating system related, as I compiled and tested it on Raspbian OS.
Tonight I’m going to try on Ubuntu and we'll see what happens.
1 year 1 week ago #91277

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I used many BMP280 and BME280 sensors in environmental / weather stations and like to confirm, they are not the ultimate source of temperature level. Also my other sensors, like e.g. SCD41 use internal temperature measurements only to determine, if the ambient temperature compensation is properly adjusted.
That’s why I voted for extending INDI functionality in order to be able to use telescope temperature probes, like Dallas DS18B20, for more precise calculations.
1 year 1 week ago #91278

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James,

I will take a look in your changes and will include it into my Master.
Issuing a pull request might be delayed a bit since I am pretty sure some other request will arise from users.
The following user(s) said Thank You: james_lan
1 year 1 week ago #91281

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Wieslaw,

the fact that Ekos is using or not the right temperature is not relevant for the focuser T° compensation.
The compensation is done by the firmware and this is OK.
The less control functions we have on Ekos side the better.
All the low level controls should stay in the firmware ensuring they work in standalone mode.
In my opinion Ekos should stay a high level scheduler and process only sequences.
Indi Control panel function is to adjust setpoints and display status ...

OnStep as a firmware should do everything else even is connected only with a simple push button blind hand controller.
1 year 1 week ago #91283

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I don't think 1Wire DS1820 are more accurate or less than BME sensors.
It is only a matter on where the sensors are located, and who cares about +/- 0,5°C ...
In the BME the T° sensor does not compensate Pressure but Moisture to calculate Hr.
And for having tested on a calibration bench all type of sensors (DS1820, Thermistors, BME280, BME680 and BMP280) I can confirm they all are reliable and accurate as per specifications.
The only sensor that has some T° issues is the BME680 when used also as gas analysor since the catalyst plate heating is influencing the T° sensor, but is T°/P/Hr mode only they are pretty good.

With an electronic calculator one may get results with 10 decimals after the comma but it does not make any sense since the measurement tool is accurate at 5% just a question of order of magnitude! I still use my calculation ruler :-)
1 year 1 week ago #91284

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About last change in V1.18 of OnStep Driver,

did anybody have the chance to test it?
1 year 3 days ago #91450

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I still have problems to build INDI and drivers so I'm simply waiting new release
1 year 3 days ago #91461

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Hi Denis,

It is pretty normal to have issues building a software from source even if one follows the "rules".
Usually it is related to some unmet dependencies and this is distribution dependent.
Example I use "Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye)" and this is most probably the worst case since Debian is well known for stability at the price of being conservative with the newest releases of packages.
Most probably "Ubuntu/Kubuntu" distros are likely to be more friendly on this side so most of the requirements can be resolved.

Even I am building Indi, indi-3rdparty and Kstars practically daily without issues, it happens that sometimes dependencies are either missing or libs anot updated correctly, this is "normal" but after some search and logs review it becomes quite easy to solve these kind of issues.

I don't know your skills but probaly but don't worry, mine are not very deep when it comes to programming, I am a poor engineer that had no computer nor electronic calculator at school. I bought my first TI59 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-59_/_TI-58 in 1980, I was 24 at this time and was really happy to be the proud owner of such a "POWERFULL machine".

I would like to help you to solve your compilation issues but therefore I need some more information on your system:
- What hardware do you have?
- Which Distribution are you using?
- what are the errors (best are copy of compilation output)
1 year 3 days ago #91464

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