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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

It should be available soon (1 or 2 days) via SM App.
1 year 10 months ago #83027

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Good evening,

Is it possible to implement a possibility to change Alt min and Alt max values in the OnStep driver?

I use an ATM EQ fork mount based on the OnStep and I struggle with the inability to pass through a 10* circle around the Zenith, both in case of GoTo and simple tracking. I know that it's because of reaching an Overhead Limit. Several months ago I informed the OnStep developers about this problem, but I was told to use a WiFi/Ethernet module compatible with the OnStep to change the values in their mobile app. Unfortunately, I don't want to buy and install this module, especially since I use the FYSETC S6 v2.1 board, which doesn't support the most popular solution. I don't want to spend another month researching how to perform it. I repeated my question recently and finally I received a surprising answer that the ASCOM driver allows to change the values. Indeed, I can do it with the ASCOM and the Ekos seems to respect the new values and I can do the GoTo slew through the Alt=80* circle virtually and the tracking doesn't stop when it reaches the circle. I also changed the Alt min in the ASCOM driver to +10*, so I am able to check whether the Ekos receives a "Below Horizon error" and I can say that it works properly.

So please, add the values somewhere in the INDI driver to allow users modify the values, if they want it.

Best regards,
Martha
1 year 4 months ago #87965

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@ Martha,

Is this not accessible via the Elevation Min/Max in the main pane of the control panel? (the values per default -30 .. +89°)
or do you mean another parameter?
1 year 4 months ago #87966

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Hi Alain,

I know that there are values like you wrote, but the system doesn't take them into account. Similarly, in the EKos, in the mount tab also is something that sounds like the limit, but again, it doesn't matter what I place there, the mount stops "unexpected". Now I know that only the values available via ASCOM driver helped. Of course, I hoped that changing values in other places may help, but not, it didn't.

Moreover, even if I use a 17" laptop and the INDI window is always fit to the screen, I have problems understanding the description of many fields. They are displayed as a kind of abbreviation in the form of beginning of the description, some dots and the end. Lot of them are unreadable, please, believe me. Is it possible to stretch them, if the available room allows for it?

Martha.
1 year 4 months ago #87967

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@Martha,

I just checked what we are speaking about.
The two parameters are controlled by respectively
//  :Sh[sDD]#
//            Set the lowest elevation to which the telescope will goTo
//            Return: 0 on failure
//                    1 on success
and
//  :So[DD]#
//            Set the overhead elevation limit in degrees relative to the horizon
//            Return: 0 on failure
//                    1 on success

in OnStep "Command.ino"

After looking at the Indi implementation it seems that "indidriver.cpp" sends wrong command ..
int setMinElevationLimit(int fd, int min)
{
    DEBUGFDEVICE(lx200Name, DBG_SCOPE, "<%s>", __FUNCTION__);
    char read_buffer[RB_MAX_LEN] = {0};
 
    /* Add mutex */
    /*    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> guard(lx200CommsLock); */
 
    // Meade Telescope Serial Command Protocol Revision 2010.10
    // :SoDD*#
    // Set lowest elevation to which the telescope will slew
    // Returns:
    // 0 – Invalid
    // 1 - Valid
    //
    // 10Micron adds a sign and limits but removes the * in their docs.
    // :SosDD#
    // Set the minimum altitude above the horizon to which the telescope will slew to sDD degrees.
    // Valid values are between –5 and +45 degrees.
    snprintf(read_buffer, sizeof(read_buffer), ":So%02d*#", min);
 
    return (setStandardProcedure(fd, read_buffer));
}
you can see there is an additional "*" (star) in the command that could be the reason of the failure to set the parameter.

I will have to check this directly on an OnStep firmware.
You may try sending commands directly using minicom or other terminal .

The commands ":Soxx#" and "Shxx#" where xx is the angle in degrees set the values into hardware
The commands ":Go#" and ":Gh#" read the values from hardware

==================== readbility of Indi Control Panel
This is not a OnStep issue but is related to the way Indi client displays properties in the user interface (in our case Kstars / Ekos is the client.
All the drivers suffer the same symptom.
I believe this could be reported on Kstars bug report not here.
Since I do not develop actively on Kstars I will not do anything for that.
Last edit: 1 year 4 months ago by Alain Zwingelstein.
1 year 4 months ago #87971

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Wow, thank you for very fast response! :)

Unfortunately, I cannot work with serial connection, because the FYSETC S6 v2.1 (based on the STM32), which I use, allows to upload only in the DFU mode.

I already found a PDF with commands like :Go# (Get Overhead Limit) and :SoDD# (Set Overhead Limit), but I cannot send the commands. :(

But what about the "*" symbol?

Martha.
1 year 4 months ago #87973

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@Martha,

sending commands to Onstep is as simple as following:

I use minicom as a terminal emulator.
I connect to Onstep using /dev/ttyUSB0 or whatever rthe device is and setting protocol to 9600 8N1
and zoo it works

Concerning the "*" it is part of the LX200 Protocol but not implemented as that in OnStep, that makes the problem.
I am recompiling Indi to check that
1 year 4 months ago #87975

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Sounds easy, Is the minicom for Linux? Can I run it from the Astroberry?
I'll try it as soon as I turn it on. It's disassembed now.

Thank ypou very much for your support and will wait for results of your tests.

Martha
1 year 4 months ago #87976

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I have not used the FYSTEC, but if it has bluetooth connectivity you can use and adroid app to send the serial commands over bluetooth.

Just another idea to try.

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de...hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1
1 year 4 months ago #87978

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Thanks for the idea, but the BT also cannot be used unless I buy and connect it.
1 year 4 months ago #87979

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The FYSETC S6 definitely has a serial port. I know, because I am the one who ported OnStep to it.

DFU is only used when flashing the firmware to the board. Once that is done, and you power cycle the board, you should have a serial port over USB, provided that you followed the steps that are on the OnStep Wiki correctly.

One possibility is to add the commands that Alain detailed to the OnStep Python API . Then, since you use Linux, you will have Python on it, and you can run the API from the command line.

But this is temporary. The bug needs to be fixed regardless, as Alain outlined.
1 year 4 months ago #87980

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@ Martha,

Found the issue and will push the changes to Indi in the next few hours.
Unfortunately since you use Astroberry I don't know by when the new revision will be available.
Usually it takes some days until releases are available for Ubuntu but for other distros ... don't know.
I use only Git
Really strange nobody complained before for this bug. It was a double inversion so that it could work or not depending on the values .
The following user(s) said Thank You: Khalid
1 year 4 months ago #87981

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