Re:Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

ok ! New thread is create : indilib.org/forum/development/5153-teena...driver-for-indi.html

thanks in advance for help and thanks for onstep

Hi azwing,
What settings do you have in your Onstep for the meridian flip? (Auto or Off?)
I can't get the meridian flip working, this is what I did:

1) Align Onstep
2) Enable meridian flips in Kstars (set to 0.1h). Onstep is set to 30 degrees so Kstars will flip it first.
3) Slew to near the meridian (telescope on the West side, so it definitely has to flip)
4) Observe the Kstars "meridian flip counter" starts to count down
5) When the counter reaches 0, Kstars indicates that a meridian flip is in progress. However Onstep doesn't move (the App does indicate the "Goto" icon though).
If I then click the "Meridian Flip Now" button in the Onstep app, the mount flips.
Am I missing something out or is something set incorrectly?

I tried both having auto meridian flips in Onstep set to on and off, and it made no difference.

simingx wrote: 2) Enable meridian flips in Kstars (set to 0.1h). Onstep is set to 30 degrees so Kstars will flip it first.
...
5) When the counter reaches 0, Kstars indicates that a meridian flip is in progress. However Onstep doesn't move (the App does indicate the "Goto" icon though).

This will not work.
You need to set OnStep so that it will trigger a flip at the same time that KStars will. That is, they are synchronized.

What you did should work if you set KStars to, say 0.5hr, and OnStep to 7.5 degrees.

kbahey wrote:

simingx wrote: 2) Enable meridian flips in Kstars (set to 0.1h). Onstep is set to 30 degrees so Kstars will flip it first.
...
5) When the counter reaches 0, Kstars indicates that a meridian flip is in progress. However Onstep doesn't move (the App does indicate the "Goto" icon though).

This will not work.
You need to set OnStep so that it will trigger a flip at the same time that KStars will. That is, they are synchronized.

What you did should work if you set KStars to, say 0.5hr, and OnStep to 7.5 degrees.

Hi Khalid,
I saw that it's supposed to work here: indilib.org/forum/development/1406-drive...html?start=480#34461
Maybe I will try setting the limit in Onstep to be the same in Kstars and try again

simingx wrote: Hi Khalid,
I saw that it's supposed to work here: indilib.org/forum/development/1406-drive...html?start=480#34461

I forgot (or never saw) this feature.

If that is the case, then it should work. Maybe it is never made it to the kstars-bleeding (which is from Jasem's PPA)?

In any case, let us know what ends up working for you.

Hmm, I think I see the problem...
There is not a "Meridian Flip Now" button in the INDI driver, like the Onstep APP or Sky Planetarium has.
So, maybe the driver does not support the "forced" meridian flip command as of yet?

Unfortunately it is not possible for me to "avoid" imaging across the meridian, as the interesting targets (M20 et al) do pass it during the course of the night (unless I am really careful in scheduling their capture).

Unfortunately, there's not really a good way to have that done, the best way is the automatic one, where Ekos will issue a goto while imaging. (There's no request meridian flip function, it's literally a goto)

Set it to autoflip, no stop at home. Set the preferred side to east.

I can see about adding in a manual :MN# (Which does not guarantee a flip, you also have to set the limits right.) (Literally in OnStep's code, (unless changed) all it does is assume preferred east and issue a goto)

james_lan wrote: Unfortunately, there's not really a good way to have that done, the best way is the automatic one, where Ekos will issue a goto while imaging. (There's no request meridian flip function, it's literally a goto)

Set it to autoflip, no stop at home. Set the preferred side to east.

I can see about adding in a manual :MN# (Which does not guarantee a flip, you also have to set the limits right.) (Literally in OnStep's code, (unless changed) all it does is assume preferred east and issue a goto)

Hi!
Thanks for the information!
Would you be able to share your configuration (Onstep limits and Ekos settings for "flip after..." so I can test it on my own setup before bringing it out under the stars? I'd like to get a feel for how it works.

Thought I'd mention this just because I thought it was neat when someone shared the tip with me... When I'm imaging across the meridian, pretty much always due to trees, I turn off all the auto flips and set the mount to east facing west, then "back" it over to east to pick up the high target, watching for mount clearance. That way I can track all night and don't have to reset everything when it flips.

james_lan wrote: Unfortunately, there's not really a good way to have that done, the best way is the automatic one, where Ekos will issue a goto while imaging. (There's no request meridian flip function, it's literally a goto)

Set it to autoflip, no stop at home. Set the preferred side to east.

I can see about adding in a manual :MN# (Which does not guarantee a flip, you also have to set the limits right.) (Literally in OnStep's code, (unless changed) all it does is assume preferred east and issue a goto)

I got this working, thanks!
My settings for testing:

Onstep preferred pier side: East, Autoflips ON, no pause at Home
Onstep meridian limits : 12 minutes (I suspect, as long as this value is more than that in Ekos, it should be fine. Just make sure Onstep doesn't flip before Ekos does)
Ekos "Flip if HA >" : 0.1h (6 minutes. May be more in practice)

The mount flips as desired when the countdown timer in Ekos reaches 0

simingx wrote: I got this working, thanks!
My settings for testing:

Onstep preferred pier side: East, Autoflips ON, no pause at Home
Onstep meridian limits : 12 minutes (I suspect, as long as this value is more than that in Ekos, it should be fine. Just make sure Onstep doesn't flip before Ekos does)
Ekos "Flip if HA >" : 0.1h (6 minutes. May be more in practice)

The mount flips as desired when the countdown timer in Ekos reaches 0

So, all that is needed is to have the Ekos setting less than OnStep's setting?

Pretty much as well as pier side to east or preferred (not west)

OnStep has as I recall 3 settings that are important:
Minutes? past meridian East = how far east to move to east if a goto is done (= Greater than Ekos setting)
Same West, either autoflip or stop tracking (=Whatever, this should Not be the trigger)
Autoflip (=on)
Preferred meridian side (=e)
stop at polar home (=off)

Ok, 5
We want to be in the range of E > ekos > W limit
As long as ekos' goto triggers the flip, we are good. (I think it has been corrected, but a while back it wouldn't wait for the flip to be done.)