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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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It is a known issue, and has to do with the timeout.
For an unrelated, but similar API, I had to issue a connect before sending every command.

James Lancaster is working on it, and his latest status update is here

onstep.groups.io/g/main/message/12653
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4 years 6 months ago #42894

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The master branch of OnStep (version 3.0h) now has support for communicating with it over WiFi.

If your controller has a WiFi module, you need to re-flash that module with the WiFi-Bluetooth addon from the above version.

The difference is that you use port 9998, but keep using 9999 for the Android App as usual.
For INDI, you can change that under the Connect tab.

This was tested with Stellarium Mobile Plus and found to be working.

More detail here .
4 years 5 months ago #44395

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James / Alain,

Version 3.x of OnStep (which is 'master' in Github), has a new way for configuration which is much easier than before. Instead of one Config file for each board, there is a unified Config.h file.

It also has support for a persistent command channel on port 9998, which can make OnStep work over WiFi. Previously, port 9999 does not work because it times out after 2 seconds and closes the connection. The new port needs to be tested.

Another change is in how the focuser works, with new commands. Details in this message .
4 years 5 months ago #44728

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Since I haven't updated in a bit. I fixed a bug yesterday not allowing to set the slew rate, should be in the next release.

Port 9998 has worked for quite a while.

As far as the focuser, I haven't implmented it yet. I did get into the habit of using 1 micron = 1 step in Config.h. I'd like to not break it for anyone potentially using it, but I need to refresh myself on the focuser. I'll probably let it toggle.

Couple of things on my todo list (numbered for convenience, not priority):

1. Changing the MaxRate replacement (degrees per sec)
Question on this: Would people prefer a settable 50-200%, as Degrees per sec, or the 50,75, 100, 150, 200%?
2. Intervolometer support
(Might be a priority, simply because I have some D5100s, and if I could trigger them as well as the main one in Ekos, that'd be handy until the Ekos/Kstars Imaging train gets done.)
3. Focuser Changes
4. Dew heater
5. Weather support. (Read BME280/etc)
6. Tangent arm support (Plate solve then adjust?)
7. Check backlash values (Changed to allowed to 3600)
8. DC Focuser support (Not sure if that works already or not?) Might need someone who has one to help with this.
9. TMC_SPI reporting support. (I got one for testing, and finally went to put it in on this cloudy night. I unfortunately missed the: You have to have both axis be SPI if one is, so this will be working at some point, but when is a big question. Oops.)
10. Equivalent of MoveAxis support to allow for following satellites. (Kstars issue more likely than OnStep directly, as the custom rates are added in, but Kstars doesn't have a way to send the rates/information, AFAIK)

Anything anyone else wants?
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3 years 11 months ago #51548

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Would love the weather support :)

Thanks in any case!

Joachim
3 years 11 months ago #51778

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I've entered this thread to report a problem with the Slew rate... and I see that is fixed right now (but not available yet for macOS users) :). Any way, very happy to see that the driver is not dead :)

I've another question. I'm still building my OnStep system (soldering, waiting for some components to arrive, etc). Mean while I've built a prototype with a Mega board and one small 28BYJ-48 motor to see movement. Gotos speeds are reasonable, change slew rata didn't work, and I don't know if this is related, changing the speed at witch the polar assistant rotates the mount neither work. If you go to the polar assistant and star it, the 30deg slew is performed at very low speed, aside of the one that you have chosen in the combo.

Regards
3 years 11 months ago #52186

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Added to the latest master. It's read only though, and I need to look into the dew heaters, and for the BMP280 I have, add support for changing the values (and useful for a heater for anyone who doesn't have a weather sensor, or maybe I can pull that from others.)

Please let me know if anything is broken. (I don't think so, but well it can happen.)

rbarberac: That should be fixed with OnStep unless I misread conversations?
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3 years 10 months ago #53652

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Yes it's fixed on OnStep 4.X versions
3 years 10 months ago #53662

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Awesome, I will check it out.

And what you say about also making it possible to set the Onstep weather data from INDI or some other connected device makes perfect sense to me!
3 years 10 months ago #53666

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Hello,

Some suggestions:
- Adding 3 or 4 presets for the focuser.
- Perhaps; full support for the 2nd focuser (selectable in for example kstars (Focuser1, Focuser2))
- For the dew heater: backup of the previous state in the Indi configuration. For example Heater1 On when Indi starts.
For the question, I prefer a settable 50-200%

And thank you again for this work.
3 years 10 months ago #53670

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The problem is that INDI::Weather (Well, WeatherInterface more specifically) handles things as if it's a read-only value (which is usually not an unreasonable assumption). So I'll probably implement a 'setT/P/H' control above and on the same tab as a workaround, and see about sniffing weather values from other drivers as an option. To allow for dew heater operation without having the sensor on OnStep. Also probably grab OnStep's dew temp calculation, and for the heck of it, the MCU Temperature (if available on the processor).
3 years 10 months ago #53695

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Hey Ian

Thanks for all the effort you put into the driver!

I face an issue after upgrading to the lastest master. I was on tag v1.8.4 which worked fine for me.
Yesterday I pulled in the lastest master and Kstars crashed with an allocation error as as soon as I 'unpack' the mount. However, the command is send before the crash. The next time I connect, I can see the mount is tracking. When I issue a park command, bam, crash :(

I rolled back to 'd7ac975d0fac3171af62c28a298b15d2e2d4caa7'. Anything later isn't working for me.

tested with 'kstars-bleeding' on Mint Linux and 3.4.1 on macOS.
Any ideas?

best
Niko
3 years 10 months ago #54049

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