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[Tool] Ekos sequence generator

  • Posts: 6
  • Thank you received: 1
Hi,

I'm currently searching for a sequence generator tool.
A simple command line tool where you set the full time of your shoot and the exposure of a single light.
Then the tool generates a sequence file that fits your wishes base on default template configuration (path, gain, etc.)

Do you know if such a tool exists and if it has sens ?


Where I find documentation about sequence format like xsd in order to create one that fits my needs ?

Thanks and regards,

Pack
1 year 8 months ago #84486

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I don't think there is such a tool. Regarding the sequence format, unfortunately neither the sequence (.esq) nor the scheduler (.esl) file formats are properly documented. Maybe you can help us to finally officially document these formats and include them in the documentation?
Last edit: 1 year 8 months ago by Jasem Mutlaq.
1 year 8 months ago #84493

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  • Posts: 39
  • Thank you received: 9

Hi,

provided a sequence generator is a good idea IMO, many of us tend to use the scheduler to do what you want: prepare in advance some "standard" sequences, to be repeated or stopped early by the scheduler. Example:

- Prepare some sequences, with different standard exposure/gain/offset (1 for 120s Gain 100 Offset 20, 2 for 180s Gain 100 Offset 20, 1 for.....), all lasting 1 hour (i.e. 30 shots for exposure 120s, 20 shots for 180s, etc.).
- When preparing your actual session, choose the right sequence for exposure, gain and offset and set it in a scheduler job, selecting one of the "Repeat <something>" options: your 1-hour sequence will be repeated n times, or until a datetime, or indefinitely (depending on which of the "Repeat ..." you chose), stopping at configured time or by "job constraints" (i.e. twilight, subject altitude, moon, weather...), whichever comes first.

Hope this helps.

Matteo
1 year 8 months ago #84502

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  • Posts: 6
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Hi,
thanks for the reply.
Your approach to repeat a sequence in the scheduler until having the good amount of light time is a good idea.
And it is easier than create a dedicated tool. I'll try that.

But for handling DOFs in the scheduler, what is the best approach :
- one sequence with all (light + DOFs)
- one sequence for lights, one sequence for DOFs
- one sequence for each kind

How do you do ?

And same question if you handle lrgb filters ?

Thanks for your feedback.

Regards,

Pack
1 year 8 months ago #84505

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  • Posts: 39
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I'd make two sequences: one for the lights, and one for the calibration frames, and two correnpondent scheduler jobs. The calibration one should have dusk/dawn check disabled and lower priority than the lights one. This way, when is imaging time, the lights job will run. When dawn arrive, lights job will be stopped by constraints, and calibration job will be free to run.

If you have all the robotics to do this without human intervention (which I have not), in theory you could go sleep and wake in the morning ready to start processing :woohoo:
For LRGB or narrow band, it totally depends on how you want to image: some prefer to use one whole night for single filter, to avoid small problems caused by filter wheel inherent positioning error and related flat mismatch. In this case there's nothing different from what we have already said.
If you plan to exchange filters during the night, and want to distribute them evenly across subject altitude variation, your only option is define a sequence containing all filters: for instance, keeping base 1 hour, you could do 12x120s L, 4x180s R, 4x180s G, 4x180s B, and let the sequence repeat until dawn; or any other combination.
1 year 8 months ago #84540

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