I will test all the above, cause it is exactly what I need and report back.

In addition to that, I do believe that is "the best" way of refocusing, at least from my point of view it is better than refocusing at N frames, or N temp. It would be a much quicker and more reliable way of focusing and keeping steady the HFR in a sequence.

Great, thx.

You might also be interested in Adaptive Focus. If you get it working well then you should be able to reduce the number of refocuses that are needed. It does take a little effort to get it setup.

There is more info in the Handbook's Focus section...
docs.kde.org/trunk5/en/kstars/kstars/tool-ekos.html#ekos-focus

Search for "Adaptive Focus".

I don't think many folks are using it as its quite new. I use it (just for temperature, not altitude) and it seems to work quite well. I do still refocus though.

Sure, I’m gonna check that too!

Thanks!

John, I'm puzzled..

As I can see the field is not updating.



Also, in Capture when the "In sequence HFR based refocus starting..." appears I can see in the log that it is actually refocusing, not cross-checking with the previous value. (cause it is 0,000px ?)

<code>[2023-08-15T23:50:31.803 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.scheduler] - Guide State "Guiding"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.180 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "In sequence HFR based refocus starting..."
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.181 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "In sequence HFR based refocus starting..."
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.183 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - Focus State changed from "Complete" to "In Progress"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.186 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Starting Autofocus on "ASI EAF" Filter: "O" Exp: 15 Bin: "1x1" Gain: -60 ISO: ""
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.186 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Settings Tab. Auto Select Star: yes Dark Frame: no Sub Frame: no Box: 48 Full frame: yes Focus Mask: "Ring Mask: [0%, 60%]" Suspend Guiding: yes Guide Settle: 5 Display Units: "Pixels" Adaptive Focus: no Min Move: 1 Adapt Start: no Max Total Move: 1000
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.186 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Process Tab. Detection: "SEP" SEP Profile: "MyFocusStarProf" Algorithm: "Linear 1 Pass" Curve Fit: "Hyperbola" Measure: "HFR" PSF: "Gaussian" Use Weights: yes R2 Limit: 0.8 Refine Curve Fit: yes Average Over: 1 Num.of Rows: 3 Sigma: 1.5 Threshold: 150 Kernel size: 5 Tolerance: 1
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.186 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Mechanics Tab. Initial Step Size: 5 Out Step Multiple: 5 Number Steps: 11 Max Travel: 60000 Max Step Size: 100000 Driver Backlash: 0 AF Overscan: 100 Focuser Settle: 5 Walk: "Classic" Capture Timeout: 30 Motion Timeout: 30
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.186 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - CFZ Tab. Algorithm: "Classic" Tolerance: 0.33 Tolerance (τ): 3 Display: yes Wavelength (λ): 496 Aperture (A): 72 Focal Ratio (f): 5.56 Step Size: 5 FWHM (θ): 3
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.187 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Autofocus in progress..."
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.187 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - State: "In Progress"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.187 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Linear: Travel 60000 initStep 5 pos 13488 min 0 max 60000 maxIters 30 tolerance 0.01 minlimit 0 maxlimit 60000 init#steps 5 algo 3 backlash 0 curvefit 1 useweights 1"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.187 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Linear: initialPosition 13513 sized 5"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.187 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Linear: extending outward movement by overscan 100"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.187 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Focusing outward by 125 steps..."
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.188 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - In-sequence focusing started...
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.188 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.scheduler] - Focus State "In Progress"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.189 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.scheduler] - Capture State "Focusing"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.213 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "PHD2: Guiding paused."
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.215 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - Guiding state changed from "Guiding" to "Suspended"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.221 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Guiding suspended."
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.222 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.scheduler] - Guide State "Suspended"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.436 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - ASI EAF : "[INFO] Focuser is moving to position 13613 "
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.436 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Abs Focuser position changed to 13497 State: Busy
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.436 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Restarting focus motion timer...
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.939 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Abs Focuser position changed to 13613 State: Busy
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.940 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Restarting focus motion timer...
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.941 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Undoing overscan extension. Moving back in by 100"
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.941 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Focusing inward by 100 steps..."
[2023-08-15T23:50:35.944 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - ASI EAF : "[INFO] Focuser reached requested position. "
[2023-08-15T23:50:36.187 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - ASI EAF : "[INFO] Focuser is moving to position 13513 "
[2023-08-15T23:50:36.187 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Restarting focus motion timer...
[2023-08-15T23:50:36.442 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Abs Focuser position changed to 13556 State: Busy
[2023-08-15T23:50:36.443 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Restarting focus motion timer...
[2023-08-15T23:50:36.945 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Abs Focuser position changed to 13513 State: Busy
[2023-08-15T23:50:36.946 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Restarting focus motion timer...
[2023-08-15T23:50:36.947 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Focus position reached at 13513, starting capture in 5 seconds."
[2023-08-15T23:50:36.948 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - ASI EAF : "[INFO] Focuser reached requested position. "
[2023-08-15T23:50:41.697 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - Focus State changed from "Idle" to "Changing Filter"
[2023-08-15T23:50:41.741 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - ASI EFW : "[INFO] Setting current filter to slot 5 "
[2023-08-15T23:50:44.731 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - Focus State changed from "Changing Filter" to "Idle"
[2023-08-15T23:50:44.731 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Capturing image..."
[2023-08-15T23:50:47.856 EEST WARN ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "{Device: ZWO CCD ASI533MM Pro Property: CCD1 Element: CCD1 Chip: 0}" Ignoring Received FITS as it has the wrong capture mode 1

.
..
.
.
.
.</code>

The "Autofocus if HFR >" field starts at 0 pixels. Then an Autofocus run gets the starting HFR, say 1.0pixels. Your modified % is applied and the field should update to 1.06pixels. On the third sub the in-sequence focus check would take a focus frame and calculate the HFR, say X pixels. The check is then, X against 1.06.

Is this what you're getting?

Nop, the value on the field stays at 0.000, just like in the pic. The pic was taken while I was in the middle of the session.
I can't see anywhere in the log that the "Current HFR is below ..... required minimum HFR:.... Autofocus Succesful", or anything similar that it is actually making any comparison.

Thanks for the log. From what I can see there wasn't an initial Autofocus run to set the initial HFR so I guess that's why its started at 0 px. Presumably, then the comparison is always against 0 px hence an autofocus run for each in sequence check.

So the question would be, why isn't there an initial Autofocus at the start?

John, my Scheduler was supposed to start at 22:11 last night. This is the Focus step from Scheduler, isn't it?

Thx again Euripides, you're right, I missed that.

I've tried to recreate the issue on the Sims but, as yet, no luck. I'm guessing its to do with filter offsets and have tried a few options but can't reproduce the problem. Could you please post a screenshot of Filter Settings for the O and Lum filters (seems like these are the 2 involved in your sequence).

Thanks.

Till yesterday I had this issue indilib.org/forum/ekos/13600-solved-focus-twice.html that as I understand the resolution was to uncheck the AutoFocus on every filter (cause I use offsets).

So yesterday I had those settings with no issue.

John, update:

I've triggered manually the autofocus procedure and the value changed.


But through Scheduler Steps it is not working:





After manually setting the value, it works. So probably there is a bug on Scheduler.

[2023-08-16T22:44:04.154 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Image received."
[2023-08-16T22:44:04.164 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Detecting sources..."
[2023-08-16T22:44:04.656 EEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - "Detection complete."
[2023-08-16T22:44:04.657 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Focus newFITS # 1 : Current HFR 1.14957 Num stars 62
[2023-08-16T22:44:04.660 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Current HFR: 1.14957 is below required minimum HFR: 1.53 . Autofocus successful.
[2023-08-16T22:44:04.660 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Stopping Focus
[2023-08-16T22:44:04.660 EEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.focus] - Settled. State: "Complete"

Thx, I'll try and reproduce the issue again on the sims