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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Job sequencer / auto guide problems

  • Posts: 23
  • Thank you received: 1
When I'm doing a mosaic sequence, everything starts out ok. It slews to the 1st frame, focuses, aligns and begins auto guiding with a normal pick a star - calibrate - guide sequence. It then takes the required exposures.

The problem starts with the 2nd frame. It does a normal slew and align but then begins auto-guiding without selecting a new star. It tries to guide on "nothing" until it errors out. Only then does it select a new guide star and begin imaging. In the mean time it may have produced any number of unguided images.

Attempting to stop the guiding only makes things worse because it goes all the way back to re-calibration when that is unnecessary.

A second problem is that the job sequencer will not reset properly. It keeps all job status' at "completed" and will not re-run the set.
AT8RC Astrograph on CGX mount
ASI-071 C camera or
Pentax K3ii DSLR
60mm Orion guide scope w/QHY5II camera
Feather Touch 2" focuser w/ Focus Lynx auto focus
PPB Power Center, GPS, Temp/Humidity Sensor
7 port powered USB hub to HP Laptop over 30' powered USB cable
KStars / EKOS
The following user(s) said Thank You: Alfred
4 years 10 months ago #39392

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Please include the logs.
4 years 10 months ago #39401

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Here are the logs....
AT8RC Astrograph on CGX mount
ASI-071 C camera or
Pentax K3ii DSLR
60mm Orion guide scope w/QHY5II camera
Feather Touch 2" focuser w/ Focus Lynx auto focus
PPB Power Center, GPS, Temp/Humidity Sensor
7 port powered USB hub to HP Laptop over 30' powered USB cable
KStars / EKOS
4 years 10 months ago #39414
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Hi Viejo,
sure that these are the right logs? This is a run during daytime with simulator for guiding and CCD. And everything seems to run flawlessly.
The second problem you mention might come from the fact that the option "Remember job progress" is selected in the EKOS options.

- Wolfgang
4 years 10 months ago #39449

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Hi Wolfgang -

Thanks for your quick reply. Yes, that's the right log. I live in one of the foggiest places in the US and only have limited time to observe. I'm running sims to get all the kinks out so I don't waste valuable observing time trying to figure things out while shivering in the dark.

The problem persists. When changing frames on a mosaic, the guider goes straight back to auto-guide without grabbing a new image and finding a new guide star. However if it does an automatic meridian flip, it detects that the pier side has changed and goes all the way back to find a new star and re-calibrate. Today I'll try to run a mosaic on an object at the meridian that requires a flip in the middle and send you that log so we can see it it shows any difference.

The remember-job-progress switch fixed the other problem, thanks.
AT8RC Astrograph on CGX mount
ASI-071 C camera or
Pentax K3ii DSLR
60mm Orion guide scope w/QHY5II camera
Feather Touch 2" focuser w/ Focus Lynx auto focus
PPB Power Center, GPS, Temp/Humidity Sensor
7 port powered USB hub to HP Laptop over 30' powered USB cable
KStars / EKOS
4 years 10 months ago #39515

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Do I get it right, you are using the internal guider, right? Maybe you should give PHD2 a try, it works well with EKOS.

- Wolfgang
4 years 10 months ago #39517

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Yes, I'm using the EKOS guider. I was trying to keep everything in one unified package. I guess I'll have to install PHD2 and learn it. Do you know if it will run properly in the simulator?

In any case, I think this remains a bug in EKOS that should be looked into.
AT8RC Astrograph on CGX mount
ASI-071 C camera or
Pentax K3ii DSLR
60mm Orion guide scope w/QHY5II camera
Feather Touch 2" focuser w/ Focus Lynx auto focus
PPB Power Center, GPS, Temp/Humidity Sensor
7 port powered USB hub to HP Laptop over 30' powered USB cable
KStars / EKOS
4 years 10 months ago #39520

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Yes, you need to install PHD2 - and yes, it has a learning curve. There is a simulator included in PHD2 so that you can run it standalone.

I guess your problem is a bug. I will take a closer look, but this module is new for me, since I use PHD2.

- Wolfgang
4 years 10 months ago #39521

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Please note that you can also use the INDI simulator guider in phd2 and the INDI mount for a more realistic test than the phd2 simulator
4 years 10 months ago #39525

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Hi Wolfgang - I've re-run the simulation of a 2x2 mosaic of an object as it crosses the meridian. The logs show both the proper handling of the meridian flip and the poor behavior when switching from panel to panel in the mosaic. I've made some notes in the log and you can find them by searching for the string "????". In the meantime I'll be installing and trying to learn PHD2. Thanks for your help.
AT8RC Astrograph on CGX mount
ASI-071 C camera or
Pentax K3ii DSLR
60mm Orion guide scope w/QHY5II camera
Feather Touch 2" focuser w/ Focus Lynx auto focus
PPB Power Center, GPS, Temp/Humidity Sensor
7 port powered USB hub to HP Laptop over 30' powered USB cable
KStars / EKOS
Last edit: 4 years 10 months ago by Bill Hogoboom.
4 years 10 months ago #39538
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Thanks for reporting this. Your comments are on spot.
From the log, Scheduler does not stop guiding and capturing as it should when deciding to change the workflow.
It manages its decision as if it was a hiccup in a running observation, while it should properly stop guiding, stop capturing, slew around then restart procedures.
Because it is a workflow issue, the same problem(s) will probably happen with PHD2 as guider. PHD2 will eventually be more robust on recovering guiding.
We'll look into this as soon as possible.

-Eric
4 years 10 months ago #39554

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What is surprising for me is, that we do not get a "lost star" event from the guider and at the same time a drift is reported from the guider.
4 years 10 months ago #39557

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