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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Meridian Flip + Scheduler + Mac = no meridian flip

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Sorry, I don't have logs. But two nights in a row, only while using scheduler did the meridian flip not activate on my Mac laptop. Then my mount hits the mechanical limiter in one of the axis, and this causes KStars/Ekos to crash to the desktop. I'll be sure to turn on logs tonight or try to run a test with logging enabled.

The meridian flip does activate when using only the camera tab.
4 years 6 months ago #43026

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A quick update. I turned on logging and decided to run a few tests of objects with the scheduler and meridian flip.

First thing, logs were not being saved. The folder is empty, despite turning on logs.

Second thing, I took a video of the screen. The Meridian timer starts at the correct time when the scheduler is started, however, the seconds of the timer oscillates between the next and previous number, and never counts down. This is only happening with the scheduler running.

Last edit: 4 years 6 months ago by Andrew Burwell.
4 years 6 months ago #43030

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Andrew,
I have the impression from your video that tracking is disabled on your mount. The HA value is stable and the RA value increasing. If this is true, it absolutely makes sense that no meridian flip takes place.

But without logs, it's very difficult helping...

- Wolfgang
4 years 6 months ago #43075

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4 years 6 months ago #43086
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Is the problem reproducible using simulators?
4 years 6 months ago #43088

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Ok, after a few more nights of testing, it seems the scheduler will correctly send the goto command for the meridian flip. The nights where it did not flip were coincidental crashes of KStars.

It appears that what was happening in one case, guiding images stopped, then the scheduler automatically stopped before the flip happened. The second time, there was a crash.

When my mount hits the switch axis limits, KStars doesn't know what to do and it crashes. I made an assumption this was from no meridian flip, since I didn't see any flipped images saved, and my mount tracked past the meridian until the limit was hit, and KStars crashed. It appears now that it crashed before it got to flip two nights in a row.

I've since confirmed it can properly issue a flip with the scheduler, as I watched it now twice since this original report.

I still can't explain the video properly, other than I had rebooted the laptop, and started up everything again. Sent a goto command to the mount to an object near the meridian so I could watch it, and that's what it was doing. It should have been tracking properly. So I can't really explain what was going on there.

Despite KStars/EKOS doing really well for me feature wise in 3.3.4, there are still random crashes that are not very easy to explain. I've almost got my setup to the point that I can try the Linux version with a RPi device, and can remove my laptop from the equation. Just waiting on a power device to be able to hook it all up. I'll be able to see if the stability/crashes are related to the Mac or KStars at that point.
4 years 6 months ago #43096

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Hm, nevertheless not very satisfactory...

Is it possible that your mount driver has problems? Because in most cases I see KStars crashing on Mac is due to connection failures to an INDI device.

Nevertheless, using an RPI is a good idea. I use my Macbook only during the setup, e.g. taking flats and initial focusing. The only point where the resources of my RPi runs into problems is when I zoom too fast and too deep into images in the FITS viewer. Normally, running KStars and PHD2 on a RPi 3b is absolutely smooth.

Did you get your logging fixed?

Wolfgang
4 years 6 months ago #43097

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Logging is enabled now. At first the button wouldn’t depress to turn it on. But after subsequent reboots and starting KStars again it now appears to be on. I’ll check this afternoon when i’m back home to see what logs are in the folder and post the relevant ones to the thread here.
4 years 6 months ago #43099

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slightly off topic, as my issue is not related to the scheduler module.....

my meridian flip fails when one does not check BOTH "Meridian Flip Box" in both, the Capture module AND the Mount module.

I am not sure if I understand the rationale behind that.... could be an easy fix, too

Thanks
Michael
4 years 6 months ago #43108

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I believe in the latest version they removed it from the capture module, and it’s now only in the mount module.
4 years 6 months ago #43113

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Right, if you have the MF checkbox in the Capture tab, you are using an older version which represents an intermediate state. We shifted the meridian flip functionality to the Mount module in two steps, having first the checkbox both in the original place in the Capture module as well as in its new place in the Mount module. They were both linked, so changing it in one place changes it at the other place as well.

So the easiest way is when you upgrade to a newer version.

Wolfgang
4 years 6 months ago #43133

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