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Re:Problems with Focus Module (Images not coming in)

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I first noticed it on 1.5.1 StellarMate OS when I updated to KStars 3.4.1 (stable release). but it happens on KStars 3.4.1 on my Mac OS as well. I start up KStars/Ekos, connect simulators/drivers, run auto-focus by manually pressing the AF button in the focus module (Linear/iterative or poly, doesn't matter which), set up 2 o 3 60 second exposures and set the sequence to re-focus every minute in order to save time but this interval doesn't seem to matter.

EDIT: I just tried to run the sequence while skipping the first "manual" auto-focus routine and it crashes KStars every time. Logs attached.
3 years 11 months ago #52345
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The issue that I am talking about is for when the "Refocus every ... minutes" option is enabled. I usually first execute an auto-focus manually before starting to image. When then during a sequence an auto-focus is triggered because of the "Refocus every ... minutes" option, it will always use the last image of the manual auto-focus run. Logs that show this were attached to this comment:

indilib.org/forum/ekos/6674-scheduled-re...s-failing.html#51358


Wouter
3 years 11 months ago #52349

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Wouter,

I have the same camera as in your signature and have been successfully autofocusing on time or filter changes. I'm running KStars/EKOS/INDI on an Intel NUC with 16 GB RAM.
3 years 11 months ago #52352

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What version of KStars are you using???
3 years 11 months ago #52353

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Thanks @RDBeck! That's good to know.

@wcreech19: nightly. I'll revert to stable and see if I get it there as well.
3 years 11 months ago #52356

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I am using nightly. Here are the first few lines of the log from my last imaging session:
[2020-04-19T20:52:32.183 CDT INFO ][                org.kde.kstars] - Welcome to KStars 3.4.1
[2020-04-19T20:52:32.183 CDT INFO ][                org.kde.kstars] - Build: 2020-02-23T18:06:10Z
[2020-04-19T20:52:32.183 CDT INFO ][                org.kde.kstars] - OS: "ubuntu"
[2020-04-19T20:52:32.183 CDT INFO ][                org.kde.kstars] - API: "x86_64-little_endian-lp64"
[2020-04-19T20:52:32.184 CDT INFO ][                org.kde.kstars] - Arch: "x86_64"
[2020-04-19T20:52:32.184 CDT INFO ][                org.kde.kstars] - Kernel Type: "linux"
[2020-04-19T20:52:32.184 CDT INFO ][                org.kde.kstars] - Kernel Version: "5.3.0-46-generic"
[2020-04-19T20:52:32.184 CDT INFO ][                org.kde.kstars] - Qt Version: 5.12.4
The following user(s) said Thank You: Wouter van Reeven
3 years 11 months ago #52359

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Thanks @RDBeck. This seems to suggest that it is something in my setup, most likely some software or the config files having gone awry. I will reinstall everything and try again.


Wouter
3 years 11 months ago #52364

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@RDBeck, it seems there is an issue with the nightly builds for Ubuntu 16.04 and 18.04, see

indilib.org/forum/development/6815-night...16-04-and-18-04.html

From when is your KStars build? You can check with

<code>dpkg -l \*kstars\*</code>

Mine is from 2020-04-03.


Thanks, Wouter
Last edit: 3 years 11 months ago by Wouter van Reeven.
3 years 11 months ago #52385

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Wouter,

I'm running Ubuntu 19.10 and using the stable channel.

My build is dated 2020-02-03 (see from above)
[2020-04-19T20:52:32.183 CDT INFO ][                org.kde.kstars] - Build: 2020-02-23T18:06:10Z

Looks like there may be other software differences.

Richard
Last edit: 3 years 11 months ago by Richard Beck. Reason: update
3 years 11 months ago #52386

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Thanks Richard. I am switching to Ubuntu 19.10 and KStars stable now.


Wouter
3 years 11 months ago #52389

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OK so I switched to Ubuntu Mate 19.10 and installed KStars stable. The deb package is from today so I guess that Jasem is preparing the next KStars release. Anyway, I tested scheduled refocusing and again it fails for me both with the linear algorithm and the polynomial algorithm. This leads me to believe that this is a general scheduled refocusing issue and not limited to a single algorithm. Unfortunately I forgot to switch on logging when I was testing with the linear algorithm but I restarted with debug logging enabled for the polynomial algorithm.

My test was as followed:
- slew to a target (in this case Lambda Centauri)
- use plate solving to center the target
- do a manual auot- focus -> this goes OK
- start guiding
- plan a capture sequence of 4 images of 30 seconds each and make sure that "refocus every" is set to "1 minutes"
- sit back and watch the show

Since the time lapsed since the manual auto-focus to the start of the sequence is more than 1 minute, auto-focus is immediately performed. Despite the focuser moving in and out, 4 times EXACTLY the same HFR and amount of stars are measured and the auto-focus routine concludes that focus has bee reached after 4 images have been taken. Then it takes two 2 images from my job and then auto-focus kicks in again with exactly the same result and exactly the same HFR and number of stars as before. FYI the HFR and number of stars are the values from the last image taken in the manual auto-focus sequence when ideal focus is reached the first time.

This is with
- EQMod mount
- ZWO imaging cam (ASI1600MM-C Pro)
- ZWO guide cam (ASI120MC-S)
- ZWO EAF
- ZWO EFW

Logs attached. Can someone PLEASE try to make sense of this? Many, many thanks in advance!


Wouter
3 years 11 months ago #52714
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Before I forget: when i switched to Ubuntu Mate 19.10 I completely wiped out any KStars profile and INDI config files that I had. Tonight's test was done with a clean and completely new KStars installation and configuration.


Wouter
3 years 11 months ago #52715

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