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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Serial Timeout with Moonlite Focuser

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Thanks a lot Jasem. :) So I guess I need to find a better firmware for my focuser :(
if someone has a good plan for this ...

Anyway, thanks again for your time and kindness.

- Marc
3 years 10 months ago #53320

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The Moonlite hardware works well with the Moonlite driver. Better than leeching off other people's work.

Looking at that repository it's typcal linux. Precious about it's own copyright, with messages plastered over everything, while being completely contemptous of other peoples copyright, including part of MY ASCOM driver documentation.
3 years 10 months ago #53332

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Chris,

I'm sorry to hear this thing infringes some of your own copyrights.How would have I known ? At least, now everybody here knows it is faulty :) Thanks, Jasem !
You're not talking about the Linux world (remember, this thing runs under an Arduino, not under Linux, Windows or Mac.) You're talking about people who do not respect the work of others.
And this kind of people, you can find them on both side, Copyrights and Copylefts ;) Also, remember your beloved Mac runs under Darwin which is ... Free Software deriving from NextStep (Copyright) and BSD (Free Software). Only the GUI is Copyright. I guess things are never binary in the real world :)

Now, you've made your point and you were right to do so. Let's end this, this is not the place for that kind of discussion..

- Marc
3 years 10 months ago #53341

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I'm not blaming you, you weren't to know of course. OTOH you were perfectly aware that this driver was built using MoonLite's proprierty work.It's the way that the whole open software scene seems to be, the most importand thing - frequently the only documentation - is a copyright message.Beloved Mac? You mut be thinking of someone else. I have an iPad which runs SkyDemon when I'm flying but for development Windows C#, RaspPi, occasionally Arduino or more likely Teensy, and PicAxe.Some of your points needed a reply but don't see a need to continue.

The sad thing is that it's easier to do this using a protocol that suits the Arduino and is more resilient.
3 years 10 months ago #53346

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Chris wrote :

"Beloved Mac? You must be thinking of someone else."

Right, my mistake. Sorry.

Marc
3 years 10 months ago #53347

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Chris wrote :

"The sad thing is that it's easier to do this using a protocol that suits the Arduino and is more resilient. "

You have something in mind ? Any suggestion ? I'm starting to think I'd better write it myself. I'm not a lazy man and I have some experience on the subject. ( But not with the Arduino .)
Any advice welcome as long as I can write it in C.

- Marc
Last edit: 3 years 10 months ago by Marc.
3 years 10 months ago #53348

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This is my Focuser.ino Arduino file that controls two focusers, one stepper and one dc, a light box and a dew heater. Can't have unused pins.

And temperature using an LM355.

Close enough to C not to matter, the protocol is defined in the file.

It's designed to work with a ULN 3008 for stepper control.

It looks as if it can use a couple of buttons to run the focuser in and out.

I last touched this in 2014, glancing through it you should have few problems.

No indi code, there will be an ASCOM driver arond somewhere but that will be in C#.

Have fun!


File Attachment:

File Name: Focuser.txt
File Size:15 KB
The following user(s) said Thank You: Marc
3 years 10 months ago #53395
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Previous issue with MacOS Catalina 10.15.3/10.15.4 and Moonlite FTDI Driver signing not being recognised by MacOS and not loading
===========================================
I've today received an updated driver from FTDI version 2.4.4 which is signed and recognised by Apple so it now loads whereas version 2.4.2 didn't.
I can't give it a full test yet but bench testing a basic config it does now seem to work ok and the focuser moves in and out when requested. It is too early to say it is fixed until I can test in its proper configuration, but the signs look encouraging. I'd be interested if it works for others who have this specific issue. The driver doesn't seem to be on their website yet, but there support people are very proactive and helpful if you log a support call via email.
3 years 10 months ago #54678

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Macos Catalina 10.15.5 on MacBook Pro and FTDI driver 2.4.4 - Procedural workaround for Apple FTDI driver (seemingly) interfering with FTDI's driver causing intermittent operation with Moonlite focuser

The procedure for dealing with the Apple USB driver interference bug is:

1. Reboot so you have a 'clean' system. USB device is connected for reboot.

2. On boot we have duplicate devices:
Steves-MBP:~ sjf$ ls -l /dev/*usbserial*
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 18, 9 30 May 13:39 /dev/cu.usbserial-4
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 18, 1 30 May 13:39 /dev/cu.usbserial-AH0741BL
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 18, 8 30 May 13:39 /dev/tty.usbserial-4
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 18, 0 30 May 13:39 /dev/tty.usbserial-AH0741BL


3. Unload the Apple driver (even though utilities seem to show it is not loaded!) with:
Steves-MBP:~ sjf$ sudo kextunload -b com.apple.DriverKit-AppleUSBFTDI ; echo $?
Password:
0 <---- Return code seems to suggest no error which means it must have been loaded (or is that just the return from sudo?)...anyway...
Steves-MBP:~ sjf$


4. Physically disconnect the USB device:
Steves-MBP:~ sjf$ ls -l /dev/*usbserial*
ls: /dev/*usbserial*: No such file or directory <--- Yes, it is gone
Steves-MBP:~ sjf$



5. Reconnect the device, and now we have what I would have expected in the first place with no duplicate devices:
Steves-MBP:~ sjf$ ls -l /dev/*usbserial*
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 18, 1 30 May 13:45 /dev/cu.usbserial-AH0741BL
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 18, 0 30 May 13:45 /dev/tty.usbserial-AH0741BL
Steves-MBP:~ sjf$


6. ...and now the device is working happily, which to me says the Apple driver is interfering somehow even though it says it is not loaded.
3 years 9 months ago #54877

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I have the same problem! I try to instal both drivers, 2.4.4 or 2.3 and always get bad result.
In Extensions i have note that driver not loaded.

Mac OS Catalina 10.15.7
KStars 3.4.3

I need help:)
3 years 5 months ago #61868
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I have the same problem! I try to instal both drivers, 2.4.4 or 2.3 and always get bad result.
In Extensions i have note that driver not loaded.

Mac OS Catalina 10.15.7
KStars 3.4.3

I need help:)
3 years 5 months ago #61870
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Unfortunately the FTDI driver with Catalina later versions never did work. My "solution" was to connect the Moonlite focuser to a Raspberry Pi running Ekos and then use the indi server remote option on the ekos running on the mac to connect to it with MoonLite@[IP Address of RaspPi]
3 years 5 months ago #61890

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