Greetings,

My first post here. I’ve searched for several days and looked through GitHub and can’t find an answer to my question, so appreciate any help, but apologize for anything stupid.

I am trying to set up KStars/Ekos to control my astrophotography rig using a Raspberry Pi 4 running Stellarmate OS (version 1.5.4). I am using Kstars Version 3.5.0 Beta, Build 2020-11-20T20:45:55Z. The Pi is mounted on the telescope and connects to an EQ6 mount using EQMOD Mount, the guide camera - a Starlight Express Lodestar 2, my Nikon D850, and a PrimaLuce Sesto Senso 2 focuser attached to a Takahashi FSQ 106ED. I will soon replace the Nikon with a ZWO ASI6200 MM and 7 position filter wheel, but have been testing with the Nikon until the ZWO arrives.

I have been running the RPi in server mode over ethernet (using a power line adapter in the backyard). The client is either a homebuilt linux desktop or a MacBookPro (which I usually take to the telescope to get things started) running KStars. I have only been doing this for a few days so its all very new and evolving, and I am probably making lots of mistakes.

My main question has to do with getting the PrimaLuce focuser to stay put when I disconnect the RPi and INDI services from the hardware (pressing Disconnect in the Ekos Setup window- Wrench and Screwdriver icon). If the focuser is near 15,000 while imaging, it immediately goes to position 1000 when the RPi is disconnected. I know the position is 1000 since that is the position shown in the INDI Control Panel window's Absolute Position box for the Seso Sento 2 when reconnected (or by monitoring the Absolute Position on the mobile app).

So each time the RPi is disconnected the focus motor runs the focuser in to an Absolute Position of 1000. When reconnected it sits at 1000 until manually repositioned to the last best focus. This increases wear on the motor and requires manual notation of last position to get back to ideal focus quickly. It is basically annoying and time consuming.

I tried saving the configuration when the Absolute Position is at best focus around 15,000, but this has no effect - no matter what settings I try, it goes back to 1000 when the server disconnects. It is almost like the 1000 position is hard coded into the driver.

It seems the ideal situation would be for the system to leave the focus position where it is when the RPi is disconnected and not move it when the INDI services are reconnected. Is it possible to get to this mode? Thanks for any help.

I am very impressed with this vibrant, open source community. I want so much to get KStars/Ekos/RPi to work. I dread going back to a Windows laptop and commercial software.

Bob

Hello Bob, actually this behavior was removed from the driver quite a while ago. Can you check if you're running the latest libindi v1.8.7? If you upgrade to SM OS v1.5.5, it should have the latest libindi.

YES! I thought I had the latest OS but obviously not. I upgraded to v1.5.5 and that solved the problem. Thank you!