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

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Pulsar2 connection fails

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Hi all

after having updated to the last version EKOS complains that it cannot connect to the Pulsar2. Server initialization seems to block when launching the generic lx200:
~$ indiserver -vv indi_lx200pulsar2
2017-01-05T08:17:04: startup: indiserver -vv indi_lx200pulsar2 
2017-01-05T08:17:04: Driver indi_lx200pulsar2: pid=31721 rfd=3 wfd=6 efd=7
2017-01-05T08:17:04: listening to port 7624 on fd 4
2017-01-05T08:17:04: Driver indi_lx200pulsar2: sending <getProperties version='1.7'/>
2017-01-05T08:17:04: Driver indi_lx200pulsar2: initializing from pulsar2 device...
2017-01-05T08:17:04: Driver indi_lx200pulsar2: Initializing from Generic LX200 device...

--> Note that I can connect to the mount when I start the lx200 "classic" driver.
7 years 2 months ago #13578

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Probably related with changes made by Camiel to Pulasr2 code a few days ago.
7 years 2 months ago #13581

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Indeed, there was a bug in ISGetProperties. I have checked in a bug fix that solved this problem (at least for me).
Regards,
Camiel
The following user(s) said Thank You: Paolo
7 years 2 months ago #13619

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Replied by Paolo on topic Pulsar2 connection fails

Great, thanks!

I check the new version as soon as possible, and let you know.
7 years 2 months ago #13621

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Replied by Paolo on topic Pulsar2 connection fails

Has this patch been applied, and available on ppa?
7 years 2 months ago #13680

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This pull request (#141) is still open in the code repository.
7 years 2 months ago #13687

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It's merged, PPA tomorrow build should have the change.
7 years 2 months ago #13715

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Replied by Paolo on topic Pulsar2 connection fails

Ok, now the update is implemented, the mount connects (thank you!), but the driver behaviour has deteriorated considerably.
It complains that it cannot set UTC/location, and seems not to communicate (in practice any command fails). Mounts does not unpark, nor slew, nor set new target coordinates... All operations fails so it can't be used :( Do you have the same problems?
7 years 2 months ago #13761

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Since I use my own development version, I have just checked that the driver from the repository also works with my setup. Slewing, parking, enabling/disabling PEC, pole crossing, refraction correction all work. Do you have a log file?
7 years 2 months ago #13774

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Replied by Paolo on topic Pulsar2 connection fails

Hi Camiel

please find here below an excerpt of different communication attempts with mount. It is pretty strange that it does not work for me, while it works for you. Can you check if the firmware version is the same? (this should not matter much but who knows...).

I comment by blocks, for an easier interpretation.

So, first, connection:
DEBUG	58.127398 sec	: Testing telescope connection using ACK...
DEBUG	58.129876 sec	: Testing successful!
DEBUG	58.129933 sec	: Checking Pulsar version ...
SCOPE	58.129951 sec	: CMD <:YV#>
SCOPE	58.241288 sec	: RES <PULSAR V5.60a   ,2016.01.04.     > (1 attempts)
INFO	58.241354 sec	: 5.60a 2016.01.04
INFO	58.241364 sec	: Pulsar2 is online. Retrieving basic data...
DEBUG	58.241375 sec	: The mount is already tracking.
SCOPE	58.241653 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	58.352025 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	58.352065 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	58.463023 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	58.463081 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	58.463090 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	58.573946 sec	: RES <+00:00:00> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	58.574021 sec	: VAL [0]
SCOPE	58.574033 sec	: CMD <#:YGN#>
SCOPE	58.684952 sec	: RES <0> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	58.685016 sec	: VAL [0]
SCOPE	58.685042 sec	: CMD <#:YGP#>
SCOPE	58.795951 sec	: RES <0,0> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	58.796015 sec	: CMD <#:YGQ#>
SCOPE	58.906827 sec	: RES <1> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	58.906889 sec	: VAL [1]
SCOPE	58.906905 sec	: CMD <#:YGR#>
SCOPE	59.017800 sec	: RES <1,1> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	59.017907 sec	: CMD <#:Gt#>
SCOPE	59.128828 sec	: RES <+43?41:59> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	59.128876 sec	: VAL [+43:41]
SCOPE	59.128892 sec	: CMD <#:Gg#>
SCOPE	59.239824 sec	: RES <352?44:12> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	59.239886 sec	: VAL [+352:44]
SCOPE	59.239923 sec	: CMD <#:GL#>
SCOPE	59.351051 sec	: RES <13:35:32> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	59.351105 sec	: VAL [13:35:32]
SCOPE	59.351114 sec	: CMD <#:GC#>
...

note a few "?" in the displayed (or received) values.

Then, setting UT and coordinates both fail:
...
SCOPE	60.793681 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	60.904585 sec	: RES <+00:00:00> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	60.904650 sec	: VAL [0]
DEBUG	60.904700 sec	: New JD is 2457769.000000
SCOPE	60.904715 sec	: CMD <#:SL 13:35:33#>
SCOPE	61.015565 sec	: RES <1>
SCOPE	61.015625 sec	: CMD <:SC 01/15/17#>
SCOPE	61.015649 sec	: RES <#>
ERROR	61.015661 sec	: Error setting UTC date.
SCOPE	61.015734 sec	: CMD <#:Sl 352:39#>
SCOPE	61.126824 sec	: RES <1>
SCOPE	61.126872 sec	: CMD <#:St 043:42#>
SCOPE	61.126893 sec	: RES <#>
ERROR	61.126903 sec	: Error setting site coordinates
SCOPE	61.905481 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	62.014246 sec	: RES <1100:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	62.014317 sec	: VAL [1100]
SCOPE	62.014335 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	62.126989 sec	: RES <+00:00:00> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	62.127053 sec	: VAL [0]
SCOPE	63.128142 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	63.235202 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	63.235288 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
....

(It also fails to set site coordinates from the control panel)
By clicking in the panel with motion control buttons, I managed to move the mount south. This seems to be working ok:
SCOPE	106.076407 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	106.185024 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	106.185100 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	106.972137 sec	: CMD <#:Ms#>
INFO	106.972214 sec	: Moving toward South.
SCOPE	107.185376 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	107.185470 sec	: RES <+00:00:00> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	107.185508 sec	: VAL [0]
SCOPE	107.185524 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	107.294600 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	107.294676 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	108.295727 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	108.295823 sec	: RES <-00:00:03> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	108.295862 sec	: VAL [-0.000833333]
SCOPE	108.295879 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	108.404508 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	108.404577 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	109.405662 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	109.405772 sec	: RES <-00:05:24> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	109.405837 sec	: VAL [-0.09]
SCOPE	109.405858 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	109.514373 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	109.514454 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	110.383090 sec	: CMD <#:Qs#>
INFO	110.383151 sec	: Movement toward South halted.
SCOPE	110.514648 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	110.514744 sec	: RES <-00:19:25> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	110.514782 sec	: VAL [-0.323611]
SCOPE	110.514792 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	110.624111 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	110.624173 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]

...note the here the "?" have disappeared.
Then, I try a couple of times to sync coordinates to another value. It does not work (a single attempt shown here):
...
SCOPE	141.590384 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	141.698906 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	141.698966 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	142.205177 sec	: CMD <#:Sr 21:54:56#>
SCOPE	142.205235 sec	: RES <->
SCOPE	142.699509 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	142.699604 sec	: RES <00:38:57> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	142.699642 sec	: VAL [0.649167]
SCOPE	142.699652 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	142.699668 sec	: RES <1> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	142.699680 sec	: VAL [1]
SCOPE	143.700748 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	143.700827 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	143.700852 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	143.700857 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
...
Attempt to set side of pier, pole crossing, PEC off. When testing, I had the impression that this did not work, but here I see that it should be ok (RES 0 received). So maybe I'm wrong but I had the impression that the light on the control panel did not turn green. Anyway, I see that there is a :Q command in the middle (slew stop?) I don't know if it's normal:
...
SCOPE	154.716609 sec	: RES <-00:38:57> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	154.716629 sec	: VAL [-0.649167]
SCOPE	154.796307 sec	: CMD <#:YSN0#>
SCOPE	154.905513 sec	: RES <0>
SCOPE	155.717487 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	155.717593 sec	: RES <0:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	155.717654 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	155.717673 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	155.717722 sec	: RES <-00:38:57> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	155.717750 sec	: VAL [-0.649167]
SCOPE	156.718819 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	156.718927 sec	: RES <100:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	156.718972 sec	: VAL [100]
SCOPE	156.718990 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	156.719038 sec	: RES <-00:38:57> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	156.719067 sec	: VAL [-0.649167]
SCOPE	157.231323 sec	: CMD <#:Q#>
SCOPE	157.719648 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	157.719733 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	157.719762 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	157.719770 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	157.719806 sec	: RES <-00:38:57> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	157.719823 sec	: VAL [-0.649167]
SCOPE	158.720876 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	158.720970 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	158.721008 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	158.721017 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	158.721064 sec	: RES <-00:38:57> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	158.721083 sec	: VAL [-0.649167]
SCOPE	159.722149 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	159.722250 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	159.724295 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	159.724325 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	159.724382 sec	: RES <-00:38:57> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	159.724412 sec	: VAL [-0.649167]
SCOPE	160.725482 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
SCOPE	160.725584 sec	: RES <00:00:01> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	160.725626 sec	: VAL [0.000277778]
SCOPE	160.725644 sec	: CMD <#:GD#>
SCOPE	160.725693 sec	: RES <-00:38:57> (1 attempts)
SCOPE	160.725722 sec	: VAL [-0.649167]
SCOPE	161.180398 sec	: CMD <#:YSP0,0#>
SCOPE	161.180487 sec	: RES <0>
SCOPE	161.726331 sec	: CMD <#:GR#>
...

That's all.... I hope that the above tells you something meaningful, for a quick and easy correction.

Best regards
Paolo
7 years 2 months ago #13837

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Hi Paolo,

My Pulsar is the original one not the Pulsar2. The LX200 commands supported should be the same except for the pulse guiding commands that Pulsar2 supports.

What is shown in the lines containing RES is the literal response from the Pulsar. The ? character corresponds to the degree character. That this character changes later on is the way it is implemented in the Pulsar. Anyways this character is ignored when parsing R.A. and Decl. values.

From the remaining parts of the logs I get the impression that some commands are not responding in the same way as with my old Pulsar. E.g., setting the time works fine but while setting the date the response is RES<#> which seems to be the closing '#' of the previous command. My Pulsar doesn't send this character. To test this I'll modify the driver so that it will ignore these extra characters.

Let me know whether that solves your problems.

Regards,
Camiel
7 years 2 months ago #13838

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Replied by Paolo on topic Pulsar2 connection fails

Hi Camiel

thank you, that's very helpful! I'm not at all a technical programmer (I program more for science work and numerical analysis) so I'm quickly lost with the drivers.

It might well be that some spurious characters are appearing in the answers, and the fact that we are on different versions of the hardware could explain the problem.

Paolo
7 years 2 months ago #13842

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