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INDI Library v2.0.7 is Released (01 Apr 2024)

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Parking eqmod

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Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Parking eqmod

I've made a small test using latest indi/kstars and the simulator in eqmod and that worked ok. You should see the folder even if you use ssh, but be aware that files/folders beginning with a dot (as .indi) are hidden under Unix, so you should use
ls -a
to see them. I will look if the "load configuration on connect" option interferes with park.
8 years 8 months ago #4673

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Replied by vince on topic Parking eqmod

Ah. That helps. Here's the file's content...

parkdata>
<device name="EQMod Mount">
<parkstatus>
true
</parkstatus>
<parkposition>
<axis1position>
6258437.000000
</axis1position>
<axis2position>
13976719.000000
</axis2position>
</parkposition>
</device>
</parkdata>
8 years 8 months ago #4675

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Replied by vince on topic Parking eqmod

Couple more notes...

When I connect to eqmod in EKOS, it says parked = true. No mention of where it is parked. It also seems to look for alignment data but says no such file exists...

Another thought I had was that I use my EQ6 Atlas Synscan mount through eqmod by setting the synscan controller in "PC direct mode." Maybe there are other ways to do this? Or maybe I should try the synscan driver? I like the eqmod driver but must admit I have not tried the synscan driver. Could any of this be the source of my problem?

I do appreciate your patience and your help with this. Thanks again.
Vince
8 years 8 months ago #4676

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Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Parking eqmod

I've made a quick test with your file til using the simulator, it works ok with a park position a little under south horizon with my location. Note that I have to add a '<' before 'parkdata>', I think it has been lost in the copy/paste operation.
You may enable debug in the options tab before connecting your mount, and toggle the 'Driver Debug', 'Serial Port' and 'Verbose Mount' in the Debug levels property. Then connect your mount and check the messages. Here is what I get with your data in the simulator concerning Park status:
2015-08-05T11:35:05: read_eqmod: "=", 2 bytes read 
2015-08-05T11:35:05: dispatch_command: ":E28F44D5", 10 bytes written 
2015-08-05T11:35:05: read_eqmod: "=", 2 bytes read 
2015-08-05T11:35:05: dispatch_command: ":E1057F5F", 10 bytes written 
2015-08-05T11:35:05: Init() : Mount in Park position -- setting encoders RA=4369911 DE = 0 
2015-08-05T11:35:05: Init() : Mount was parked 
2015-08-05T11:35:05: Mount is parked. 
2015-08-05T11:35:05: Init() : Setting Home steps RAHome=8388608 DEHome = 10644608
The two commands setting the mount in its park position are there with the encoder values: 5F7F05 for RA and D5448F for DE which are the two values found in the ParkData file. The message 'setting encoders' displays wrong values (Park has been put in the telescope class and uses double values, the message in EQmod still uses integer values).
8 years 8 months ago #4678

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Replied by vince on topic Parking eqmod

Here's the result:

Let me know if there's anything else I can provide that helps.

I have to say I can't correlate the encoder values you quote with your output or my ParkData file...
Vince
8 years 8 months ago #4687

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Replied by vince on topic Parking eqmod

Did a bit more testing today. Load configuration on connect or never makes no difference.

I've also narrowed it does to turning off the mount. I can shut down everything else... Software, pi, computer... It knows where it starts. But if I turn off the mount, it loses its location.

I had a thought... Remember, I put the mount in pc direct mode... I kept turning off the mount from that mode. I tried exiting this mode before turning off the mount... Unfortunately, no difference.

Looking forward to what you can diagnose from the debug log...
Vince
8 years 8 months ago #4688

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Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Parking eqmod

Ok I think I get the point: the driver finds the mount with motors already initialized and thus leaves encoders unchanged even if the mount was parked. I believe that when I wrote the driver, I had in mind that if the mount has been parked, the user should have put off the mount before reconnecting, so the driver should find the motors non initialized. Actually there is no reason to do that. Furthermore it seems that when using the hand controller in direct mode, motors are already initialized before the first connection. I will correct the problem and commit the change asap.

Just commited the change, you can test from the svn repo.
Last edit: 8 years 8 months ago by Jean-Luc.
8 years 8 months ago #4689

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Replied by vince on topic Parking eqmod

That sounds great... But I'm going to need a bit more guidance on how to test from the svn repo... Not sure what that means.
Sorry for the rookie questions...
Vince
8 years 8 months ago #4690

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Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Parking eqmod

You have to compile the indi-eqmod driver yourself, or you may wait the ppa daily build from Jasem if you use it.
Here are the steps if you want to compile by hand:
# go to your home directory
cd
#  get the indi-eqmod code in a local directory
svn checkout svn://svn.code.sf.net/p/indi/code/trunk/3rdparty/indi-eqmod indi-eqmod
# make a build directory and go in that local build dir
mkdir build-eqmod
cd build-eqmod
# compile 
cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr ~/indi-eqmod
make
# install under root
sudo make install
You will need a development environment with the required libraries (indi, nova, zlib) but that depends on your distribution. Installation will replace your current version of indi-eqmod (if it was installed in the usual /usr directory).
8 years 8 months ago #4691

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Replied by vince on topic Parking eqmod

Thanks. And if I go for the daily build?
8 years 8 months ago #4692

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Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Parking eqmod

If you use the ppa, a simple
apt-get update; apt-get upgrade
is all you need to do. You should be under Ubuntu > 14.10 I think, and have added the ppa repository in your source list. This is explained here and surely elsewhere in the forum.
8 years 8 months ago #4693

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Replied by vince on topic Parking eqmod

Awesome! It works. Thanks so much!

So should I load device configuration never, or on connection? What does this really do?
8 years 8 months ago #4698

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