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Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

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Replied by Alain Zwingelstein on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

Maybe TCF Enable would help :-)
11 months 1 week ago #92917

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Replied by Wieslaw Stawiski on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

It has already been enabled, but it doesn't help much... :-(

W

Last edit: 11 months 1 week ago by Wieslaw Stawiski.
11 months 1 week ago #92927
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Replied by Wieslaw Stawiski on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

By the way - the CPU temperature is also wrong, but it's minor thing...
11 months 1 week ago #92928

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Replied by Andrew Rankine on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

Hello
I am currently trying to use an off-the-shelf Onstep controller with Kstars. It is manufactured by Terrans Industries and contacting them has not resulted in an answer.
I am using the LX200 OnStep driver. I can connect however once initialisation occurs I receive a repeated warning on the Indi driver control panel (in orange):

Date/time: [WARNING] Communication: Ft# error, check connection.
Date/time: [WARNING] Invalid response, check connection.

This error message repeats every second in the Indi driver control panel, however the mount appears to respond to commands using the mount control feature in the mount section of Ekos.
I haven’t yet used it in the field.

Alain has suggested I contact this forum. He has also suggested that the problem may be related to Focuser although I have left that function blank in the in profile setup. Whatever the problem is, it is beyond my limited technical understanding.
I have not included Indi logs or Onstep firmware version.


I’m not sure how to progress. The ‘connection’ tab reveals nothing that I can see. A screenshot is attached.
7 months 3 weeks ago #95378
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Replied by Alain Zwingelstein on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

Hi,I will try to reproduce this but don't wory for the time beeing.Which system are you using?
Linux, Windows, Mac OS ???

Depending on the system you are, there are differnet tools to communicate and debug OnStep connections
On Linux I use "minicom"
On Windows I use "putty"
nMac OS I don't know, I have no Mac

Once you are connected with the terminal to OnStep you can send commands to OnStep and see responses.
In your case you shoud send the command that brings you the issue and see if OnStep answers.The command should be typed in like this: ":Ft#"

to test OnStep you could use the ":GVP#" command where OnStep shoud answer with firmware version


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Last edit: 7 months 3 weeks ago by Alain Zwingelstein. Reason: formating mismatch
7 months 3 weeks ago #95383
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Replied by Alain Zwingelstein on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

From you screeshots I can deduct:
- OnStep Indi Driver Version is 1.19, the last one
- There is a Focuser Tab that shows up meaning there is a focuser configured in the firmware
If you could have a look in the firmware tab it would tell you the firmware installed.

I justr contacted "Terrans" to see if as an "Onstep Indi Driver Developper" there could be a way to cooperated with them.

Wait and see :-)
7 months 3 weeks ago #95384

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Replied by Andrew Rankine on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

Hello Alain
my OS is Mac OS 11.7.9
my terminal knowledge is very basic and I will try to connect via terminal to the onstep controller although I'm not sure how but I will try to muddle through and try the commands you have supplied. I will report back.
thanks very much!
cheers
Andrew
7 months 3 weeks ago #95393

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Replied by Andrew Rankine on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

Hello again Alain
FYI here is a screenshot of the open focuser tab.

Andrew
7 months 3 weeks ago #95394
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Replied by Alain Zwingelstein on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

Hi,

I don't know which kind of terminal you have on MacOSX (maybe somebody here can help)
But things are very simple:

I see you have a "/dev/cu.usbserial-14210" (from the "connection" tab), the communication device.

With your terminal you configure this device (the /dev/cu....) with 9600 bauds, 8 bits and One Stop bit.
Then you should be able to connect to OnStep.
After that you might have to configure "echo on" in you terminal to see what you are typing.

An alternative would be the "serial monitor" from the Arduino ide if you have this installed.
7 months 3 weeks ago #95401

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Replied by Alain Zwingelstein on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

At least you have a focuser configured in your OnStep.
Do you have a focuser connected?
If yes, does it work and follow manual entered positions?

I don't know where Indi does write the log files on MacOsX.
On Linux it is inside a hidden directory ".indi/logs/2023-09-02/indi_lx200_OnStep/indi_lx200_OnStep_15\:23\:44.log" in the user directory.
cat .indi/logs/2023-09-02/indi_lx200_OnStep/indi_lx200_OnStep_15\:23\:44.log 
INFO    0.013799 sec    : Session log file /home/alain/.indi/logs/2023-09-02/indi_lx200_OnStep/indi_lx200_OnStep_15:23:44.log
INFO    2.329512 sec    : Simulation is enabled.
INFO    8.917633 sec    : LX200 OnStep is online.
DEBUG   8.918490 sec    : Mount controller UTC Time: 2023-09-02T15:23:52
DEBUG   8.918507 sec    : Mount controller UTC Offset: 3.00
INFO    8.918805 sec    : Network based connection, detection timeouts set to 2 seconds
SCOPE   8.919414 sec    : CMD <:FA#>
INFO    8.919440 sec    : Focuser 1 NOT found
DEBUG   8.919456 sec    : error_or_fail = 4294967289, response = 
SCOPE   8.919485 sec    : CMD <:fA#>
INFO    8.919507 sec    : Focuser 2 NOT found
INFO    8.919524 sec    : Version unknown or OnStepX (Checking for OnStepX Focusers)
SCOPE   8.919545 sec    : CMD <:F1A#>
INFO    8.919567 sec    : Function call failed in a way that says OnStep doesn't have this setup, stopping Focuser probing, return: -7
INFO    8.919587 sec    : No Focusers found
DEBUG   8.919608 sec    : Focusers checked Variables:
DEBUG   8.919634 sec    : OSFocuser1: 0, OSFocuser2: 0, OSNumFocusers: 0
SCOPE   8.919653 sec    : CMD <:GX98#>
WARNING 8.919674 sec    : Error: -7
WARNING 8.919691 sec    : Error on response to rotator check (:GX98#) CHECK CONNECTION
INFO    8.919709 sec    : No Rotator found.
SCOPE   8.920150 sec    : CMD <:GXY0#>
DEBUG   8.921648 sec    : OnStep SyncParkStatus called
INFO    8.921703 sec    : Mount is unparked.
DEBUG   8.921735 sec    : InitPark Axis1 15.42 Axis2 58.89
DEBUG   8.921762 sec    : Setting Default Park Axis1 to 0.00
DEBUG   8.921776 sec    : Setting Default Park Axis2 to 29.50
INFO    8.922968 sec    : Initialization Complete
DEBUG   9.066099 sec    : Configuration successfully saved for GEOGRAPHIC_COORD.
INFO    9.066276 sec    : Observer location updated: Latitude 48:13:29.0 (48.22) Longitude  7:38:51.0 (7.65)

as you can see there are pretty good information included (in my case I don't hav a focuser attached)
7 months 3 weeks ago #95402

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Replied by Alain Zwingelstein on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

here a log with Focuser enabled:

looks at all commands issued beginning with ":F"
They all have a response within some ms but no timeout. (look at the response to ":Ft#" it returns the temperature "RES <19.2>" which is correct.
Maybe you don't have a temperature sensor installed and then OnStep should answer anyhow. I fear this is the issue.
Not critical but annoying
There must definitively be something wrong on your firmware side
SCOPE	4.476002 sec	: CMD <:FG#>
SCOPE	4.482022 sec	: RES <24971>
DEBUG	4.482092 sec	: Current focuser: 24971, 24971.000000
SCOPE	4.482108 sec	: CMD <:FT#>
SCOPE	4.487662 sec	: RES <S>
SCOPE	4.487750 sec	: CMD <:FM#>
SCOPE	4.494075 sec	: RES <50000>
DEBUG	4.494308 sec	: focus_max: 50000, 50000, fm_nbchar: 6
SCOPE	4.494359 sec	: CMD <:FI#>
SCOPE	4.499059 sec	: RES <0>
DEBUG	4.499160 sec	: focus_min: 0, 0 fi_nbchar: 2
SCOPE	4.499182 sec	: CMD <:Ft#>
SCOPE	4.505112 sec	: RES <19.2>
DEBUG	4.505389 sec	: focus T°: 19.2, 19 ft_nbcar: 5
SCOPE	4.505443 sec	: CMD <:Fe#>
SCOPE	4.511175 sec	: RES <0.0>
DEBUG	4.511416 sec	: focus Differential T°: 0.0, 0 fi_nbchar: 4
SCOPE	4.511449 sec	: CMD <:FC#>
SCOPE	4.517520 sec	: RES <100.00000>
DEBUG	4.517616 sec	: TFC Coefficient: 100.00000, 100 fC_nbchar: 10
SCOPE	4.517639 sec	: CMD <:FD#>
SCOPE	4.522912 sec	: RES <5>
DEBUG	4.522989 sec	: TFC Deadband: 5, 5 fD_nbchar: 2
SCOPE	4.523002 sec	: CMD <:Fc#>
SCOPE	4.725904 sec	: RES <0>
DEBUG	4.726138 sec	: TFC Enable: fc_nbchar:1 Fc_response: 0
DEBUG	4.726696 sec	: After update properties: FocusAbsPosN min: 0.000000 max: 50000.000000

I use the same driver version as you but cannot reproduce this error.
Definitively needs more testing on your side with logs.

PS: I just received the answer from "Terrans".
They have no time to spend on development so far I understand and considering their cost it make sense to me.
Now it would be nice to have at least some documentation on what is builtin and how it is implemented, otherwise very difficult to support.
Did you get schematics and firmware information?
Last edit: 7 months 3 weeks ago by Alain Zwingelstein.
7 months 3 weeks ago #95404

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Replied by Denis on topic Driver OnStep (LX200 like) for INDI

I have same issue. I can look at sources. But I need a hint where to look
7 months 3 weeks ago #95429

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