Good question... i found the rotor class for INDI. They list popular rotators like Pyxis. Maybe OnStep needs to be added as a possible rotator to INDI?

www.indilib.org/api/classINDI_1_1Rotator.html

Chad,

I found OnStep is included in Rotator Interface

www.indilib.org/api/classINDI_1_1RotatorInterface.html

looking at Focuser:
OnStep is not in the Focuser Class nor in the FocuserInterface ... but recogniosed as Focuser by Ekos

Maybe the doc is outadted ...

I generated the doc locally and see what I get

OnStep will never be in Focuser or Rotator, but in FoucserInteface, WeatherInterface, etc, as all of the non interfaces inherit the base classes and Interface classes. The exception is Telescope. (Though OnStepX doesn't always technically have that.) OnStep, I think, has the most Interface classes of all INDI drivers. And unfortunately, is also kind of a pain about multiple interfaces. (See the whole multiple focuser stuff that works but yeah.)

The rotator is gated by version, so versions 1,2,3 don't work. (3 may be made to work, but lacks commands to map it well, as I recall. There's not a derotator interface in INDI. It also detects it on startup, So, without looking much see if :rG# returns something if you don't see the focuser. That's so that it doesn't recheck it (and have to timeout) if not present. (Similar to mentioned above.)

Unfortunately the INDI interfaces doesn't map well to OnStep in a number of cases. (OnStep isn't very traditional in how it works, which makes it great but also sometimes a pain. Ex multiple focusers)

I used simulated hardware on a mega (with nothing connected) for most of my testing.

Alain, sorry I've been delayed on that pull request. I plan to work on it this morning. I'll look at the diffuser not showing up

James,
Thanks for the precision and no problem for the delay we all have many pots on the fire

I am 99% sure i have your code loaded Alain and i have been testing the new Smart Hard Controller 2+ that can have the BME280 weather sensor instead of on the OnStep PCB.

The smart hand controller sends the weather data to OnStep with LX200 commands.

I see temperature numbers in the Focuser tab in Ekos.

Chad

Thank you chad,
So I could send a pull request to include the stuff into Official Indi
I didn't know this SHC with BME280. I'll have a look.

Seems interesting the new pcb. But the integration of the bme280 into the hand controller seems strange to me because for sure the Temperature will be wrong since each time you hold the hand controller in your hands the temperature will be false.

Well yeah, the problem with the BME280 on the OnStep computer is the drivers that power the stepper motors are always warm.

So putting it on the hand controller is an option that may have better temperature data. Depends on how the user wires all of this up.

This is Howard's latest PCB for the SHC. The BME280 integration we are just starting to test.

Chad

Yeas, I had the same fear for mine so by the end I did mount it at the end of a shielded cable in a little tube and I can located near the mount where T° is more representative.

I agree with Alain here.
Simple solutions are usually the best.
Complex solutions are rarely needed, and always have drawbacks, either immediately or in the future (technical debt).

Having the BME280 on an SHC will work, but also incurs some considerations, such as:

- We now need an SHC that is always connected
- We need an ST4 port
- If it is a WiFi SHC, then it needs a power source
- In either case, we have one more device that polls OnStep constantly
- More cables ...

Related: I have a room sensor based on the BME280, and to exclude the heat generated from the ESP8266 that runs it, I just extended the cable from the case. That is all that is needed.

To All,

I have issued a pull request for version 1.18 that enables Focuser Temperature Compensation Control (Compensation is done at firmware level) .
Hope this will help some people.

Latest lx200_OnStep driver version 1.18 was successfully merged into main branch of Indi.

Packaged versions should be available soon for most common distros:
- Raspberry
- Ubuntu
- Stellarmate

For other distros, either one has to wait that maintainers update the packages or compile from source.

Finally got my changes uploaded:

github.com/james-lan/indi/tree/azwing-mychanges

Mostly amounts to checking on probe (I think all OnStep > 3.6 are good. However, Not sure if all versions will return or if they'll timeout.) Changing types to use double specifically vs the int (and it handles that error, if not doubles) and moving it to it's own update function.

---

The (BMP/BME)280 series temperature isn't the most reliable for ambient conditions, as the temp sensor is intended mostly to compensate the pressure sensor. It will be a bit hotter than all the other sensors I've tested by 1-2C, unless read only rarely. (30sec+) It is good for low power though. I've used them for wifi sensors that last for a *long* time on batteries.