Hi all,
I have been using KStars running on RPi 4 for some time, but now I want to experiment with KStars 3.5.9 running under windows on my laptop and using the RPi as an INDI server only. Not to slow down the capturing, I want to save the images on a USB drive connected to RPi rather than transmitting the data over the WiFi and save it on my laptop. I am not a linux guy, but I was able to succesfully mount my USB drive into an accessible directory. However, I have problems with the path for remote saving specified in KStars / EKOS in the CCD tab. The problem is that if I specify some directory, e.g. /home/astroberry/USBHDD, KStars automatically adds \Lights (\Flats etc.) in the end of the path and tries to make the corresponding directory. However, as the "\" character is not recognized as a part of the path by RPi (using "/" in the path), it ends up with an error (invalid argument, permission denied). I was able to go around by making directories "share\Light", "share\Flat" etc., then mounting my USB into all of these, and then specifying the remote saving path as /home/astroberry/USBHDD/share, so that the path string composed by KStars is /home/astroberry/USBHDD/share\Light, but I really dont like such a solution.
Is there any possibility to simply turn off the automatic path extension with the suffix \Light, \Flat, \Bias and \Dark? Or is it possible to define these suffices in order that I could change the "\" to "/"? BTW I think this might be a problem of Windows - RPi interaction: the Windows version of KStars might use "\" by default (?)

Any hint warmly welcome, thank you very much!

Michal

Thank you, we're moving to a new system in 2.6.3 (beta) now and I hope it resolves the system-dependent slash for remote targets.

This is not an answer to your question.
It is a point to your misunderstanding.

If you run INDI Server on Raspberry PI and KStars on Windows, saving the captured data on Windows is faster than saving it on Raspberry PI.

The data captured on Raspberry PI is transferred to KStars on Windows. KStars then performs the saving process.
In other words, saving to the local disk of Windows where KStars is running is fastest; saving to Raspberry PI requires that the data captured by KStars on Windows be transferred over the network to Raspberry PI.

One more thing.
In most cases, Windows Disk I/O is faster than that of the Raspberry PI.

Dear Tkakura,
thank you for your comment. I got your point, but I am afraid my experience contradicts your explanation. I made a quick test just now with my QHY533, yielding FITS of roughly 18 MB. I made a sequence of 10 images with the exposure time of 1 s and the results are as following:
Save locally (laptop) with Fits Viewer on: 75 s
Save locally (laptop) without Fits Viewer: 65 s
Save remotely (RPi) to SD card: 22 s
Save remotely (RPi) to USB drive: 28 s

So I am sorry, but it works differently than what you say, at least in my case. I used the new KStars 3.6.3 Beta, but I am sure the behaviour was similar even with my 2.9.x KStars version.

Clear skies,
Michal

@ Jasem:

Dear Jasem,
thank you for a quick response. I downloaded 3.6.3 Beta today and tested it. However, the behaviour is still the same as in 2.9.x (adding backslash instead of slash).
Another remark is this: I really like the formatting string possibilities. It works fine for local storage, where the filename corresponds to the preview. However, for the remote saving the Preview of the formatted string looks fine, but the real filename saved on the disk is simply Light_001, Light_002 etc. Hopes my comment is of interest for you.

Thank you again for your seemless support!

Michal

I guess my understanding was incorrect.
Your understanding is correct.

The Remotely mechanism of KStars is that the images captured on the INDI Server side running on the Raspberry PI are directly saved to the Raspberry PI storage without getting the data to the Windows PC.

Checking with a file access monitoring tool called "procmon" on the Windows side, I was able to confirm that KStars on Windows does not have access to the Raspberry PI's storage when Remotely is used to save the data.

Finally, here are the results in my runtime environment
SV405CC with M4/3 sensor, saving 10 images with 1s exposure.

Save locally (Windows) with Fits Viewer on: 40 s
Save locally (Windows) without Fits Viewer: 30 s
Save remotely (RPi) to SD card: 29 s

Saving remotely seems to be very effective for short exposures such as flat frame.

Michal, I'd love to hear how you managed to get the remote save working at all. I have an almost identical setup to you but I cannot get remote saving working. I posted this on the Stellarmate forum by mistake just yesterday.

===========================
I have a RPi4 connected to my rig and DSLR. To get over SD card reliability issues, Stellarmate is now booting from a 1TB HDD, I set up a specific Picture folder with all correct privileges with the intention of storing photos on the RPi and retrieve them later.
I am operating remotely from KStars / EKOS running on a Windows laptop PC. - Most things are working now!!
But. I'd like to have the images stored on the RPi, not sent over wifi to the PC - it just causes delays and is flaky.
So in EKOS on the PC, on the CCD tab I have set to save Remotely and entered the path to my folder on the RPi. In my case it is /media/stellarmate/data/Pictures . This is in a separate partition from the OS.
But as soon as I start a shooting sequence, my entered path is deleted and replaced by the greyed out default /home/pi path, then all images are slowly coming back to the PC with nothing being stored on the RPi.

"Locally" works logically, but "Remotely" and "Both" refuse to save anything on the RPi

What am I doing wrong?
=====================
I'd appreciate it if you can point me in the right direction.

Dear Paul,

I just tried to set my KStars and see what is happening. The difference is after launching the sequence - in my case, the path edit field stays active and the images are saved to where I specify (just with that problem with slash/ backslash). Maybe I would try to use different version of KStars - I am using the 3.6.3 Beta now.

I am sorry I cannot give you any better answer.

BTW: I checked the wired connection of my RPi to the laptop today and it is just amazing compared to the WiFi connection. Waiting for a clear night to check it "in vivo".

Clear skies, Michal

Thanks for the response, the only thing I can think is that I am using a DSLR where the save options in EKOS settings are listed as RAM or SD Card. I wonder if it influences the possible save paths.
Regarding the wired connection are you referring to via an Ethernet network or direct to the laptop. If so which method and cable are you using? I am new to Linux and the world of RPi and I'm using a Windows 10 PC.

Okay, so I figured out how to connect to the RPi by Direct Ethernet - WOW this is so fast now!!

But, still have the same problem that any time I choose "Both" or "Remote" then start a shooting sequence, the selection defaults back to "Locally"

Even tried shooting with my guide scope in case it was the DSLR causing the issue, but that does the same.

I even went into the INDI control panel and set the values there, but nothing works.

Tried changing the folder to /home/pi and /home/stellarmate, still nothing.

Is there something I am missing?

EDIT
I disconnected my PC, then attached an HDMI monitor and Mouse/Keyboard to the RPi
Created a local profile with the same equipment, and repeated the experiments, photos get saved into my desired HDD partition which is of course the "Local" location now.
So the system basically works, but when set up for remote access, it has a problem.

Dear Paul,
nice to hear that you were able to establish the ethernet connection! I just was preparing to answer your question I am now in the situation that I must resolve somehow how to lead the ethernet cable from outside to inside via a closed window, but I think the fixed ethernet connection is worth it.
But as for your remote saving troubles, I really do not know what could be the problem But, by the way, the behaviour of my KStars is such that the parameters of the sequence do not depend on the edit field with path anymore when the sequence has started. I prepare the sequence, i.e., I enter the exposure time, number of images, name of the image files, path..., then I press that "+" button up above the scheduler (right half of the screen) and then I start the shooting sequence with the "play" button. From this moment on, the sequence is being captured regardless to what I change in the left part of the screen (so if I change the name, the path..., it does not affect the sequence being exposed). If I realize that, for example, I would like to change the name of files, I stop the sequence, I withdraw it from the scheduler and with the "+" button I add a new sequence with corrected parameters. This means that it should not be important if your path gets ineditable after the sequence started. At least in my KStars. I hope I expressed myself in an understable way.

Clear skies,
Michal

A bendable aluminum flat cable is sold in Japan to pass Ethernet through a window.
Is there any in your country?

www.elecom.co.jp/products/LD-VAPFSV05.html