I see that INDI can readily run on Linux and Mac machines, but it is a total convolution to run Ekos on Windows because the INDI server has not been ported over to run natively in Windows.

Why is that?

Take a look at these indi features , notably "INDI Library is a particular implementaion of the INDI protocol for POSIX operating systems." Evidently, there is some work on a port for Windows, but not much is available. I presume this is not a simple port.

Regards,

jmh

Hi,

I once compiled it in Windows under WSL. It compiled without problems and did seem to run. However the biggest hurdle was that USB Serial devices could not be accessed via wsl an most of the drivers could not connect. So I stopped testing.

Recently there is this: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/connect-usb

A quick test showed it can now created a tty... device for the serial connector.. Maybe someone should give it a try.

Paul

Hmm, well, I'm not a programmer, so I don't grasp a lot of this stuff, but it got me thinking about something else.

The setups I've seen so far for running Ekos on Windows is to use a Pi running Astroberry to access the INDI server, apparently via a network.

However since Windows 10 there is the ability to run Linux right in Windows , in what I think is a virtual machine (again I'm not savvy on this stuff):

So is it somehow possible to run the INDI server from the Linux OS running within Windows? I suppose INDI and libgphoto2 would need to be installed on the Linux OS, or are those already in Linux distros?

The idea is to run it all from one machine and not have the need to have a separate computer running INDI, connected through a network. From what I've seen so far, the present arrangement of running Ekos on Windows is completely impractical.

I did a test:

under wsl (windows subsystem for windows) installed indi in the normal way from the ppa
with usbipd attached an asi120MM-S and an Onstep controller
started an indiserver in wsl
It works if you start the indiserver as root (seems some security issue iin wsl, maybe on W11 that is solved, but I test on W10)

So you can try, however I don't see the need for it running on Windows where there is good ASCOM support.

Kstars can be run on Windows and can connect to a remote ndiserver on rpi or other small computer (as alternative to ascom)

Paul

Well, it was a curiosity more than anything else. I couldn't understand why it couldn't be ported to work natively in Windows.

Even with running Linux in Windows, it's still all rather convoluted.

ASCOM in a pain because you have to deal with a splatterfest of apps, and if something doesn't work right the fingers all point in different directions. Been there, done that. That's what I like about Ekos, everything runs from one place.

Of course, it's easiest just to run it on the Pi, but sometimes the Pi's lack of power can get in the way. I've been looking at MiniPCs to load some Linux variant, then install the software and try to set it up as a hotspot like the PI. Linux is too convoluted for me with it's terminal-everything approach to doing things, so I'll just stick with the Pi and deal with it. I do wish there would be a Pi 5 already.

Thanks for your feedback.

I would say it’s a matter of priorities. If we find someone who ports it, why not? The core itself I guess is fairly simple to port, the INDI server itself might be more effort and all the device connections might have their challenges. But I do not see any blocking architecture stuff. Windows meanwhile has accepted that machines might be servers that share workload

Wolfgang

Hi,
another reason might be that since newer processors tend to be beefy enough for it, you might virtualize an ubuntu installation and run indi in a VM and then pass all your USB equipment to it.
Then, you use Kstars in windows and just connect it to the VM through the network.
Should work reasonably well.

I don't want to virtualize. I don't want to deal with command-line voodoo. It's why I can't stand Linux, it's still stuck in 1991, with insistence on using the command line to get things done. You need to have the equivalent of a computer science degree to use it. I like Astroberry because for the most part it works right out of the box, and I don't have to deal with the terminal other than to set the clock.

A port to Windows including ASCOM will certainly lead to more users. So from that point of view there is something to be said about it.

In the astro club where I am active, Kstars/Ekos/Indi is regularly discussed, but most people do not dare to make the switch because they are a bit afraid of Linux. I have been running my Kstars/Ekos/Indi setup virtually under Windows with VMWare for years and it works flawlessly.

But if someone indeed succeeds in porting Ekos/Indi under Windows, I will certainly be a supporter!

If I have to put my 2 cents, I prefer a little of voodoo than spending hours researching all the needed drivers in ASCOM and Windows.
There is also another thing in favor of linux: no matter which flavor you run, it's a lot less demanding than any version of Windows. On small PCs it makes a lot of difference! And remember that you can try with a VM before installing it on a real machine.

In the end it's as easy as:

• Install Ubuntu LTS (it's like installing Windows, but easier and faster)
• Run the terminal one time
• Paste three commands

• Profit

You can also use the GUI to install programs, there is an "App Store" called Software Center that you can use to do it:

1. Follow this guide to install the ppa: Ubuntu add PPA (you need to add ppa:mutlaqja/ppa)
2. Follow this guide to install indi and kstars: Ubuntu software center (you need to install indi-full, gsc and kstars-bleeding)

But as you can see, pasting three commands in a terminal is a lot faster and easier. That's why the command line still exists: if you know it, you cannot turn back... I use it even on Windows to install and manage applications using chocolatey or scoop.

Let's now see how you do it on windows:

1. Install Windows (it's like installing Ubuntu, not as easier)
2. Start searching the main camera driver
3. Install the driver
4. Start searching the guide camera driver (if different)
5. Install the driver
6. Start searching the mount drivers
7. Install the driver
8. Repeat for all the drivers needed
9. Install a planetarium (not needed but nice to have)
10. Install N.I.N.A. | APT | your software of choice
11. Pray you don't have any problem or conflict or forgoot something

I don't know what's the method that require an IT Degree to do and mantain.

And that's only the part about installing it, if you want to update it in Ubuntu terminal you just do:

• Open terminal
• Run a single line of command

• Profit

or through the software center:

• Open the software center
• Follow again this guide: Ubuntu Software Center at the Updates section (it's just 2 clicks to update everything)

For window, I think you already know it

The terminal can look intimidating, but if you need to paste a couple of commands I think you can do it... I don't think it's that harder to do than searching all over the internet for the right things to run on windows!

Don't fear the voodoo! Embrace the terminal!

Cheers,
Edoardo

Great instruction set!
I'm going to share them with the astro club members.