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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Telescope.Touch INDI client for Android with sky map

  • Posts: 23
  • Thank you received: 11
Hi Ming Jiang,
Thank you for your review on the Play Store. To solve the issue, I need more details about your telescope mount and Android device.
  1. Android version and possibly the phone model
  2. The telescope mount you're using
  3. INDI driver of the mount
  4. The object you selected in the GoTo and where the telescope ended up instead. Maybe the issue is just a wrong object in the database.
  5. Does eFinder interfere with Telescope.Touch? If so, I need more details about eFinder itself
It would be really helpful if you could also do some tests:
  1. Test Telescope.Touch with an INDI telescope simulator
  2. Test it with your telescope mount alone (no CCD, eFinder, focuser, etc)
The fact that the app doesn't crash, but takes you to the home screen, is suspicious. I'll try to provide you with a beta version as soon as I figure out the issue.
I've tested the app only with my AstroEQ mount, and it works. Unfortunately I don't have access to other telescopes for testing.
Kind regards,
Marco Cipriani
3 years 1 month ago #66656

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Hi Marco,

Thanks for the swift response.

To answer your questions:

1. My phone was running Android 9 (Pie) whereas my tablet which I also tested the app was on Android 8 (Oreo)
2. The telescope mount that I tested the app on was ES iEXOS-100 PMC8 and the built in INDI telescope simulator
3. indi_pmc8 for the ES mount
4. The objects I tried were Vega, Deneb and M31
5. The eFinder was running the INDI server through Ekos. I then connected Telescope.touch to the server. According to the INDI control panel the connection was successful and I could slew the mount manually with the telescope controls in the app.

I've already tested it with the telescope simulator on its own (no ccd simulator or focuser simulator).

Hope the above information helps. And don't worry if it's going to take some time to fix this. I can fully understand that it's not possible for you to test the app on a wide variety of mounts on your own. You're already doing a big favour for the community.
Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Ming Jiang.
3 years 1 month ago #66662

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I managed to reproduce the issue using a Chromebook. It's basically a "weird Android computer", so it behaves differently from my smartphone and phone emulators. The app crashes like you described after a GoTo and whenever I flip the screen. I'll tell you when the fix is available on Google Play.
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3 years 1 month ago #66691

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This is great. I installed the Google Play store release on my LG G6 running Android 8.0.0, Kernel V.3.18.71.
I also experienced the app close, but not crash, to the home screen when choosing a star from the goto list.
I think the goto list filters should be expanded to filter out objects that are not visible. The list should also show other information like rise/set time, altitude.
I look forward to seeing where this project goes in the future. Thank you.
3 years 1 month ago #66694

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All the issues are now fixed. I confirm the fact that the app was pointing the telescope in the wrong place. The update will be rolling out on Google Play soon.
That would be a nice feature, I'll add it to my TO-DO. It is, however, a bit complicated to implement: I need to figure out the formulas and optimise them, because calculating rise/set times for 14000 objects on a smartphone means torturing Android.
If there's an Android developer here, I encourage him to join the project, because Telescope.Touch is growing faster than I had planned. Donations would be great, too!
3 years 1 month ago #66697

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Hi Marco,
i've an indi server running on a raspi controlling a lx200gps. It all warks ok from a kstars on linux but i can't connect to server with your app. When i try (with the right ip) it tells me "Problem connnecting to..." and "connection lost".
Thanks
3 years 1 month ago #66740

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Hi,
Maybe you're connecting to the wrong port. The default one is 7624, but sometimes INDI happens to use other ports, like 7625, 7626 and so on. See the screenshot below.
If that's not your case, please let me know more details about your configuration, like the Android version and where the server is (e.g. an Astroberry).
You should also try other INDI clients and see if you can connect remotely.
Kind regards,
Marco Cipriani

3 years 1 month ago #66741
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Thank you for the updated version of the app, Marco.

Goto in the latest version now works correctly on my tablet running Android 7 (I got it wrong in my last reply. It's 7 not 8 ).

However on my phone (OnePlus 3T running Android 9) it still quitted to home screen as soon as I tapped "Goto" or "Sync". The scope would also point to some random place.

Tested with both iEXOS-100 and telescope simulator.
Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Ming Jiang.
3 years 1 month ago #66745

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Happy to know it works!
Most likely you haven't updated the app on your phone, or the update isn't available for it yet. Unfortunately, Google Play may take up to three days to deliver updates.
I'll be releasing a new update this week, which fixes some other crashes, improves the GoTo precision and adds a Polar Finder utility. If you are interested in testing the experimental version, I'll be happy to send you the APK!
3 years 1 month ago #66746

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I'll test it again in a couple of days on my phone in case it is still the older version downloaded from Google Play.

The polar finder utility sounds interesting. I normally use the Polemaster on my HEQ5 for polar alignment when imaging. But this polar finder could come in handy when I do visual with the eFinder and iEXOS-100. Although PA doesn't need to be spot on for visual, the more accurate the better for tracking. And doing PA with Ekos through VNC on a smaller screen is a pain.
Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Ming Jiang.
3 years 1 month ago #66774

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That's exactly why I'm adding this functionality ahahahah
3 years 1 month ago #66776

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Version 1.4 is rolling out on Google Play. I've completely reviewed the Go-To functionality, so it should work without a hitch now. New features include the Polar finder and the telescope position on the Sky Map.
Let me know how it goes with the latest improvements.
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3 years 1 month ago #66878

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