Author Topic: LFEP ASCOM driver - update notices  (Read 22019 times)

Offline Armando

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LFEP ASCOM driver - update notices
« on: Tuesday, 16.04.13 - 19:24:23 - CEST »
Hi @all,

by subscribing to this topic you'll be notified in case of LFEP ASCOM driver updates.
To avoid you the need to build the sources, for each bugfix or improvement I'll update the current version.

Clear Skies!
Armando Beneduce
« Last Edit: Tuesday, 16.04.13 - 20:18:39 - CEST by Armando »

Offline Armando

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Re: LFEP ASCOM driver - update notices
« Reply #1 on: Thursday, 09.05.13 - 00:49:24 - CEST »
Hi @all,

current release including all changes from the last 1.5.2 stable release is 1.5.3 beta and it's available at the following address:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/lfepascom/files/LFEP%20ASCOM%20Driver%20%281.5.3%29_Beta.exe/download

Small bugfix about encoder resolution not properly shown. Thanks to Michael Merkert for the bug report.
Improvement: Added support for H-beta and S-II filters
Bugfix: handbox focuser Get button now works also with no caliper in use.
Bugfix: focuser movement command to invalid position is now discarded.
Bugfix: mount parameters are properly stored.
Improvement: The handbox, when its coordinates menu is active, sets short LX200 format and causes communication issues. A warning message is shown at startup if unexpected Ra answer is detected. The user has 30s available to check handbox and exit from the coords menu if active.
Bugfix: West/East toggle by telescope now causes Dec inversion if the mount is not aligned.
Bugfix: all mount parameters are now properly stored.
Bugfix: short LX200 coordinate format causes no warning message at startup.
Small bugfix: Added two sleep calls to solve possible issues at startup.
Improvement: To solve possible time related communication issues an overloaded CommandString function is now implemented to wait for the length of the expected answer. Currently it's used only to get latitude and longitude.
Improvement: overloaded CommandString with two new parameters (expected answer length and a timeout multiplier). Currently only some commands make use of them.
Bugfix: LF_SyncToEncoder.
Bugfix: TelescopeMove now works also with encoder AutoSync enabled.
Bugfix: changing tracking rate when mount is parked causes no crashes.
Improvement: Added 2x, 8x and 16x paddle speeds. Selecting these speeds or guiding rate will cause no LFEP internal memory writings.
Bugfix: Dec 16x speed setting is no more overwritten by 16x RA speed  by Stop function.
Improvement: Added warning message as soon as a new moving speed that will cause EEPROM writings has been selected.
New feature: Added sound notification on slewing end.
New feature: Added Silent mode to reduce traffic (useful while guiding by ST4).
Improvement: RA and Dec coordinates are now updated every 1s while telescope is slewing.
Improvement: RA and Dec coordinates are updated as soon as a manual moving command ends.
New feature: added weather panel. Temperature, dew point, humidity and cloud values are properly shown.
New feature: a right click on the log panel will keep only the last 10 log lines.
Improvement: Small GUI changes to reduce the GUI size.
Changes: Focuser Get button replaced by mouse double click on focuser position.
Changes: Focuser Fast/Slow button replaced by mouse double click on focuser speed.
Bugfix: wrong encoder autosync tolerance check.
Improvement: disabled LF_GetPECstatus call when not required.
Small BugFix: wrong values of SYNC distances were logged.
Small Bugfix: parking status is properly shown/updated when a parking/unparking command has been sent by Telescope setup.
New feature: added reverse pier side mode.
Small BugFix: flip button status is no more affected by autoflip settings.
Small bugfix: CaliperRes, FocThreshold and StepSize decimal separator format.
Improvement: added _ManualSlewing to properly manage/update position while pressing a moving button (by ASCOM handbox).
Small bugfix:  whatever the SideOfPier, MoveNorth and MoveSouth move the mount in the right direction.
BugFix: SideOfPier by ASCOM and by hardware handbox are the same. (*3)
New feature: drift compensation.
Small Bugfix: KingRate and PEC status caching didn't work.
Improvement: implemented emptyInBuffer to discard unexpected data and process coordinates sent by hardware handbox.
Improvement: each command is resent if unexpected data is still available after the readout.
Bugfix: #14:VX# answer length is 8 bytes - LFEP BUG.
Bugfix: 89.90 as FlipPointToPole flipDEOver parameter value to be sure meridian is not crossed before FlipCrossMeridian execution.
Bugfix: MoveNorth and MoveSouth modified to manage LFEP bug (wrong Dec direction on West Side of Pier).
New feature: flip through South Pole.
Improvement: flip should cause no pillar collision.
Improvement: IntellyTrack can be kept disabled if marked by the user as buggy.
Improvement: manual flip is now always possible.
Small bugfix: SetAutoguiderRate.
Improvement: no display status check (display causes issues no more) and no long format switch at start-up.

New feature: partial FW5 support - LFEP can be configured only by handbox.

Improvement: manual flip is now managed by a timer.
Bugfix: async slewing command didn't return immediately in case of autoflip.
Now all async slewing steps are managed by a timer.
Bugfix: slewing state kept on during the entire slewing time (including Pole cross and final slew required in case of autoflip).
Small bugfix: flipping kept on during all flipping time.
Small bugfix: slewing distance check if enabled is active even if horizon check is disabled.
New feature: added alternative parking position.

Reorganized all LFEP ASCOM profile settings related to flipping and parking - check driver configuration after the update!
Redefined flip and parking options:
- Removed Controller parking mode.
- Flip through N, S and N/S (N/S mode requires confirmation).
- Independent auto flip option for GoTo (with/without confirmation).
- Independent auto flip option for parking (with/without confirmation).
- Independent horizon check options for parking and slewing.

New feature: focuser speed is stored/restored upon connection.
New feature: focusing not possible while parking/slewing.
Small bugfix: focuser speed is equal to value shown/set by LFEP handbox.
Small bugfix: time was not properly stored (because of wrong time format).
New feature: added fan button to control fan by handbox.
Small bugfix: SyncToTarget sets _Aligned.
Small bugfix: UnparkTracking option was ignored - added sleep call in _AtPark.
Improvement: horizon check, if enabled, occurs also when setting parking positions.
Removed EPEC support.

Several bug fixes and changes.
A new option is available to enable/disable slewing management by the driver.
Keeping the Enhanced slewing control option enabled can be useful to prevent pillar collisions but the LFEP is to be properly configured according to the instructions available at the following address:
http://forum.lfep.de/index.php?topic=311.0


Notes:
1. In case of no LFEP communication issues I would suggest to set a lower timeout value (750 - 1000).
2. Implementation of PulseGuide is not ASCOM compliant. As for example, If you're using Maxim DL you have to enable Auto Pier Flip (in guide panel) and Reverse X in Guider Motor Control settings (Guider advanced settings) to eliminate the need of new guider calibrations after a flip...
3. SideOfPier by ASCOM and by hardware handbox are the same only if Dec motor rotation is not reversed.
4. If you guide by the ST-4 interface then LFEP guides only at pad guide speed. So guiding speeds grater than 1x are only available by ASCOM pulse guide!
5. ASCOM pulse guide speeds greater than 1x are affected by a bug: guiding to East is faster than guiding to West (if n*x is the expected guiding speed the effective speed isn't 1x+-n*x but +-n*x).

CS
Armando
« Last Edit: Friday, 29.04.16 - 02:02:21 - CEST by Armando »

Offline Armando

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Re: LFEP ASCOM driver - update notices
« Reply #2 on: Friday, 29.04.16 - 01:57:32 - CEST »
Hi @all,

an update, including all changes from last 1.5.2 stable release, is available at the following address:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/lfepascom/files/latest/download?source=files

I just fixed a small bug related to GUI customization: now the groupboxes are hidden/shown as expected.

CS
Armando Beneduce