LittleFoot Elegance Photo > LFEP ASCOM
COM Schnittstelle wird nicht erkannt
Heinz-S:
Hello Armando,
currently I need only the standard features like move commandos, park position, meridian flip. They are partly supported by the generic LX200 driver. For the moment the situation is acceptable.
When I have a look at the promotion of “Teleskopsteuerung.de” in the “Astrotreff-Forum”, where all the features of the original LFEP driver are presented, I'm unhappy not to have access on them.
When I bought the LFEP, I didn't know, that my firmware cannot work together with that driver.
If I need more features in the future, I have to buy another control unit. Thanks again for your help an the best wishes.
Clear skies
Heinz
Armando:
Hi Heinz,
I perfectly understand your point of view.
While keeping current ASCOM development on, I found 6.xx FW affected by some (not documented) bugs that made developing a little annoying.
I'd like to make current ASCOM driver compatible with 5.xx FW releases but having no 5.xx FW documentation makes developing pretty difficult...
I can "reduce" current ASCOM driver by removing some code trying to make it working with 5.xx release.
We could ignore all ASCOM commands used to configure LFEP (mount settings, focuser settings, ...) and limit to make the main controls available by ASCOM...
But you'll have to test, debug, send me some logs, ...
I asked you about the features you mean to use to define if a quick solution is possible.
If you mainly need only GoTo functions I suggest to use FocusMax: FocusMax will connect to LFEP by LX200; so all the clients you mean to use to control your LFEP (e.g. SkyChart, MaxIm, ...) can connect to FocusMax hub contemporaneously...
Let me know ;)
CS
Armando
Heinz-S:
Hello Armando,
I send you my deep respect for the willingness in spending your time to make the driver compatible with 5.88 firmware. I'm not the only user with that firmware version. I agree with you, that all features could be ignored, setting by the handbox at starting up the LFEP for the first time.
The features, I'm needing particularly are the follows:
Automatic Meridian Flip
Safety function for remote operations
Controlling the time setting of the LFEP
Displaying the handbox on the screen with the coordinates
Sync and move commandos
Controlling the LFEP by using the LAN interface
I'm willing to participate in some tests, but I'm not an IT specialist. Furthermore I'm not sure if these tests are possible, because my laptop didn't connect to the LFEP by using the original LFEP driver (error message: „Please select COM/LAN settings in SETUP first“).
The software FocusMax was yet unknown to me. Thank you for that tip.
CS
Heinz
Armando:
Hi Heinz,
I'm pretty sure the main troubles will come from #0:VX# command. It's used to read LFEP state and everything else moves around it.
Current solution is an ASCOM server making multiple connections possible.
Because of this choice there is the need to manage commands coming from many clients.
Just for example you won't focus while moving the mount. If only one software was used to control LFEP, the software itself will never send a focusing command while the mount is moving since the same software will have sent the GoTo command and will be waiting for the end of the GoTo...
But if an ASCOM server solution is adopted then the ASCOM server has to take into account a client can ask to focus while the mount is moving because of a GoTo command sent by another different client...
Furthermore you can control your LFEP also by handbox! And this is the reason why the server has to poll LFEP internal settings to know and refresh LFEP state to exclude possible issues...
#0:VX# is the command periodically sent to LFEP to know its state.
The answer is binary and each bit has its own meaning...
I think #0:VX# command or an equivalent command is implemented in 5.xx firmware. There is the need to test it in different conditions to reverse engineer the binary answer...
Maybe because of missing features in LFEP 5.xx FW the answer length is different too...
--- Quote from: Heinz-S on Sunday, 09.02.14 - 11:53:40 - CET ---I'm willing to participate in some tests, but I'm not an IT specialist. Furthermore I'm not sure if these tests are possible, because my laptop didn't connect to the LFEP by using the original LFEP driver (error message: „Please select COM/LAN settings in SETUP first“).
--- End quote ---
If you try the ASCOM driver for 6.xx FW, you have to set the COM port number (by a click on setup) before being able to connect to LFEP...
As soon as you connect the LFEP by USB cable a new serial port is available; you can figure out its number by Windows control panel...
Then, after executing the LFEP ASCOM launcher, you have to click on setup to set the right port number. Then a click on connect will start communication by using the appropriate port...
I think the same is valid also for the old driver...
Port choice is saved; so setting the port number is required only for the 1st connection after the driver has been installed or, obviously, in case of port number change...
--- Quote ---The software FocusMax was yet unknown to me. Thank you for that tip.
--- End quote ---
I suggested this solution since with no efforts and without an ASCOM server solution (i.e. by a simple ASCOM LX200 driver) thanks to FocusMax you'll be able to communicate to LFEP by many clients ...
CS
Armando
Heinz-S:
Hello Armando,
the problem is, that the connection of the LFEP with my laptop dose not work at all by using the original driver (version 1.1.3 or any other version). I proceeded exactly as you described it, but the error message occurs again and again. That was the reason to open that thread.
After plugging in the USB cable, the COM2 port appears, I change it and try to connect the LFEP. But every time the Laptop reports: Please select COM/LAN settings in SETUP first. When I'm using the Generic LX200 driver and fulfil the same procedure, Laptop an LFEP connect without the report of any error message.
An especially LFEP ASCOM launcher is not implemented in my driver version. I start the connection with my client software (E&T or CdC). These programs firstly displayed an ASCOM telescope chooser. I set the little food photo telescope hub. Then I click on the properties button and the little foot photo telescope setup appears. In that window I set my COM2 port. Then I click the connect button and the error message appears. If I choose the Generic LX200 driver in the same way, the connection is successful.
Do you have an idea, why the driver reacts in that way.
CS
Heinz
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