Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- software [2022/12/14 21:26] – holtz
+++ software [2025/05/26 04:45] (current) – holtz
@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
   * ASCOM Platform (6.4 - Service Pack 1)
-  * !SiTechExe (0.94N)
+  * SiTechExe (0.94N)
-  * !SiTech Servo II Driver (9.7)
+  * SiTech Servo II Driver (9.7)
   * MaxImDL (6.20)
   * ACP/ACP Scheduler (8.2.1)
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
   * AnyDesk (5.2.1)
   * TigerVNC (1.9.0)
+: fresh install on new computer with Windows 11
 == Initial Software Installation ==
@@ Line 38: / Line 40: @@
 We use VNC for remote access. Launch TigerVNC, right click the tray icon and go to options. Set authentication password for remote access.
-== !Observatory/Telescope Control ==
+== Observatory/Telescope Control ==
 Download and install:
   * [[https://ascom-standards.org |ASCOM Platform]]
   * [[https://www.siderealtechnology.com/ |SiTechExe and Servo II Driver]] (under the “Support” tab).
-  * [[http://acp.dc3.com/download.html |ACP]] and [[http://scheduler.dc3.com/download.html| ACP Scheduler]]. AAVSO will provide the license information for ACP.
+  * [[http://acp.dc3.com/download.html |ACP]] and [[http://scheduler.dc3.com/download.html| ACP Scheduler]]. AAVSO will provide the license information for ACP; this needs to be entered both for ACP and for ACP Scheduler.
   * Then grab the [http://gsc.dc3.com guide star catalog] and install that. Make a note of the location that the catalogue installs to, you’ll need to provide that information to ACP (default location is C:/GSC11).
   * [[http://diffractionlimited.com/product/maxdome-ii-observatory-dome-control-system/ |MaxDome II Drivers]] (under the Downloads tab)
@@ Line 49: / Line 51: @@
 Download [[http://diffractionlimited.com/product/boltwood-cloud-sensor-ii/| Clarity II]] for the Boltwood II Weather Station (under Downloads tab). When starting the software it may complain about a missing file, MCI32.ocx. This used to be included in older versions of Windows, but not in the current version of Windows 10. If you need it you can get a copy from the [[http://www.diffractionlimited.com/forum/forums/boltwood-cloud-sensors.9/| Clarity II Support Forum]] (look for a thread titled Clarity II and Windows 10 - missing file). Put the MCI32.ocx file in the C:/Windows/SysWOW64 folder.
-Once Clarity II launches successfully hit setup and enter the COM port for the Boltwood II (currently COM4, check device manager to determine current COM ports)
+Once Clarity II launches successfully hit setup and enter the COM port for the Boltwood II (currently COM5, check device manager to determine current COM ports)
 Download and install [[https://www.astronomylog.co.uk/focusmax-downloads/| Focusmax 3.8]]. Focusmax 3.8.0.20 was the last free version. Focusmax 4 now requires a purchase/license. AAVSO can send you the installer, or it’s available on the web at the above link (at least as of the time of writing).
@@ Line 57: / Line 59: @@
 In Focusmax, click ‘choose’ next to ‘not connected’. Select the Optec driver.
 Click properties, to set up the focus properties.
-Select the COM port for the focuser. Currently COM5
+Select the COM port for the focuser. Currently COM4
-In March 2021, switched to FocusMax v4, needed for new large format camera. License purchased.
+In March 2021, switched to FocusMax v4, needed for new large format camera. License purchased. IN 2022, switched to FocusMax v5
-Download camera drivers. Camera is a QSI 583. You can download an image of the installation CD from the [[https://qsimaging.com/drivers-software/ |QSI site]] (under support, drivers)
+Download camera drivers. Camera was a QSI 583. You can download an image of the installation CD from the [[https://qsimaging.com/drivers-software/ |QSI site]] (under support, drivers)
 Open the installer, select MaxImDL plugin, install.
 Move the CCDPlugQSI.dll file from C:/ProgramFiles(x86)/Cyanogen/MaxImDL V5 to /MaxImDL 6 if it put it in the wrong location.[
@@ Line 75: / Line 77: @@
 Set up camera using Advanced button on ASCOM setup.
-Open Servoconfig, setup COMM port, and enter the COM port for the telescope (currently COM 6).
+Open Servoconfig, setup COMM port, and enter the COM port for the telescope (currently COM3).
 Open SiTech.exe, config, change config, misc, select COM Port for the telescope.
 Dome control is usually done through ACP, but low-level checks can be done through ASCOM Dome Control directly.
-Open ASCOM Dome Control, Select dome, and select the !MaxDome II driver.
+Open ASCOM Dome Control, Select dome, and select the MaxDome II driver.
-Click Setup Dome, select COM port (Currently COM10).
+Click Setup Dome, select COM port (Currently COM6).
 Now we should be able to connect to everything. It’s time to tweak the setup.
-Check telescope config in !SiTech (Config tab, change config).
+Check telescope config in SiTech (Config tab, change config).
 Check telescope name (TM61), Aperture (24 inches), and focal length (Telescope is f/5, but effectively f/5.6 due to coma corrector -> Focal length is 5.6*24=134.4 inches).
-Check site !Lat/Long/Elevation.
+Check site Lat/Long/Elevation.
 Under Mount Params, check that the mount is set to Equatorial.
 We haven’t changed any of the other parameters under this tab yet.
@@ Line 123: / Line 125: @@
 We’re still getting some errors with the dome slit positioning, so these values need to be tweaked.
-In ACP Preferences, Enable ACP Pointing Correction, and enable AutoFocus (but get it working with FocusMax first). In PinPoint menu, change exposure interval to 10s. Setup Telescope, Observatory, Imagin.
+In ACP Preferences, Enable ACP Pointing Correction, and enable AutoFocus (but get it working with FocusMax first). In PinPoint menu, change exposure interval to 10s. Setup changes in Telescope, Observatory, Imaging. Add Server Users as desired. For guiding, may want to set maximum error to 2 pixels.
+=== FocusMax ===
 In Focusmax, go to open -> options.
 Enable auto connect for focuser and camera. In Camera, set central region to 50% (for large FOV). In Autofocus, disable max HFD, or set to sufficiently large number. Find a star, manual focus, and do a Vcurve. In Settings/Autofocus, set to use binning=2 for all filters of interest. Test a focus run.
-In MaxImDL, Observatory Control select the setup tab. Add Telescope (SiTechDLL Telescope) and Focuser (FocusMax Focuser Hub). If it auto-detects the weatherstation (Boltwood CS and Davis), make sure to disable them for enable all (click the arrow for more options, then deselect Enable for Connect All)
+=== MaximDl ===
+In MaxImDL, Observatory Control select the setup tab. Add Telescope (SiTechDLL Telescope). Do NOT connect to Focuser (FocusMax Focuser Hub) if ACP will be connecting to focusser, other you will get communication hangs leading MaxIM to frezee up! If it auto-detects the weatherstation (Boltwood CS and Davis), make sure to disable them for enable all (click the arrow for more options, then deselect Enable for Connect All)
+In maximDL, observatory window, Telescope tab, calibrate to allow point here. I could not get Auto to successfully identify stars, so used Manual given information from ACP plate solve: used scale=0.22 and orientation=0 for QHY 600 as mounted.
+using Guider window in expose, calibrate guider: take an image and click on Guide star, then use Calibrate button. Need to select AscomDirect in Autoguider output control, and select telescope (Scitech) with setup button. For some reason, maybe need to change sign of Xspeed (once using ACP, seems like it!). May want to set track box size in Guider/Options to keep star from drifting out of guiding images.
+=== Clarity II ===
 Clarity II Setup:
@@ Line 140: / Line 152: @@
 In the interim, if the alert flag is not present ACP can still function (older versions of Clarity also didn’t have this alert bit). Instead ACP will look at the level digits for the individual conditions (cloud, wind, rain, daylight), and trigger the weather script if any of the conditions is at Level 3.
+=== ACP and Scheduler Setup ===
-== Configuration ==
+Note that ACP Config is rsynced, so you can find some of the files below in the rsync location.
+- For ACP, add SchedulerDawnFlats.txt (and Dusk) in /Users/admin/Documents/ACP Astronomy/Plans
+- add Autoflat.config in /Users/Public/Public Documents/ACP Config/\\
+- edit filename in ImageConfig
+- see also /Users/Public/Public Documents/ACPConfig/Scheduler, StartupObs.js, ShutdownObs.js, temperature.txt
+- Run focusoffsets script, creates FilterInfo.txt in ACP Config, or copy existing FilterInfo.txt don't put offsets in MaximDL or they will get applied twice!
+To get webcam images in ACP web interface, setup webcam.py (in ACP Web Data/Doc Root/webcam) to run from crontab on reboot. Create TelescopeWebcam tiddler per Bill Ketzeback instructions and add into MainMenu. New tiddler code:
+<code>
+<script>
+  return "<html><table width=100%> <TR> <TD><a href=http://tmocam.nmsu.edu:88/cgi-bin/CGIProxy.fcgi?cmd=openInfraLed&usr=admin&pwd=ha6563 target=dummy> LED on </a> // <a href=http://tmocam.nmsu.edu:88/cgi-bin/CGIProxy.fcgi?cmd=closeInfraLed&usr=admin&pwd=ha6563 target=dummy> LED off  </a> (will open new tab, need to select original tab to return) <TD><a href=http://128.123.30.24:88/cgi-bin/CGIProxy.fcgi?cmd=openInfraLed&usr=admin&pwd=ha6563 target=dummy> LED on </a> // <a href=http://128.123.30.24:88/cgi-bin/CGIProxy.fcgi?cmd=closeInfraLed&usr=admin&pwd=ha6563 target=dummy> LED off  </a>(will open new tab, need to select original tab to return) <tr>  </html> [img[/webcam/tmocam.jpg?" + new Date().getTime()+"]] [img[webcam/tmocam2.jpg?" + new Date().getTime()+"]]";
+</script>
+<<RefreshTiddler Refresh "Refresh Display" 5 >>
+</code>
+To get focuser position in ACP web, add focus stuff in ACP Web Data/Doc Root/ac/acsystemstatus.asp, and add code in SystemStatus tiddler:
+<code>
+                <tr title="Focuser position">
+                    <td class="telemlabel">Focus:</td>
+                    <td id="sm_focus" class="telemetry"><span>-----</span></td>
+                </tr>
+</code>
+Various asp files plus tiddler files are attached in {{wiki:ACP.tar}}
-In maximDL, observatory window, Telescope tab, calibrate to allow point here. I could not get Auto to successfully identify stars, so used Manual given information from ACP plate solve: used scale=0.22 and orientation=0 for QHY 600 as mounted.
-using Guider window in expose, calibrate guider: take an image and click on Guide star, then use Calibrate button. Need to select AscomDirect in Autoguider output control, and select telescope (Scitech) with setup button. For some reason, maybe need to change sign of Xspeed ??
+Finally, use copy script (in rsync directory) with crontab to rsync files, e.g., every 5 minutes?
-For ACP, add SchedulerDawnFlats.txt in /Users/admin/Documents/ACP Astronomy/Plans
+<code>
+*/15 * * * * /home/admin/copy > /home/admin/copy.log 2>&1
+@reboot /cygdrive/c/Users/Public/Documents/ACP\ Web\ Data/Doc\ Root/webcam/webcam.py > /dev/null 2>&1 &
+</code>
-add Autoflat.config in /Users/Public/Public Documents/ACP Config/\\
-edit filename in ImageConfig
+=== AAVSO setup ===
-see also /Users/Public/Public Documents/ACPConfig/Scheduler, StartupObs.js, ShutdownObs.js, temperature.txt
+Install anaconda Python. Get TortoiseSVN and configure to sync \data\code and \data\plans. Edit \data\plans\scripts\environ.bat to set correct direcctory locations; need to create zip directories;
+run it as admin to set environment variables. Set Windows Scheduler to run sync. bat
-Run focusoffsets script , creates FilterInfo.txt in ACP Config, or copy existing FilterInfo.txt don't put offsets in MaximDL or they will get applied twice!