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Problem Connecting to Alpaca Device from SkySafari 7

Hi there I have  been experimenting with ASCOM Remote server and have managed to create a driver to allow connectivity to my ASA DDM85 Mount, well at least the ASCOM driver associated with the mount, the mount itself is in the process of being assembled in my observatory.  When I attempt to connect via SkySafari, I get the following error:

Connection Failure
SkySafari 7 Pro can make a wireless network connection to the Alpaca server, but the scope returned error "'System.__ComObject' does not  contain a definition for 'AxisRates'. 

I know that the current ASA DDM85 ASCOM driver does work as I have successfully driven the mount via Stellarium using this driver.  Here are the logs from ASCOM Remote:

Device Telescope 0 (AstrooptikServer.Telescope) connected OK and is available
ASCOM Remote Alpaca device listening URI: http://192.168.0.41:11111/api/
Listening for IPv4 discovery broadcasts on port 32227.
IPv6 discovery not enabled.
Server started successfully.
GET /management/apiversions
GET /management/v1/configureddevices
PUT /api/v1/telescope/0/connected
GET /api/v1/telescope/0/canslewasync
GET /api/v1/telescope/0/canslewaltazasync
GET /api/v1/telescope/0/cansync
GET /api/v1/telescope/0/cansyncaltaz
GET /api/v1/telescope/0/canpark
GET /api/v1/telescope/0/cansettracking
GET /api/v1/telescope/0/canmoveaxis
GET /api/v1/telescope/0/canmoveaxis
GET /api/v1/telescope/0/axisrates

8 comments

  • 0
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    Keiron Smith

    Perhaps Bob Denny can lend an insight?

    Thanks!

  • 0
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    Bob Denny

    Deepskyman  Thin evidence, so this is my best guess. The ASA software's ASCOM interface is missing the ASCOM AxisRates() method. It can return an empty list but it must answer. Click this link to the spec and look down to the Remarks.The log you posted shows SkySafari querying the capabilities and ranges (ASCOM is a universal interface), and it stops right at AxisRates presumably since the ASA software throws an error probably "not implemented", which is prohibited by the spec. ASA will need to address this one

    Just because one program (e.g. Stellarium) can use the mount doesn't mean SkySafari should be able to. SkySafari is perfectly within its rights to query AxisRates(). Apparently SkySafari doesn't check that aspect of the mount, so ASA gets away with not implementing AxisRates().

    One thing you can do is grab the Conform Universal tool from the ASCOM site and check the ASA for spec conformance. YOu can run it on Windows to talk direct to the ASA, or on a Mac or Linux system to talk through ASCOM Remote using Alpaca. The issues and errors reported (and there will be at least one :-) ) can help you make your case with ASA. If you run it on Windows your case will be stronger since ASA can't blame ASCOM Remote ha ha.

     

  • 0
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    Bob Denny

    An after thought... it's possible that the ASA software may need to be connected to a real mount before It would be capable of providing info. Also in ASCOM Remote > Setup > Logging Configuration enable Debug Logging and Access Log. THen run the test again and post the log here. We may be able to see the error message being given with the error that SkySafari is receiving, and it may shed light on the problem.

  • 1
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    Deepskyman

    Thanks for your feedback Bob, much appreciated. I’ll have a look at these over the next week or so and get back to you. It did occur to me that it might be the ASA DDM85 simulator in Autoslew that’s the issue, unfortunately the mount itself is awaiting some remedial work on my Obsy before it can be assembled.

  • 0
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    Bob Denny

    Oh you didn't say Simulator. If they furnish a simulator, please do re-run the test with the logging set to Debug/Access and post the result here. 

  • 0
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    Deepskyman

    Bob is there a way to attach files to this conversation?  I have generated the log files from ASCOM Remote and ConformU as requested, but can't seem to find a way to attach them to the conversation.

  • 0
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    Bob Denny

    I can't see a way to attach files either. Since I honestly don't think this is an issue with SkySafari, let's take this over to the ASCOM Talk Forum (if you don't mind the sign-up). You can attach files there (and thanks for not pasting the log contents here!!!). Also the ConformU and ASCOM Remote author as well as other knowledgeable people hang out there. But I'll look at the logs and see what I can see.

  • 0
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    Bob Denny

    PostScript: The AstroOptik driver fails Conformance Checks for missing AxisRates, FindHome() and SyncToAltAz().

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