AP1200 "Rejected Coordinates" (was: Hotfix 9 - Changed ASCOM code?)

I hesitate to bring this up, but I'm wondering if hotfix 9 changed any of the ACP ASCOM connection or hub code.

The reason I ask is related to the "coordinates rejected" errors I described in the "software and drivers" area. As you might recall, I started getting these errors after installing hotfix 9. Several people said that the errors were coming from the AP1200 mount, and suggested that I check my equipment. Even though absolutely nothing had changed, I checked the cables and connectors, and even switched to a different serial port on the PC. Nothing I did made any difference.

Last night I heard from a friend who began experiencing exactly the same "coordinates rejected" errors after installing hotfix 9. As in my situation, nothing in his setup had changed -- only the hotfix installation.

He also told me something I believe is key: His errors occurred only in ACP. If he closed ACP and launched TheSky, connecting directly to the mount via the ASCOM driver, the errors did not occur.

The difference between his setup and mine is that I have TheSky configured to connect to my AP1200 through the ACP ASCOM hub. (As I noted in the original thread, I do this because occasionally I want TheSky open while ACP and FocusMax are connected to the mount.)

I experienced the errors in ACP and in TheSky, but my friend experienced them only in ACP, because he connects TheSky directly to his AP1200.

The common point in this scenario seems to be that the errors occur only when connecting to the AP1200 through or by ACP.

Is it possible that something in hotfix 9 is the cause of these errors?
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Mike

Mike Dodd
Montpelier, VA USA
http://astronomy.mdodd.com

Mike --

The ACP.EXE program hasn't changed in any of the hot fixes, so the hubbing code has been the same since beforfe Hot Fix 1. The only changes in the hotfixes are in the scripts which implement the observing logic, the web pages, etc. With that said, it is certainly possible that those changes in observing logic could have changed the timing of requests to the driver such that a timing hole in the driver/controller has been exposed. ACP's use of the driver is pretty "busy" and it's common that it is the thing that exposes weaknesses.

Are you involved in the official AP driver beta program? If not, you might want to contact AP and get on it. I think they are close to release though and you might want to wait for that.

Yep the new AP ASCOM driver (still in beta) explicitly checks for this error and retries internally up to 3 times.

John

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bob Denny

Mike --

The ACP.EXE program hasn't changed in any of the hot fixes, so the hubbing code has been the same since beforfe Hot Fix 1. The only changes in the hotfixes are in the scripts which implement the observing logic, the web pages, etc. With that said, it is certainly possible that those changes in observing logic could have changed the timing of requests to the driver such that a timing hole in the driver/controller has been exposed. ACP's use of the driver is pretty "busy" and it's common that it is the thing that exposes weaknesses.

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Thanks Bob; maybe that's what's going on.

Quote:

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Are you involved in the official AP driver beta program? If not, you might want to contact AP and get on it. I think they are close to release though and you might want to wait for that.

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Yes I am, and so far the driver seems pretty solid. As John mentions in this thread, the driver retries several times, so it's possible any errors may never make it through to ACP.

If the rain ever stops, I'll continue testing the new driver.
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Mike

Mike Dodd
Montpelier, VA USA
http://astronomy.mdodd.com
http://NotWhatIVotedFor.com

All good news (except for the rain). You could turn on simulated images, and if your scope is in a dome or a high enough roof, test the driver/acp/etc. during daylight/bad weather. Give it a big plan with lots of targets all over the sky.