FocusMax questions

[TRAPPIST]

I have a couple of questions about FocusMax :

- when someone forgot to start FocusMax before ACP , or kill FocusMax etc. we got the Active X and/or (?) Error 13 , . The only way I found to get back the system working ok is to reboot the computer. Is there an better way to restore the system ?

- I had not switched off the TCFS focuser since weeks and I dont remember from where is coming the focus position in FocusMAx after a restart of the focuser. Sorry I dont remember. The value in memory of the TCFS ? I cannot find an "absolute" reference position defined in FocusMax (or maybe I did it during the first startup procedure ?)

- We operate with the focuser always on (no daily restart). At the end of the night the CCD is disconnected. The Focuser stays on focus postion of last filter used. When CCD is powered up, the wheels rotate and go to one given filter (always the same). But the focuser is still in FocusMax on the focus position of previous filter. Next focus offset will then be wrong ?

The FilterInfo.txt has been done since a long time and out system is working but I have to check FocusMax is starting with the right focus value.
Maybe I need to reinitialise the TCFS focuser ? (the change the offset values in the filteroffset file). THey were close to 0 for one set of filters.

- last : I noticed acquire star is looking for star sometimes very far (2 deg), then finds a lot of candidate for focus (mag 11-12) about 1000 stars and then it looks to me this is slowing down FocusMax. Is there a way to say to FocusMax to only look to a smaller field ?

Sorry if this is a bit out of topic..., I should register to FocusMax.
Maybe that will be useful to others.
Emmanuel

[Dick Berg]

- I had not switched off the TCFS focuser since weeks and I dont remember from where is coming the focus position in FocusMAx after a restart of the focuser. Sorry I dont remember. The value in memory of the TCFS ? I cannot find an "absolute" reference position defined in FocusMax (or maybe I did it during the first startup procedure ?)

The value is stored in the .ini file you're using that is in the FocusMax/Data Files folder (Windows XP) or User/My Documents/FocusMax folder (Windows 7) - the value is called "PreviousFocus"

- We operate with the focuser always on (no daily restart). At the end of the night the CCD is disconnected. The Focuser stays on focus postion of last filter used. When CCD is powered up, the wheels rotate and go to one given filter (always the same). But the focuser is still in FocusMax on the focus position of previous filter. Next focus offset will then be wrong ?

Yes, it will be wrong. This still happens to me, too. I thought Bob had fixed this in one of the version 5 hotfixes, but it doesn't work right for me now in version 6 either. I typically take a "default filter" exposure at the end of the night so that the focuser is repositioned to the default focus position and the filter itself is moved to the default filter position. It could be, I think, scripted as part of the Terminate() process when ACP shuts down.

The FilterInfo.txt has been done since a long time and out system is working but I have to check FocusMax is starting with the right focus value.
Maybe I need to reinitialise the TCFS focuser ? (the change the offset values in the filteroffset file). THey were close to 0 for one set of filters.

The offsets should still be okay. But the zero point might migrate depending on the ambient temperature and its effect on the expansion or contraction of the OTA. Even if the focus is wrong at the beginning of the night, the first autofocus should find the correct focus right away.

- last : I noticed acquire star is looking for star sometimes very far (2 deg), then finds a lot of candidate for focus (mag 11-12) about 1000 stars and then it looks to me this is slowing down FocusMax. Is there a way to say to FocusMax to only look to a smaller field ?
l

You can adjust this value by changing some program constants in AcquireSupport, if you are NOT using FocusMax's AcquireStar. In AcquireSupport.wsc, search for the statement that says:

"The PinPoint "image" is 30 by 30 pix"

The next little bit of code establishes the FOV window for selecting a focus star. It's set for 5x5 degrees by having PL.ArcsecPerPixelHoriz = 600 and PL.ArcsecPerPixelVert = 600. If you change 600 in both places to 120, you'd search a 1x1 degree field. If you change 600 to 60 it would search a half-by-half degree field. Set your own threshold.

[Bob Denny]

Yes, it will be wrong. This still happens to me, too. I thought Bob had fixed this in one of the version 5 hotfixes, but it doesn't work right for me now in version 6 either. I typically take a "default filter" exposure at the end of the night so that the focuser is repositioned to the default focus position and the filter itself is moved to the default filter position. It could be, I think, scripted as part of the Terminate() process when ACP shuts down.

Hmm... OK, I'll have to fix this one for 6.0. I can't see an old/closed issue in the tracker for this, so here's a new one for 6.0.

http://gemini.dc3.com:8472/Gemini/De...spx?p=17&i=532

[TRAPPIST]

Hola Dick,

Thank you for your detailed answer ! I'm clear now
I thought I was missing something because of this focus reference not ok at start sometimes (we have 2 series of parafocal filters).
I had also this idea to take an image at the end, but I'm not sure how to do a dummy image to move the filter. Looks like a dark would not do it. Can we take an image without giving a target to ACP (telescope disabled) ?

Anyway Bob will fix that for us thank you Bob !

Cheers and thank you again,
PS : one more night on asteroid Scheila in ourtbust which for your info is not a comet (no gas detected with TRAPPIST). Again a collision in the main belt ... ?

[Tom Krajci]

- We operate with the focuser always on (no daily restart).

If you cycle the power to the TCF-S, it will perform a homing operation to move the focuser drawtube fully in (position 0), and then move back out to the focuser position as 'remembered' in the TCF-S controller electronics.

Doing this homing procedure can help maintain repeatable positioning of the focuser because it is a Crayford/friction drive...and there can be a small amount of slippage...which is not unusual for a friction drive.

[TRAPPIST]

ok Tom, thank you for the tip !

An other question :
Before starting ACP, I start FocusMax which opens MaximDL.
I never noticed before it was connecting the CCD camera. is it normal ? I thought ACP would do it the first ?

And I had a problem in fact. The filter wheels started to rotate when I started FocusMax (I did not start ACP at all) without stopping.
Did Someone already experience that ?

I had to shutdown the CCD to stop this (our FWs takes power from the camera).
The I started again the CCD then focusMax and it was fine.
This is in fact the 2d time I experience the problem, but first time I was not sure from where it was coming. Here it semms it was linked to start of FocusMax.

Any comment ?
thanks,
emmanuel

[Tom Krajci]

Before starting ACP, I start FocusMax which opens MaximDL.
I never noticed before it was connecting the CCD camera. is it normal ? I thought ACP would do it the first ?

That sounds normal for FocusMax.

Because of that behavior, on my rigs I have ACP running first, then connect to the CCD in Maxim...then connect to the CCD in ACP...and FocusMax is the very last software that I start.

If you experiment a bit with sequence of software starting, and device connecting...you may find a workable solution.

[TRAPPIST]

Hello Tom,

In my case everything needs to connect automatically.
And the way I do it usually it works well but I dont like so much to see FocusMax connecting first the CCD camera.
I start first FocusMax (connects to TCFS focuser on) that opens MaximDL (connect to CCD on )
then ACP that connects at start to Scope (start the scope), CCD (already connected), Dome (started by ACP), weather station (on).

I have to start FocusMax first because if I dont I get errors Active X etc. and ACP cannot work properly. I spend a lot of time on this, and it is the only configuration working for me. I never found an other solution than starting first FocusMax and it is also the advice given by Bob I think.

So I dont understand why for some people like you it is ok to start FocusMax at the end ? Would be interesting to find why you are so lucky
I find a bit weird there is not a rule "this is the way the series of soft has to be started up" as obivously that has some consequences.

PS : I do nothing within MaximDL, sometimes when i'm testing I just connect the telescope and dome (after ACP) to see where the scope is pointing and if the dome is at the right place.
I never connect the focuser in MAximDL if it is connected already in FocusMax because I'm then getting in troubles.

Cheers,
Emmanuel

[Dick Berg]

Bob,

Considering that many users need to/want to start FocusMax up front in order for it to keep working throughout an observing session, is it possible to have ACP automatically start FocusMax at an appropriate time during the start up sequence? For example, when one connects ACP to the camera, MaxIm will start up automatically. At this point might it be possible to start FocusMax? (I could even envision another portion of the System Status item being given over to FocusMax, including a click on the label to start it up, and a focus position/temperature readout - for version 6.1!)

Emmanuel,

I'm one of the even luckier guys who doesn't have to start FocusMax at all. Whenever ACP calls for a focus, or a focuser position move, ACP starts FocusMax at that moment, and FocusMax does it thing and then shuts down until the next call. I have no idea why it should work this way (according to design I think) for me but not others.

[Bob Denny]

Dick --

This is an excellent idea. Sometimes I feel like I'm too close to things to see things like that :-) Two issues resulted:

http://gemini.dc3.com:8472/Gemini/De...spx?p=17&i=537
http://gemini.dc3.com:8472/Gemini/De...spx?p=17&i=538