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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Casa Grande, AZ
    Posts
    278

    Default USB and Optec Driver Issues (was:ACP not working with FocusMax 4?)

    I am trying to get FM4 working in my ACP environment. At the moment I am doing everything with simulators.

    The basic problem: when ACP runs the autofocus routine, FM4 starts fine. However, as FM4 starts its run ACP immediately returns with the message
    **Autofocus failed. Check FocusMax log for details

    However, FM4 itself continues to run, ending up with a focus that is just fine.

    I suspect this may be a result of my using an evaluation license for FM4. The failure occurs right after FM4 logs that it is an evaluation license and it spits out the license information. I don't know why this info would affect ACP, maybe I am barking up the wrong tree.

    I see that ACP 7.2 includes support for FM4, so I have updated ACP to 7.2.
    Version info:
    Maxim 6.05. Running unthreaded; using the threaded camera option results in the known issue of Maxim hanging.
    FocusMax 4.0, evaluation license.
    Ascom 6.2
    Win7, all updates applied.
    Simulators for Telescope, focuser, camera.

    I can do the manual VCurve and focus operations manually from FM4. FM4 does have the "Send log to ACP" option checked, so I see the starting FM log in the ACP console.

    I start Maxim6 and FM4 manually before connecting ACP to the camera.

    Sample logs for running AutoFocus.vbs is attached for ACP. Ignore the FM4 log, it was when I was running ACP 7.1d.

    Am I missing something simple for using FM4? It "sounds like" other people are using FM4 without problem.
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Robert Brewington
    ACP 8.1 / Win 10 64bit
    Tak FSQ106, Paramount MX Mount
    SBig ST2000XM, STF8300M/STi

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Mesa, AZ
    Posts
    33,941

    Default

    This appears to be FMx returning an error-completion status to ACP right when it checks the license. ACP then kills everything and resets the camera. Meanwhile FMx is chugging along doing the autofocus and it gets a MaxIm error because ACP reset the camera (remember it thought that FocusMax finished with an error).

    This is one for Steve Brady. I'm guessing that the eval license is related since FMx4 runs fine here on simulators and others have been using it with 7.2 since the RCs came out.
    -- Bob

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Casa Grande, AZ
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    278

    Default

    OK. I take it that you have not seen anyone running the eval license, everyone is just buying it?

    I have been struggling with FM3.8 for 9 months now; it randomly loses some internal pointer, giving the dreaded "Object not set" error. I keep installing different versions, but the intermittent problem remains. FM always works fine when run manually, the problem has something to do with the scripting engine. I had been working with Steve, we thought we had found the problem, but in the end I think we fixed some other problem. I have emailed Steve with the current problem interacting with ACP, hopefully we can get by this problem to see if FM4 fixes the original problem.

    I recently rebuilt the observatory computer, hoping that fresh windows would clear up some system problem. No success. I wanted to try FM4 to see if it would fix the problem; I am reluctant to straight out buy it if it isn't going to fix the problem, although I suppose in the long run I will need to buy it anyway.

    At this point
    a) I cannot run FilterOffsets.vbs. FM will crash after 3-5 filters.
    b) I cannot run automated imaging runs. As ACP switches filters through the night, FM randomly crashes. I have to check the run every hour or two and restart the run.

    Clearly ACP is heavily dependent on FM and Maxim working reliably. FM4 is having issues working with Maxim6, so for the moment FM4 is something of a double whammy. Since neither form of FM (3.8 or 4) seems to work on my system, I may be forced back to manual imaging
    Robert Brewington
    ACP 8.1 / Win 10 64bit
    Tak FSQ106, Paramount MX Mount
    SBig ST2000XM, STF8300M/STi

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Casa Grande, AZ
    Posts
    278

    Default

    Well, I have got a workaround for the FocusMax 4 problem.

    In several scripts (AutoFocus.vbs, FocusOffsets.vbs, AcquireImages.js) there is code that runs the FM. In each case, there is a delay of 2 seconds, apparently due to some race condition back in FM 3.2.1.

    With the 2 seconds, the first AsyncStatus that returns is 1 (completion) rather than -1 (in progress). Thus, ACP thinks the focus has already finished; it never does the time loop waiting for completion. It seems that while FM is logging the license info the status is not -1; the -1 seems not to be set until later. Logging the license info is slow for some reason.

    Experimenting with the timing, less than 5 seconds on my machine always fails. 5 seconds sometimes works, sometimes fails. 6 seconds seems to work; I am testing on simulators, real hardware may be different.

    I notice that in the FocusMax Version Check logic (AcquireSupport) there is a 5 second delay; maybe it will fail sometimes? Or, maybe that is something different

    With 6 seconds both AutoFocus and FocusOffsets seem to work. I hope to be able test tonight with real hardware in case I need an even longer delay.
    Robert Brewington
    ACP 8.1 / Win 10 64bit
    Tak FSQ106, Paramount MX Mount
    SBig ST2000XM, STF8300M/STi

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Mesa, AZ
    Posts
    33,941

    Default

    OK, we talked about this on the phone and it's a bug in FMx. It is reporting completion before it even gets started. You agreed and will pass this along to Steve.
    -- Bob

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
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    Casa Grande, AZ
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    Default

    Outstanding. Steve released a version 4.1.0.8 of FocusMax, downloadable from the CCDWare site (the regular download). It doesn't indicate what version you are downloading, but when I did the install it uninstalled the prior 4.1.0.7 and installed 4.1.0.8. Now the license printing information only occurs when the main FocusMax starts up; the subsequent CreateObject of the focuser do not print the license info in the first place.

    I tested with real hardware:
    - worked well with my 6 second delay
    - changed back to the original 2 second delay, and now that worked.
    - Removed the delay entirely, and that worked as well.

    So, now FM4 is working for me from the ACP standpoint. Of course, I subsequently experience all the hanging issues between FM and MaximDL (version 6.06). Waiting breathlessly for a fix from the Maxim people
    Robert Brewington
    ACP 8.1 / Win 10 64bit
    Tak FSQ106, Paramount MX Mount
    SBig ST2000XM, STF8300M/STi

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Charlottesville, VA
    Posts
    862

    Default

    Robert-

    Have you tested FMax 3.7.0.95? That's the last version that has worked in my hands with ACP. I couldn't get any of the 3.8.xxx versions of FMax to work, and have not tested or installed FMax 4.xxx because Steve hasn't reported that my problem has been understood or fixed.

    If you continue to struggle, I have found that FMax 3.7.0.95 is bullet-proof.

    I hope to upgrade to 4.xxx someday, but want to give it 6 months and see if it's clear that it will work with ACP.

    Quite frankly, I'm also on Maxim 5.24, and have been reluctant to upgrade to version 6.xxx.

    I continue to to operate with the latest Daily Build of SkyX, and the latest versions of ACP (planning to update to 7.2 in the next full-moon cycle.) But as to FMax and Maxim, I really don't need the new features. I need rock-solid reliability! The combination of ACP 7.1d, Maxim 5.24, FMax 3.7.0.95 and the latest SkyX is VERY robust.

    Best,

    Rob

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Casa Grande, AZ
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    Default

    Yes, I was having trouble with 3.7 so I went to 3.8. The 3.8.0.15 version I was running had a change from Steve that fixed a related problem, but in the end did not fix my main issue (FocusMax getting Object not set errors when adjusting focus offsets when switching filters). For example, I cannot run FocusOffsets - FM will always crash at some point due to the number of filter changes. The only version that seemed to work was 3.4, which is getting pretty old.

    Thus, I was hoping that FM4 might actually work; I am also interested in the multiple focuser capability. Unfortunately FM4 isn't working with Maxim6 at all; everyone is waiting for Maxim to issue a fix.

    My Maxim 5.24 was hanging sometimes and having trouble guiding so the Maxim guys put me on 6, which fixed that issue.
    Robert Brewington
    ACP 8.1 / Win 10 64bit
    Tak FSQ106, Paramount MX Mount
    SBig ST2000XM, STF8300M/STi

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Charlottesville, VA
    Posts
    862

    Default

    Robert-

    Sounds good. Yes, this is a very complicated hobby, and we're all pushing the envelope in one way or another.

    Not long ago I updated my SBIG drivers. Safe enough, right? I wound up preventing both SBIG cameras from connecting at the same time. It was a bug, and I had to drop back to the earlier version. At this moment everything is running and is very solid. So I'm very cautious about FMax 4 and Maxim 6 until those programs get more mileage on them.

    Good luck with everything!

    Rob

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Mesa, AZ
    Posts
    33,941

    Default

    I really get sick hearing that people have experiences with software that gets worse with new versions. As those stories circulate, people get cold feet and revert to "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and sometimes these are the same people who ask for new features. I work hard to implement new features and track the changing sands, and then there is a reduction in uptake. Sigh...
    -- Bob

 

 

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