BYE ASCOM and Stellarium scope control

[foobee2]

I'm trying to find a way to have Stellarium's scope control running for slewing, as well as BYE's ASCOM control for nudging running at the same time. However, while I have Stellarium's scope control running , BYE ASCOM will not connect, gives a port error. I'm using a db9 to USB adapter, creating a virtual COM3 port, so that is the only COM port available. Is there a way to get both controls to run at the same time?

[astroman133]

It depends on the design of the ASCOM driver for your telescope.  Basically, if the driver is packaged in a file with a .DLL extension, then the DLL runs in the Stellarium and BYE processes.  The two instances do not know about each other and when one program opens the serial port it blocks the other program from access to the port.  If the driver is packaged as a .EXE file then both BYE and Stellarium connect to the same .EXE and the driver will process commands from both programs.

 

If that answer is not complete or detailed enough I would suggest that you re-post your question with the ASCOM-Talk group.  If you do I would also suggest that you identify what driver/scope you are using in the post.

[dts350z]

That works for me without any issues.

 

I can connect to the ASCOM EQ5/EQ6 mount with Stellarium (via Stellarium scope), BYE, AstroTortilla, and PHD2.

 

The only place where the port is used is in EQMOD. Everything else is just using the ASCOM chooser to select the EQMOD EQ5/EQ6 item.

 

The first thing you connect (I suggest stellarium scope) you can click on properties to check/set the port number, but for subsequent connections in other programs there is no need to go into properties.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Are you using EQMOD?

[s3igell]

Are you using the ASCOM POTH Hub??

 

This POTH allows Multiple Ascom Controllers to Connect to one Device.

[foobee2]

For more clarity, I'm using the ASCOM Celestron unified driver, with an AVX mount. I'm unsure what "Stellarium scope" is though I've seen it mentioned, is it the same same as the Stellarium - Scope Control plugin? Also not sure of POTH, so pretty sure I'm not using it, I'll look into it.

I went out last night, and could not get BYE to connect at all, even with it being the only thing running. In the ASCOM connection options the only choice I had was COM4, though the night previous, everything had been on COM3.

[dts350z]

Stellarium Scope is here:

 

http://www.welshdragoncomputing.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=31&Itemid=39F

 

Re-guarding the port, always plug into the same USB port on your laptop and or hub, to ensure you get the same port number. If not, right click on "Computer" and select "manage". When that pops up, click on "device manager", then expand "Ports (COM & LPT)".

 

Right click on your mount device (or serial to USB converter) and select "properties". Click on the "Port Settings" tab and then the "Advanced" button. Here you can set the Com Port Number. If you pick one that windows thinks is in use (even through it's actually the same device and SHOULD have used that port number) Windows will complain but click yes and it will set it back to the original port number.

[Jim]

As s3igell has said, are you using the POTH method of connecting to your mount within ASCOM?

 

POTH is a hub that allows you to connect more than one software interface to the single interface of your mount.

 

I do this regularly and connect Alignmaster, PHD 2.5, Astrotortilla, BYE, Stellarium via Stellarium Scope with few problems. The one thing I try to remember is to disconnect within each software application from the mount as I swap between tasks. I have found that this results in a much more stable experience, though I do forget from time to time without any issues as long as I don't leave too many software interfaces connected at the same time.

 

Jim

[astroman133]

Jim,

 

POTH should allow multiple applications to connect with the telescope/mount at the same time, without issues.  If you do something like use Stellarium or AstroTortilla to slew the mount while PHD is autoguiding you will have unpredictable results, but as long as your workflow avoids situations like that you should not have to disconnect from one app to connect with another.

 

I don't use POTH because the drivers for my telescopes (Celestron and Astro-Physics) are already hubs, I routinely have a camera control app (BYE when I use my EOS camera), AstroTortilla, and Sky Tools connected to the mount all at the same time. I also use PHD2, but through the ST4 port on the camera. I have never had an issue telescope control as long as only use one telescope app at a time and stop guiding before slewing.  The apps that use the scope can stay connected all the time.

[dts350z]

Newest versions of PHD2 will stop guiding when you slew, assuming ASCOM vs. ST4.

[dts350z]

More info on Stellarium Scope, from http://www.stellarium.org/wiki/index.php/Telescope_Control

 

"StellariumScope is a program for MS Windows allowing Stellarium to control a variety of telescopes using the ASCOM drivers. It extends the number of devices that can be controlled by Stellarium and adds commands such as "sync" and "stop"."

 

and, on that same page, it sounds like the Stellarium "telescope control plugin"  is NOT ASCOM at all.

 

So, to use an ASCOM scope driver with Stellarium you need "Stellarium Scope".

 

Whether or not your ASCOM driver is a "hub" is apparently a separate matter. I was not aware that there were drivers that were hubs and drivers that were not, before this thread, because the one I use (EQMOD) is a hub.

[Jim]

Rick,

 

If I have had issues with POTH it usually shows up as one of the connected software apps locking up, and is normally when two of the apps try and control the scope at the same time. Doesn't happen often and I just find it easier to press the disconnect button in the apps I'm not using at the time as it only takes seconds for them to reconnect.

 

Jim