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Cartes du Ciel Loses Mount Connection When APPM Launches #APCC #ASCOM_V2_Driver

John Upton
 

Hi Astro Nuts,

   This is probably a setting issue but I have noticed the past few outings that my Cartes du Ciel planetarium program (version 4.2.1) loses its connection to the AP-V2 mount driver whenever I first launch APPM from APCC (version 1.9.0.11). (The mount in the AP Mach2.)

   I usually launch application is the following order:
  • APCC
  • Cartes du Ciel
  • PHD2
  • NINA
   I then make the following connections in this order:
  • APCC to Scope via TCP and USB COM3 backup
  • AP-V2 ASCOM Driver via APCC
  • Cartes du Ciel to AP-V2 driver
  • PHD2 to AP-V2 Driver and guide camera
  • NINA to Imaging camera (ASI2600Mx)
  • NINA to AP-V2 driver
  • NINA to other equipment (MoonLight Focuser, PHD2)
   Under this ordering everything works well until I launch APPM from APPC. As soon as that happens Cartes due Ciel throws multiple errors saying that it has lost its connection to the AP-V2 driver and that no mount is connected. I can connect APPM to the mount driver and NINA and then reconnect Cartes du Ciel and all are happy and play well together.

   Has anyone else observed something similar? Is this a known issue? Could it be something that I have set up incorrectly in APPM, APCC, or Cartes du Ciel itself? It is not a catastrophic error and seems to cause no harm but if I can avoid it, so much the better.


John

. 
Peter Nagy
 

Hi John,

You shouldn't have to do this but have you tried using ASCOM Device Hub? It's pretty easy. It's already part of ASCOM. When you select ASCOM mount driver, instead of choosing A-P V2 ASCOM mount driver, choose ASCOM Device Hub (or something like that), it will open another window and you can choose A-P mount, your planetarium software and anything related to controlling the mount there. I'm writing this with a tablet so I'm writing from memory. 

https://ascom-standards.org/FAQs/DevHub.htm

Peter
Ray Gralak
 

Hi John,

Have you tried increasing the timeout in the AP V2 driver setup window?

-Ray

-----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of John Upton
Sent: Friday, November 19, 2021 6:23 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: [ap-gto] Cartes du Ciel Loses Mount Connection When APPM Launches #APCC #ASCOM_V2_Driver

Hi Astro Nuts,

This is probably a setting issue but I have noticed the past few outings that my Cartes du Ciel planetarium
program (version 4.2.1) loses its connection to the AP-V2 mount driver whenever I first launch APPM from
APCC (version 1.9.0.11). (The mount in the AP Mach2.)

I usually launch application is the following order:


* APCC
* Cartes du Ciel
* PHD2
* NINA

I then make the following connections in this order:


* APCC to Scope via TCP and USB COM3 backup
* AP-V2 ASCOM Driver via APCC
* Cartes du Ciel to AP-V2 driver
* PHD2 to AP-V2 Driver and guide camera
* NINA to Imaging camera (ASI2600Mx)
* NINA to AP-V2 driver
* NINA to other equipment (MoonLight Focuser, PHD2)

Under this ordering everything works well until I launch APPM from APPC. As soon as that happens Cartes
due Ciel throws multiple errors saying that it has lost its connection to the AP-V2 driver and that no mount is
connected. I can connect APPM to the mount driver and NINA and then reconnect Cartes du Ciel and all are
happy and play well together.

Has anyone else observed something similar? Is this a known issue? Could it be something that I have set
up incorrectly in APPM, APCC, or Cartes du Ciel itself? It is not a catastrophic error and seems to cause no
harm but if I can avoid it, so much the better.


John

.
John Upton
 

Ray, Peter,

   Thanks for the suggestions. I will try increasing the AP-V2 driver timeout first to see if that solves it. I can look into using the ASCOM Device Hub later as a potential fall-back solution. I suspect the timeout change will fix the issue, though. I will need to try an indoor check since it will be cloudy and rainy for the next week according to predictions.


John
Ray Gralak
 

Hi John,

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try increasing the AP-V2 driver timeout first to see if that solves it. I can
look into using the ASCOM Device Hub later as a potential fall-back solution.
I do not recommend using the ASCOM Device Hub with the AP V2 driver as the ASCOM device hub may not pass through some of the APCC-specific commands from APPM to APCC.

-Ray

-----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of John Upton
Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2021 9:09 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Cartes du Ciel Loses Mount Connection When APPM Launches #APCC
#ASCOM_V2_Driver

Ray, Peter,

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try increasing the AP-V2 driver timeout first to see if that solves it. I can
look into using the ASCOM Device Hub later as a potential fall-back solution. I suspect the timeout change will
fix the issue, though. I will need to try an indoor check since it will be cloudy and rainy for the next week
according to predictions.


John
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