David's Astronomy - Notes 2022-11-12 (S1058)

1) About TeleLink
2) Creating TeleLink Project
3) Developing the Code
4) Driver Installation
5) Driver Set-Up & Use
6) Progress

1) About TeleLink
TeleLink is my first attempt at building an ASCOM Driver.

It is intended to be an ASCOM telescope 'driver' that doesn't actually drive telescope hardware itself but is designed instead to sit between TeleAPI and DeviceHub.Telescope. Except for checking the dRA parameter in SlewToCoordinatesAsync() calls, adding 24 if dRa is < 0 or subtracting 24 if dRA is > 24, it will do nothing more that pass communications to and fro between TheSky6/TeleApi and DeviceHub.Telescope.

TeleLink is intended to deliver a final workaround for the bug in TheSky6 where Ra values slightly less than 0 or slightly greated that 24 can be generated and sent to DeviceHub.Telescope when the target RA is very close to either RA 0 or RA 24. This is because TheSky6 doesn't check and wrap the TPoint modified RA value when it less than 0 or greater than 24.

2) Creating the TeleLink Project

Firstly the "ASCOM Driver Project Templates" needs to be downloaded / added as a Visual Studio Extension if not already available. This is done using Visual Studio's "Extensions/Manage Extensions" menu option

Next a new project solution is created from Visual Studio's "Getting Started - Create a new project" option, and then filtering on "Visual Basic / Windows / ASCOM " templates, selecting "ASCOM Device Driver (VB)"

The Next button is then clicked and the "Configure your new project" form filled in

Clicking 'Create' leads to the "ASCOM Device Driver Project Wizard" where the driver's Device Class and Device Name are completed.

Clicking 'Create' then creates and opens the project solution in Visual Studio.

(In an initial trial attempt a 'Test Forms App' project was added to the solution, and set as the startup project, according to the 'Templates' but this was found to be unnecessary and not included in the final project. )

3) Developing the Code

The driver's Driver.vb file (TelescopeDriver.vb in case of the TeleLink driver) is then edited & extended to include the required functionality.

The 'SetupDialogForm.vb' form this edited as required. In the case of the TeleLink driver this meant the removal of the COM Port (not required as TeleLink is not an 'End-Driver', and the addition of a Telescope ID field (for defining the Telescope that TeleLink is connected to)

The principal coding features in TeleLink's TelescopeDriver.vb file are as follows:

Customised variables:

' Telescope ID Friend Shared telescopeIdProfileName As String = "Telescope ID" 'More Constants used for Profile persistence Friend Shared telescopeIdDefault As String = "ASCOM.DeviceHub.Telescope" Friend Shared TelescopeID As String = "ASCOM.DeviceHub.Telescope" Private objScope As ASCOM.DriverAccess.Telescope

Customised Connected Property

Public Property Connected() As Boolean Implements ITelescopeV3.Connected Get Dim bIsConnected bIsConnected = IsConnected TL.LogMessage("Connected Get", bIsConnected.ToString()) Return bIsConnected End Get Set(value As Boolean) TL.LogMessage("Set Connected", value.ToString()) If value = IsConnected Then Return End If If value Then ' check DeviceHub is running ' .... ' Create Scope TL.LogMessage("Creating objScope", "Setting objScope = New ASCOM.DriverAccess.Telescope(" + TelescopeID + ")") objScope = New ASCOM.DriverAccess.Telescope(TelescopeID) ' Connect Scope TL.LogMessage("Connect Scope", "Setting objScope.Connected " + value.ToString()) objScope.Connected = True TL.LogMessage("Connect Scope", "Setting connectedState = True") connectedState = True Else ' Disconnect Scope TL.LogMessage("Disconnect Scope", "Disconnecting from " + TelescopeID) objScope.Connected = False TL.LogMessage("Disconnect Scope", "Should now be disconnected from " + TelescopeID) If IsNothing(objScope) = False Then TL.LogMessage("Disconnect Scope", "Disposing objScope") objScope.Dispose() objScope = Nothing End If TL.LogMessage("Disconnect Scope", "Setting connectedState = False") connectedState = False End If End Set End Property

Customised properties and methods which simply pass-on requests and return results, e.g.

Public ReadOnly Property Declination() As Double Implements ITelescopeV3.Declination Get Dim dec As Double dec = objScope.Declination() TL.LogMessage("Declination", "Get - " & utilities.DegreesToDMS(dec, ":", ":")) Return dec End Get End Property

Key Customised Methods which fix issue with RightAscension parameters from TheSky6/TPoint sometimes having a value outside the range 0.0 to 24.0, e.g.

Public Sub SlewToCoordinatesAsync(RightAscension As Double, Declination As Double) Implements ITelescopeV3.SlewToCoordinatesAsync Dim RightAscension0 As Double ' check RA value and wrap around if appropriate ' this is to workaround a bug in TheSky ' --------------------------------------------- If RightAscension < 0 Then RightAscension0 = RightAscension TL.LogMessage("SlewToCoordinatesAsync", "Error: RA value (" + CStr(RightAscension0) + ") is less than 0.0, and will be wrapped.") RightAscension = RightAscension + 24 TL.LogMessage("SlewToCoordinatesAsync", "Info: RA value is reset to (" + CStr(RightAscension) + ")") ElseIf RightAscension > 24 Then RightAscension0 = RightAscension TL.LogMessage("SlewToCoordinatesAsync", "Error: RA value (" + CStr(RightAscension0) + ") is greater than 24.0, and will be wrapped.") RightAscension = RightAscension - 24 TL.LogMessage("SlewToCoordinatesAsync", "Info: RA value is reset to (" + CStr(RightAscension) + ")") End If TL.LogMessage("SlewToCoordinatesAsync", "RA: " + utilities.HoursToHMS(RightAscension) + ", Dec: " + utilities.DegreesToDMS(Declination, ":", ":")) objScope.SlewToCoordinatesAsync(RightAscension, Declination) End Sub

4) Driver Installation

To install the new driver a setup file needs to be created using the 'Inno Setup' Program (accessed from "Start/ASCOM Platform 6/Developer Tools/Inno Installer Web Site" or direct from https://jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php to install latest stable version 6.2.1 as at 2022-11-12) and a script file that is built by running "Start/ASCOM Platform 6/Developer Tools/Driver Install Script Generator" .

After filling in the relevant details and clicking Save a script file ("TeleLink Telescope Setup.iss) is then generated.

Inno Setup is then run and the script file selected, or the .iss file can be simply clicked upon. This is then checked and Built / Run to generate a setup file (TeleLink Telescope Setup.exe) which can be either immediately lauched, or launched later, in order to register the driver in ASCOM and in Windows.

The Setup.exe file can also be copied to the Observatory Computer, where it can launched in order to install the driver on the Observatory Computer.

When the Setup.exe is run is copies the driver DLL file to "C:\Program Files (x86)Common Files\ASCOM\Telescope\" folder and an entry is created in ASCOM Profile Root\Telescope Drivers (viewable via Profile Explorer).

Note on RegSvr32 failure and 'Technology'

[When the Driver Setup file was first run an error dialog popped up during the windows registration process

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ASCOM\Telescope\ASCOM.AstroTele1.Telescope.dll Unable to register the DLL/OCX: RegSvr32 failed with exit code0x4.

with options are 'Try Again', 'Continue' or 'Cancel Installation' (the latter rolls back the installation)

With regard to this error the following help was found in this ASCOM Developer Forum post (Re: Unable to register the DLL/OCX: RegSrv32 failed with exit code 0x4)

If your driver written in VB.NET starting with a skeleton driver created from the ASCOM Visual Studio templates and your installation script is calling RegSvr32, then you used the wrong option when you ran the Install Script Generator. In the Technology dropdown you probably chose "In-process COM (dll)" but you should have chosen ".NET Assembly (dll)". Choosing the latter option should use RegAsm to register your driver. The generated script contains commands for both 32-bit and 64-bit registration. You would need to remove whichever option is not needed. If you want your driver to be used by both 32-bit and 64-bit applications then you should build it for "Any CPU" and should register it for both 32-bit and 64-bit operation on 64-bit versions of Windows.

Changing the 'Technlogy' field in the Driver Installer Script Generator to contain ".Net Assembly (dll)" resolved the issue.

5) Driver Set-Up & Use

From the TheSky6's 'Telescope Setup' and with 'TeleAPI' selected as normal. Click on Settings.

Then click on Settings to get to 'ASCOM Telescope Chooser' form and select "TeleLink Telescope"

Then click on Settings again (these must be setup at least once) to get to the TeleLink Setup' form. Choose 'ASCOM.DeviceHub.Telescope' (if using) or other Telescope, and optionally turn on Trace.

Ok is then clicked on the various forms to save the setup.

6) Progress

The first working version (my first ever ASCOM driver) was developed in a matter of just a few hours. After testing & addressing some minor issues, TeleLink 1.0 was released on 2022-11-14 and installed on Observatory Computer ready for its first live session test.

TeleLink is used with AstroMain 3.57.2 to finally resolved the issue that TheSky6 doesn't check and wrap the TPoint modified RA value when it is less than 0 or greater than 24, leading to an exception from DeviceHub, and a modal error dialog from TheSky6.

Update 2022-11-20

The TeleLink driver was successfully used during a 13 hour live session on 2022-11-20 (S1059).

The MoesGo Portable Remote Control is a Zigbee device than can be used to control other devices on the network, set scences or provide customised remote control capability.

The remote is battery operated (Alkaline LR23A 12V), and has 4 buttons (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4).

Each button has 3 actions (single-click, double-click & long press).
Double click have to be made in quick succession otherwise they are perceived as two single-clicks. Long Press is 5s

(Caution : a press of 10s or more on certain button(s) can be perceived as a Reset, this will be known by flashing blue light on the remote)

Purchase & Delivery
[ See product page on the Moes House WebSite : Tuya-smart-life-zigbee-smart-home-wireless-switch-4-gang-remote-point-to-point-control ]

The remote control was purchased from Amazon (MoesGo Tuya Smart Life Zigbee Smart Home Wireless Switch 4 Speed Remote Control Portable ) and arrived today (2022-11-18).

Installation
The remote control was installed onto the Observatory's Zigbee Network using the Phoscon App. The device as loaded as a 'Switch' in Phoscon and appeared on the deCONZ REST API as a 'sensor' with id = 7 ( id =8 after 2022-11-22), manufacturename: "_TZ3000_abci1hiu", modelid: "TS0044", type: "ZHASwitch"

Button Events
The 12 possible button events from the remote controller are mapped as follows

Value Button Action

1002 1 Single Click

1003 1 Long Press

1004 1 Double Click

2002 2 Single Click

2003 2 Long Press

2004 2 Double Click

3002 3 Single Click

3003 3 Long Press

3004 3 Double Click

4002 4 Single Click

4003 4 Long Press

4004 4 Double Click

Network Map showing the new Remote device is shown below

Aux Light control
As a useful first application of the MoesGo Remote Control, it was programmed to turn on the Observatory's Aux Light (double-click) and turn it off again (single-click)

Update 2022-11-19
Attempt to turn on the Aux Light with programmed double-click didn't work today (2022-11-19) even though it was working the previous evening. Investigating show that no events from the Remote were being logged. Furthermore the network map in deCONZ showed no connection lines going to the 'Remote' node. Moving to a position that was closer to the Observatory (closer than when the Remote was when it was joined to the network, didn't fix the issue. Attempt to reset the device by holding the button down for 10s+ didn't produce the expected blue falshing lights. Checking the battery showed that its voltage was only 4.5V compared to the expected 12V.

The battery came pre-installed in the Remote, without any plastic pull -out tab, so it's possible that due to a prolonged period since manufacture & packing the battery power had drained or it was a cheap battery. I have however read reports of some zigbee end-devices having very poor battery performance (draining away in 48 hours or in 1-2 months, and not the expected 1-2 years of life)

A pack of 5 new batteries have been ordered ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000CSLIP6 )

Update 2022-11-22
Set of 23A 12V batteries arrived today (2022-11-22). First battery tried was a dud (only 6.6 V). Second battery tried was ok (12.5 V) and was installed in the MoesGo Remote control. Remote control was re-joined via Phoscon App (the previous entry having been deleted in vain attempts to restablish a connection between network and the remote). Remote now has the Sensor ID 8. AstroMain updated and it was establish that the remote can again be used to turn-on/turn-off the Observatory's Aux Light.

	2022-11-12 (pre-session)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result - Night Summary Plot - Session Event Log

	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0), Major Issues (0), Minor Issues (1), Small Defects (11), Continuous Improvement (18)

	Images from 2022-11-12 >> [ Local Files >> ]

	Upgrade to ASCOM 6.6 SP1
	DeviceHub 6.6.1.1

	2022-11-14
	TeleLink 1.0 - Telescope Driver

	2022-11-18
	MoesGo Portable Remote Control

This Web Page:	Notes - Session 1058 (2022-11-12)
Last Updated :	2024-09-25
Site Owner :	David Richards
Home Page :	David's Astronomy Web Site

David's Astronomy Pages
Notes - Session 1058 (2022-11-12)

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-11-12)

Operational Issues (2022-11-12, S1058)

2022-11-12 (pre-session)

Upgrade to ASCOM 6.6 SP1

DeviceHub 6.6.1.1

2022-11-14

TeleLink 1.0 - Telescope 'Driver'

2022-11-18

MoesGo Portable Remote Control

Value	Button	Action
1002	1	Single Click
1003	1	Long Press
1004	1	Double Click

2002	2	Single Click
2003	2	Long Press
2004	2	Double Click

3002	3	Single Click
3003	3	Long Press
3004	3	Double Click

4002	4	Single Click
4003	4	Long Press
4004	4	Double Click

David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1058 (2022-11-12)