blinky

I think you maybe had some cloud/fog and thats whats caused the issue

I dont bother with flat darks Olly and dont have any problems with my ASI1600

Yeah, sure - in theory its working now but only in so far as I can send signals to/from the Arduino from my C# app. Still need to sort out all the buttons etc

Ah, thanks for the info

I had the same on my WO ZS73 - It got send back to WO and is now much better. They did say initially to try a dew band but when that didnt help they took it back and sorted it, so might be worth trying a dew band to see if that makes a difference.

Thanks for all the advise folks, Im going to see if I have a red dot finder we can attach - have plenty of red dot finders just not sure I have a bracket and not sure why/how I managed to get RDF's without brackets!

Hi, I've been asked to recommend a beginner telescope for a friend - they are looking to get one for their boys for Christmas to get started and see if it interests them. The budget is around £200 and I was looking at the Skywatcher 150P dobs, I was pointing them in the direction of the flextube since they don't have a good view from their house but then noticed its F5 and since they are just getting started and will be using the basic eyepieces and wont have collimation kit (other than possibly me collimating it initially) i was wondering if the solid tube @ F7.84 would be more forgiving on EP's and collimation - what's the view of others since I'm primarily an imager.... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/sky-watcher-heritage-150p-flextube-dobsonian-telescope.html

Got it! needed to add: ASCOM.DriverAccess.Telescope TelescopeMount = new ASCOM.DriverAccess.Telescope(SelectedTelescope); TelescopeMount.Connected = true;

OK - this is more astro related so hoping somebody here can help rather than a generic programming forum: I can get the ascom chooser box to appear with the code below, but I cant get it to actually connect to the scope - when the chooser pops up I select the simulator and then click OK but nothing happens, the simulator does not appear, what am I missing? public static void OpenChooser() { Chooser chooser = new Chooser(); string SelectedTelescope = chooser.Choose(""); }

Well that failed! Im that useless I cant even log a question on StackOverflow! Got closed as I did not provide debugging information

Yeah but I find the answers there a little more erm... cryptic to understand!

was just a typo! Class compiles ok now

Code smell! I like it!!! Just created the class as you suggested and have a few errors, going to see what they are and if i can fix

private void BtnConnect_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { if (ObservatoryComPort != null) { } else { string SelectedComPort = (string)ListBoxSerialPorts.SelectedItem; ObservatoryComPort = ObservatorySerialPort.OpenComPort(SelectedComPort); } } That works but is that a no no since its checking the status of the serial port from within the form?

on this line: private SerialPort ObservatoryCompPort = null; I get: cannot declare instance members in a static class

OK - next question - I have it all sort of working, the user can list the com ports, select one then connect to it. However I want to then stop you from clicking connect again and creating another comport object. So in my OpenComPort method I put in an If statement to check if the port is open already, however..... As the first part of the method instantiates a new serial port, when it comes to the if statement its never going to be open! I tried moving the SerialPort ObservatoryCOMPort = new SerialPort(); line to the top of the class but then I get the object reference required error again arghh.... public static SerialPort OpenComPort(string SelectedComPort) { SerialPort ObservatoryCOMPort = new SerialPort(); ObservatoryCOMPort.PortName = SelectedComPort; if (!ObservatoryCOMPort.IsOpen) { ObservatoryCOMPort.Open(); return ObservatoryCOMPort; } if (ObservatoryCOMPort.IsOpen) { return ObservatoryCOMPort; } return null; }

Cheers - want to use this as a learning exercise! My head does struggle sometimes with OOP and why its useful if it leads to lots more code and what seems to me to be more complex code but.... I have to say its slowly starting to make sense...

Am I doing this correctly..... Im loooking to have the arduino control 3 or 4 12v outputs to power the mount etc and to switch the roof to open or close. My thinking is that I should have a class with a serial port and that once I create the serial port I should pass it around. So if I want to open the roof, I call the open roof method in the roof class and pass in the serial port in my call to the method. This would be the same if I want to power the mount on - I would call the 'mount on' method in the mount class and pass in the serial port in the call to the method. Is that the best OOP way to go - create a class for roof, mount and say, lights and pass my serial port 'object' to each of them when calling any of the methods? All the methods will do is send a letter to the arduino to enable/disable one of the digitial outputs.

OK thanks for that, got the list box being populated now - next issue coming up tonight... 🙂

I think there may well be a few questions asked in this thread...... Im pretty much a complete beginner when it comes to c# and programming in general. I have dabbled in the past but that was a few years ago and I think Ive forgotten everything I learned back then! Im looking to write some code that will operate via an Arduino a roll of roof - this is going to be built next year but Im starting on the software at the moment.... So, I want to get a list of the available com ports and populate a list box with this to allow the user to select, then connect to that port. Ive created a ObservatorySerialPort class and have a method (think thats the terminology) to get a list of the com ports: using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.IO.Ports; using System.Linq; using System.Text; using System.Threading.Tasks; namespace ObservatoryControl { class ObservatorySerialPort { public string[] GetAvailableComPorts() { string[] ListOfSerialPorts = SerialPort.GetPortNames(); return ListOfSerialPorts; } } } I then have a Win form, with a button and in the button click method I want to call ObservatorySerialPort.GetAvailableComPorts() method to populate the list box: private void ButtonQuerySerialPort_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { ListOfSerialPports = ObservatorySerialPort.GetAvailableComPorts(); } But this gives me an error: An object reference is required for the non static field - Im now lost! What do I need to do to fix this?

Cool,will have a look. I also found Tom How who I think is a member on here, has a you tube video on how to create a VB .Net app, that also might be useful

Hi, Been years since Ive done any programming, I’m looking at writing some code to control a roll of roof but I also want to be able to check EQMod to see if the mount is parked and ideally get my application to park the mount. I know the very basics of .Net, so assume I want to instantiate (is that the word?) an instance of EQMod and call something like isparked() - anybody know how I accomplish this in C# .Net?

What sort of motor is that and where did you get the track from?

Yeah that’s sort of what I’m edging towards.....

I’m selling my Skyshed Pod next spring as I’m now working from home all the time and want a home office come roll off roof observatory! Last time I automated the roof after the build was complete and as such it was functional rather than neat..... this time I’m taking my time and planning it all out. So.... what have you folks done? Show me your roof automation and mechanisms and above all recommendations on what’s easiest to do!