Kstars/Ekos xubuntu stability

[Raymond Lillard]

I am a very long time Unix (Linux) user.  I am currently using Xubuntu 20.04. I am very comfortable with Linux and the BSDs (although the BSDs are not relevant here).  I am new to astro- .photography   I have a strong dislike of all things Windows and things related thereto.

 

I really want a Unix (Linux) based astro photography solution.  I find Kstars/EKos to be very capable and it appears to a nearly perfect solution except that it is too unstable for my This my be in part, my fault.  I have installed the bleeding edge version I found at

ppa:mutlaqja/ppa

Currently it is at v3.5.5.  I have not found a comprehensive list of repo components or a comprehensive install tool for the Kstars tool set, so It is possible that I am missing some object modults or have picket up some bad Juju while looking around gathering up all the pieces.

Some of my problems my be associated with my equipment.  I have ZWO cameras and a Nikon D810A,  a iOptron CEM25 mount and an Astro-Physics Mach1.  All of these components appear to be working fine.  I can connect to all of my equipment until the software crashes without an error message, or locks up en an infinite loop with  the signals off (sometimes it takes a kill -9 to regain control).  Much of my difficulties  are associated with plate solving.  When it works, it works immediately.  When it fails the error messages are incomprehensible.

Would installing Kstars on an Arch based distribution help?

Would installing something without the words "bleeding-edge" in its name help ?

Please don't drive me into the arms of N.I.N.A.

 

PS:  I am aware that the Astro-Physics driver has problems.  If all my other problems were solved I might have a look at fixing some of them; however the present state of things is just too much.

Thanks all,

Ray

 

 

[wimvb]

Did you post your question on the INDI forum? Ekos/Kstars has a debugging tool that can be downloaded and installed. I haven't used it myself yet, but it's supposed to gather information in case of a crash. When you post your question and the debug log on the INDI forum, you should get good help there. As far as plate solving is concerned, I've found that it works best if you have installed the necessary as well as the recommended index files.

I can't help you more than that, I'm afraid. But I'll keep following this thread with interest.

[BCN_Sean]

One thing I've found with the solving under EKOS, especially with using a D810 (if this is the thing that's causing you the issue) is that in the solvers default configuration it's scratching for any shred of available memory on the solving computer and will crash with a memory segmentation error or lock up completely.  Down in the settings for the solver in the bottom right of the panel, there's a selection asking if you want EKOS to load all of the indexes in to memory; knocking that to off should give it a bit more breathing room in the memory area, but it will slow solving down a bit as it's loading the correct profile on demand.

It could be the same issue your facing, or a different issue with the same symptoms; look into debug logging as Wim suggested, but also look at the system logs as well, as they may give you better insight if it's something happening at system not Ekos level.

[Stuart1971]

I too hate all things windows, and have been using Stellarmate on the RPI for a few years, but as of late I too find it a nightmare to use and have had to give up and move back to NINA on windows, which just works flawlessly every time….

It started for me about four months ago when my EQ8 mount just stopped connection via EQMOD when it had always worked fine, and believe me I have tried everything to solve the issue, changed everything right down to swapping out the RPI for a mini PC with Ubuntu 20.04 and yet still it just would not connect, the author of Stellarmate Jasem, spent a good few hours over teamviewer on my system and too gave up with no solution….

what was and is really strange is that my mount would not connect at all with any of my 4 EQMOD cables on the RPI, neither would it connect on my MINI PC, with Ubuntu 20.04,  but when I swapped to NINA, it still would not connect to that with any of the cables on the MINI PC, but worked fine with all four cables on my windows laptop…..🤔🤔🤔 so if anyone can shed some light….

I ended  up having to use NINA on the mini PC with an EQMOD Bluetooth adapter (this would not work on RPI) as that’s the only way it would connect…so if that ever fails I am in a mess, so would really like to sort the issue, the fact that it’s the same on a windows PC as it was on the RPI is really odd….

It all just started to get very buggy, even the stable releases, I personally think there is too much emphasis on adding new features before the ones they have work properly and constantly, I told Jasem this, but fell on deaf ears…

 

Edited October 28, 2021 by Stuart1971

[Stuart1971]

Oh, and I also bought a new motherboard for my EQ8 mount as that was the only thing I had not changed, but still the same, so £150 wasted…..So absolutely everything has been changed and still the same issue on windows and RPI….☹️

[alacant]

5 hours ago, Raymond Lillard said:

the software crashes without an error message, or locks up en an infinite loop with  the signals off

Hi

If you don't like the built in debugger, just run under gdb and look at the bt. 

Nikon, so try libgphoto2, available from the same vendor as kstars.

AP, so there are three indi_lx200apxxx drivers for the mount. Try each in turn in permutations with the camera driver until you reach stability. Perhaps make a separate EKOS profile for each?

Cheers

Edited October 28, 2021 by alacant