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Error in LoadXML (load Target data)


Macster18

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Attached is the log from my attempted imaging session last night.  Here is an extract:

 

23:55:47.823: Error in LoadXML (load Target data) 
23:55:47.853: Error in LoadXML (load Target data) 
00:02:18.676: ************************************************************************
00:02:18.677: Starting Sequence on Target C:\ProgramData\ASA\Sequence\Target Files\Dolphin Nebula Sh 2-188.trg with Exposure settings C:\ProgramData\ASA\Sequence\ExposureSettings\Ha 600s x 2.exp
00:02:18.719: Running now Nr. 1 of this Sequence
00:02:19.006: Starting Sequence C:\ProgramData\ASA\Sequence\Target Files\Dolphin Nebula Sh 2-188.trg
00:02:19.007: Target RA: 01h31m43s DE: 58d30m58s
00:02:19.007: Focus RA: 01h35m14.6s DE: +59d19m41s
00:02:19.007: Checking now for Pier side for object
00:02:19.009: Could finish Object on Eastside
00:02:19.010: Can only be made on East side
00:02:19.010: Not same Target, check if we have to Autofocus or Synch
00:02:19.011: Need new focus star because cannot reach focus star on East side
00:02:20.202: Found FocusStar at RA= 1h 21m21.8s DE=+ 58d 20m 7s and 4.8mag
00:02:20.203: Autoselected Focus Position at 01h21m21.8s   +58d20m07s
00:02:20.902: Moving Scope to Autofocus Positon
00:02:20.955: Slewing to 1h21m21.8  +58°20m7 Pierside East
00:03:16.287: Selecting Filter 0
00:03:16.990: Trying Synch with Filter Luminance and Readout 0
00:03:41.023:  3560 image stars and  2860 plate stars found, now solving
00:04:26.045: Synch failed, returned false
00:04:26.049: All further synch tries also failed !
00:04:26.556: Errorcode = Synch Failed
 

Is this LoadXML error responsible for the Synch failures on all the targets or are they separate issues.

 

I have checked back over my logs for the past 12 months and whilst many do not start with this error - some considerable numbers do and most of them have resulted in successful runs.

 

I was monitoring this session and the images downloading to maxim were pretty sharp I thought with a lot of clear stars visible.  The platesolving numbers seem consistent and the targets are a set I have been imaging for the past 6 weeks and all have succeded apart from 1 previous session when a couple of the target lines were missed.

 

I have checked my personal setting file - I keep a backup handy just in case of issues such as exception errors etc and the file looks perfect but just to be sure I have swapped them out and checked key settings.

 

The only unusual entries relate to the search for a replacement autofocus star - which it did on all the lines last night.  The autofocus star is autoselected by sequence and it's never really been this much of an issue before.

 

I did wonder whether there had been a cloud problem in this area of the sky but the maxim images showed no signs of being fuzzy or clouded out.

 

I would be grateful for any thoughts, advice or suggestions on how to overcome this.

Mac

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks Mark,

My settings are consistent with those in the manual. The point here is that all the settings worked fine until this particular night. I’ve had ASA look at the setup and they could not find anything wrong. Even more perplexing is that with no changes it started working again and we cannot figure out why. I did try messing with the plate solve settings but it made no difference though I did notice that the results were variable so no sweet spot as it were.

 

What was perhaps most interesting was that on the night it started working again I had done the following:

1. Re-installed sequence with previous good settings

2. Used autoslew to go to a patch of sky with a 3.8 mag star centred

3. Tried synch - no good. Failed

4. Took an image of the same area with maxim

5. Asked sequence to solve it - which it did

6. With the successful solve still fresh I then pressed synch and now all is well again.

 

I asked ASA what had changed and they had no idea either.

When this problem manifested itself I happened to be at the computer and can confirm that the sky was clear and the synch image looked perfect. What perhaps was interesting is that sequence never got as far as saving it in the pointingpics directory. I did some tests to make sure that this directory was ok for writing to and it was so that wasn’t the issue so I’m assuming it needs a successful synch to save the image.

 

That would mean that the steps are:

1. Slew to target

2. Take synch exposure

3. Solve

4. On success save.

 

This makes no sense to me and I would have thought it would be:

1. Slew to target

2. Take synch exposure

3. Save

4. Solve

Either way my system was failing at step 3 - my instincts tell me that it was more likely to be a save issue rather then a solve issue. Normally the solve step takes about 2 seconds max and on this failure it was taking ages - I assume it was using the plate solve timeout setting if 25 seconds before reporting failure. What I do know is that sequence was capable of successfully solving any image we gave it manually but if it was a save issue then I couldn’t find any problem with the directory or disk space or permissions etc.

ASA consider it to be one of those things which is very frustrating because I like to know that if it happens again I can fix it. I’m filing away the manual image solve step just in case this happens again.

Mac

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