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SafetyMonitor AAGWare


lukepower

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Hi,

 

Philipp Keller added some support for weather safety in Sequence, but he used a pretty new ASCOM interface: SafetyMonitor.

It seems that there are no drivers around, so I coded a wrapper which is working at least with AAGWare CloudWatcher,

 

Warning: It is a very simple piece of code, it might have some bugs in it, and thus I cannot give a warranty that it is safe to use. But at least in my observatory it's running.

 

So, to install it you need:

  1. The file, "ASCOM.AAGWare.SafetyMonitor.dll", place it in a decent location (like "C:\Astronomy")
  2. Open a command prompt as Administrator (cmd.exe) and run:
    regasm ASCOM.AAGWare.SafetyMonitor.dll
    (regasm.exe should be part of the .NET framework)

Afterwards one can choose it among the SafetyMonitors.

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I will test right now, Lukas. I requested Philipp a Weather module for Sequence and he uploaded a new Sequencer with this option. But my mistake was to told him AAGCloudwatcher was ASCOM ( it´s not, evidently..) I´m also using Cloudwatcher..so...  :-) .. time to test¡.. Thanks, Lukas¡¡

Edited by afesan
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Well.. Really now I can choose now the ASCOM driver but I receive this message: "Incompatible driver. Can not find the executable driver mscoree.dll"...

 Any help?..

Thanks¡

Edited by afesan
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Hi Antonio,

 

hrm, good question. I would guess that it needs the latest .NET Framework, as I compiled it against NET 4.0. Would at least make sense to me.

And yes, I was also testing the new Sequence version and found that CloudWatcher wasn't able to provide the interface, so I quickly built one. I also forwarded the code to AAGWare, they told me they will work on it in a few weeks... Btw, I used it last night and it worked perfectly :)

 

I would work on some sort of installer, but really... ;) Hope it works without.

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Hi Lukas..

 I´m updating all with Windows update..but i´m afraid I have NET 4.01 and not working yet. So... I will try again  and if not... let´s wait to the excellent support of Antonio Peres (AAGWare).. I had the opportunity to meet him in an Astrophotographers Spain/Portugal )  meeting in Madrid ( year 2008) and had a nice conversation with him. Great person and an excellent engineer working for free in most cases.

 

 

(PD: I updated NET again and don´t..definitively I have the same error. Using W7 Ultimate

 

Thanks for these good news.¡

Antonio

Edited by afesan
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ALright Antonio,

 

I re-checked with a second computer, it looks like what is needed to run it is:

  • AAGWare CloudWatcher
  • ASCOM 6.1
  • ASCOM 6.1 Developer tools

This should do the trick, please give it a try. I wish I could easily make a installation package, but I don't have the appropriate software for that...

 

Update: Tried to put together an easy installation here: http://www.astro-dolomites.com/public/downloads/setup.exe

Right now it only registers the component, so probabily some files are still missing...

Edited by lukepower
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You´re working great, Lukas. I installed your "setup" and Sequencer was capable of recognizing AAGCloudwatcher... (I use COM8 to connect my AAGCloudwatcher to PC) ..and into ASCOM diagnostics COM8 is recognized... When I click in the "connect" key of Sequencer to connect AAGCloudwatcher..it launchs the AAGCloudwatcher programm and open it... but not working properly. Not communication..

It´s a great step as now it recognize and open the programm...now I just can´t communicate via Sequencer with AAGCloudwatcher..

I used ASCOM diagnostics tools... BTW I used ASCOM 6.1  also..

Thanks Lukas ¡

Edited by afesan
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Antonio,

 

alright, back on the PC (instead of the tablet) life is easier :)

What I noticed when I ran it the first time was that CloudWatcher kept trying to connect, and the number of "Active users" was running high and low like a very fast counter. I then killed both CloudWatcher and Sequence and started from scratch, and it suddenly worked. Don't ask me why as I don't know ...

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That`s exactly my case....but never works..even coming from scratch...Cloudwacther simply don´t communicate with Sequence and into Sequence screen... a new tab appears: "SafeMon: OK" but in grey..as not really active. Also, into the Sequence View log : " Could not find Safety Monitor ASCOM .AAGWare.SafetyMonitor"

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HiLukas.. I uninstall/reinstall AAGCloudwatcher and spoke with Jaime and I had a little step ahead: Now Sequence seems to see CLoudwatcher and recognize the original state of Cloudwatcher (Safe or Unsafe).. but nothing else... don´t "REFRESH" state if weather climate change. For example...if I change in the Cloudwatcher the  limits for Infrared sensor (Clouds) and so, Cloudtawcher changes from Uncover to cloudy... the Box in Sequence don´t change at all. Maintain the original value of Cloudwatcher into the first connection. It seems there is only a firs read value at connection..but don´t change/refresh any change at Cloudwatcher ...

 

BTW::: ¡¡¡ What version of Cloudwatcher do you use?. I use 7.20.00 and it works as described above. If I upgrade to 7.20.100 ...it didn´t work at all...

My Cloudwatcher unit has wind measurement capabilites...

 

I spoke again with Jaime... let´s see...

 

Regards¡

Edited by afesan
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I also use 7.20,and saw some delay between a change to unsafe and Sequence showing it.

By the way, sequence is still not perfect in that regard, as it only reacts to unsafe weather during a sequence run. In the wait time before and afterward it stays there doing nothing, not good if rain comes in.

 

I also sent Jaime the source code, so maybe he finds something...

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Thanks for the explanation , Lukas. Good to know it only reacts when/during a Sequence run. I just tested it not running..so maybe I must check it again in a real Sequence session.. Maybe tonight ? ( if weather permits).

 

Thanks ¡

Ciao

 Antonio

Edited by afesan
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Hi Lukas,

Finally it´s working .Some minutes ago I did a test and state changed from OK to UNSAFE when clouds cover the sky... Mount parked and rood closed  ;)

Version of Cloudwatcher 7.20.100 not working to me,- I went back to an old version 7.20.00 and it did the miracle-..¡

So good¡¡, Thanks for your kind and patience..also to Phlipp by this great piece of software. Looking working all alone and in perfect synchronicity is a delicious.. .. Finally I could lauhch Sequence and go to bed ...with MLPT´s at both meridians..etc. A miracle of software and equipment¡-

 

Graziie Lukas , Servus Philipp ¡¡¡

Edited by afesan
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Hi Lukas,

 

Could share your "sky temperature correction" settings in the cloudwatcher software with me - I am using the recommended ones from the online help, but somehow I am not satisfied with them...

 

Thank you very much in advance,

Christian

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Hi Christian,

 

sure, but beware that I found out you have to tune it to your specific needs. I have to switch from "Summer" to "Winter" settings - the colder weather in winter would otherwise trick the software to think it's always sunny...

K1: 33 ; K2: 0 ; K3: 41; K4: 100 ; K5: 105; K6: 10; K7: 0

 

Hope it helps ;)

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