Hi,

I've been using CCDAP successfully with a ST10XME + CFW8 for a couple of months without any problems.

Tonight I tried using a single-shot color camera (with filter wheel selected as none). When I run a session everything is OK until CCDAP throws an unhandled exception "Length cannot be less than zero. Parameter name length". The last message in the status window is 'Plate solving' and then the 'Telescope RA:...' line - but no plate solve image was taken.

If I hit the quit button CCDAP ends. I've attached a file containing the info in the 'details' box of the unhandled exception window to this message.

Any ideas? The only other clue I have is that the first time I used CCDAP with the single shot camera it still thought that I was using an O-III filter and everything went OK. It only failed when I restarted CCDAP and tried to run the session again.

The filter boxes for the light frames and flats are blank.

Thanks,
Darren.

errmsg.txt (5 KB, 51 downloads)

One other clue - once or twice after I've restarted and try to go to the targets section I get a message box saying "One or more series has a blank filter. Review settings in Lights and Darks tab'. However it doesn't happen all the time.

Unfortunately I can't set the filter - the drop down box has no selections, which isn't surprising given there is no filter wheel!

Thanks,
Darren.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Darren,

please post a log, Darren.

Darren,

Never mind <g>

I found a subtle bug in the filter initialization routine. When you get a moment, please try the attached exe file and let me know how it works.

In C:Program Files\CCDWare\CCDAutoPilot3, rename the existing ccdautopilot.exe to something else, like ccdautopilot.old. Then copy the .exe file in the attached zip to that location. Let me know how your one shot color camera works with this test version. If successful, I will issue a maintenance release.

Thanks.

ccdap3423test1.zip (327 KB, 15 downloads) OSC camera test build

Hi John,

Thanks very much for quick fix.

I think it works much better, but I've discovered another issue (plate solve) that I'm going to need to fiddle with a little. New camera...

I did notice two things:

1. When I started CCDAP it complained that my system configuration was old or corrupt. I've recreated the configuration file, but you might want to reconsider using it as a maintenance release in case it takes out everbody's configuration file - you wouldn't be popular

2. I had trouble selecting the image directory using the browse button. It was OK if I typed it in though.

Again thanks of the quick response. I'll confirm everything is OK once I get plate solve working again.

Darren.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Darren,

Hi John,

I was able to complete an imaging session without issues (well, except flats, but it's my fault I forgot DSLRs with 12 bit ADC's can't do 20000 ADU flats).

So, except for the system configuration file version issue, I think you're good to go!

Darren.

Thanks for the feedback, Darren. When you had to load the new default profile, were most of the setting from your old profile still intact? They should have been. I haven't seen the corrupt profile here in testing out the solution.

Hi John,

Almost all setting were lost. I don't have the original DSLR one (I overwrote it - stupid I know), but I think I see the same thing with my ST10 + CFW8 setup file, so I'll post that when I get home.

Darren.

Hi Darren,

I think you need to keep separate profiles when going from one to the other. Unfortunately, most likely one will cause a problem with the other so you will need to load the correct one when prompted. So, the process is like this:

1. Connect CCDSoft to OSC camera.
2. Start CCDAP and connect to CCDSoft.
3. If profile error, then choose the one for the OSC.
4. Connect to CCDSoft to get the filters in CCDAP to agree with OSC, i.i. No fiters.

You should then be good to go with the OSC.

When going back to your ST10, repeat the above steps, replacing the ST10 for the OSC as appropriate.

Hi John,

I do keep separate profiles but I'll try the process you describe. Both the single shot and ST10 profiles give the corrupted profile message. I haven't used the ST10 profile with the fixed version of CCDAP yet.

Interestingly when I load the ST10 version of the profile into the fixed software and hit cancel I see the values for the one shot profile, suggesting either I've overwritten my ST10 profile with the one shot one with the release version of CCDAP (as I still get the corrupted error when I open the ST10 profile with the new version of CCDAP), or that the defaults are somehow for the last successfully loaded profile.

I'll put the older CCDAP on another computer to verify which one is happening.

Oh yeah, I also got a successful set of flats after adjusting the ADU requirement to something the camera can do, so all the features appear to be working in the maintenance release.

Darren.

Hi John,

I've attached my ST10XME configuration. When I load it with the version 3.4.2 from the website it loads correctly.

When I load it from the patched version in this thread I get the corrupted file message. If I hit cancel (to get a new default profile) it is blank (if the file is the only one in the directory) or the settings from the OSC one (if it's in the directory too and was the previously selected one).

Thanks,
Darren.

toa150_1x.app (11 KB, 35 downloads)

Hi Darren,

I loaded that profile without incident in plan mode. I then tried loading it in normal mode with CCDSoft configured for no filters and then with filters. All loaded normally.

I suggest you reset CCDAP (Help/Troublsshooting/reset) and try again. Just to be on the safe side, use the latest .exe in cdap3423Test4.zip posted here: http://ccdware.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1141040351/m/1901066372

Nothing changed in the system profile loader but this is the version I tested with.

Yay! Maybe we can bring this to a close!

I grabbed the new version from the other thread. I still got the error when I loaded the ST10 profile and none when I loaded the OSC profile. Then I ran CDAP3 reset and now both profiles load without incident. Same on the fresly loaded version on the other computer.

I'm not sure we got to the bottom of it - the original installation may have had corrupted data, but what about the freshly installed one on a different computer?

Still, it seems a reset gets the job done and is probably the best solution in anybody else sees the issue.

Thanks for all your help. I appreciate you taking the time when I'm sure you'd rather be working on your next version.

Darren.

Hi Darren,

Glad the reset did it - I thought it might.

The No Filters condition, never got any use until OSC cameras became more popular. I was glad to get to the bottom of it. I'll post the web update tomorrow.

Now, back to 4