Hi John,

Good job on developing the new features. Looks like it going to be a real winner.

I gave it a run last night. I used TheSky6 6.0.0.40 , CCDSoft 5.0.170, Focusmax 3.2.6 I try to "Initialze" CCDAP3 however I ran into a small problem.

Everything worked fine except for the plate solve, I'm using Full, 10, Clear Bin1x1 (and tried Bin2x2) at unbinnded image scale of 0.79.

"Plate Solve Failed. Unable to optimize image scales."

After CCDAP3 solve failed I noticed the Image Link Setup on The Sky the "Known scale" has gibberish in it "1.#J" - If I reset, it returns with each failed attempt. (see attachment)

If I manually plate solve with the saved synced image it works fine.

Any ideas?

You can download the config file from http://www.southern-astro.com.au/files/4JohnSmith/

I also tried playing around with some of the plate solve setting in CCDSoft as the help file suggests without any success.

Cheers,
Brad Moore

imagelink.jpg (29 KB, 46 downloads)

Hi John,

I just tried this again now with the correct version of Focusmax 3.3.7 and still have the same problem.

Regards,
Brad Moore

Brad,

Thanks.

My beta testers used CCDSoft extensively with good success. Can you put a file that failed to plate solve on your web site? I'd like to examine it. Please put it in a .zip.

I am so far unable to duplicate what you are seeing in the Image Scale field of Image Link. In fact, CCDAP3 doesn't use any image link functionality to plate solve - only that afforded by Insert WCS/AutoAstrometry from CCDSoft.

Hi John,

Thanks for your assistance.

I have provided 3 files. The smaller one is BIN2x2.

http://www.southern-astro.com.au/files/4JohnSmith/

ccdsoft1.zip
ccdsoft2.zip
ccdsoft3.zip

They all plate solve manually with an Insert WCS/AutoAstrometry command within CCDSoft. This is why I find it perplexing as they don't resolve with CCDAP3 during the Initialze process.

Cheers,
Brad Moore

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Brad Moore,

Brad,

In reviewing your ccdsoft config file, I noticed the focal length is 0 and therefore the unbinned image scale is infinity! (I need to trap this error condition in CCDAP3.) Try entering your actual focal length, approximately 1940 and see how things work. Also, you should enter your FL in CCDSoft File Defaults. With this entry, I am able to import your sync images into the Targets page using the From FIT button. This is a good test of the internal plate solving routines.

Hi John,

Ah, I just knew it was operator error. <VBG>

When I first configure CCDAP3 I enter in the FL and the unbinned image scales. I then calibrated by guider. Then click on the "Initialze" button.

It then plate solves and fails. The guider is re-calibrated by CCDAP3 without incident.

CCDAP3 then report the FL to be 0 and the image scale to be "Infinity".

I will try entering the FL into the File Defaults in CCDSoft. Maybe this will fix it.

Thanks,
Brad Moore

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Brad Moore,

Hi John,

After entering the FL into the file default it fixed this problem.

Thanks for pointing this out to me.

Regards,
Brad Moore