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SynscanEQ5 to Ubuntu PC via USD-Serial connection problem

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Hi All

I am new to INDI and to EqMod, I usually control the mount via a handset.

In summary I am having a problem connecting to a SynScan EQ5 controlled mount (i.e. a SW EQ5 mount with the SynScan upgrade kit on it) (SynScan V 04.39.04).
The key error I get suggests, to me (although I have no expertise), that I am missing a configuration file, but I am not being given a name or location for this file:
"2020-09-03T14:44:25: Driver indi_celestron_gps: indi_celestron_gps dispatch error: Property CONNECTION is not defined in ."
or, if I try another driver:
"2020-09-03T14:36:07: Driver indi_synscan_telescope: indi_synscan_telescope dispatch error: Property CONNECTION is not defined in ."

Any help would be great, thank you. Here are the details:

Mount powered on, no telescope attached, gone through hand controller set up, but selected No at the star alignment step. I can use the hand controller arrows to move the mount, so the motors are okay.

[EDIT: I also tried doing a fake one-star alignment and got the mount tracking an imaginary Vega, but this made no difference, I get same errors]

Then I connect to PC via a FTDI USB to RJ11 RJ12 6P4C Serial Cable (PC USB to serial port on base of hand controller).
I have tried putting the handset in PC Direct mode, but that led to less of a response than normal mode.
The PC is running Ubuntu 18.04.5 LTS (as the Astronomy Linux special distro).

I uninstalled kstars and indi related libs, then:

<code>sudo apt-add-repository ppa:mutlaqja/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install indi-full gsc</code>
This led to warnings, but they don't seem to affect drivers I need:
## Warnings:
/sbin/ldconfig.real: file /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsbig.so.4 is truncated
/sbin/ldconfig.real: file /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsbig.so.4.9.9 is truncated
/sbin/ldconfig.real: file /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libmtpricoh.so.9 is truncated
/sbin/ldconfig.real: file /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libRicohCameraSDKCpp.so.1 is truncated
/sbin/ldconfig.real: file /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libmtpricoh.so is truncated
/sbin/ldconfig.real: file /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsbig.so is truncated
/sbin/ldconfig.real: file /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libmtpricoh.so.9.3.0 is truncated
/sbin/ldconfig.real: file /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libRicohCameraSDKCpp.so.1.1.0 is truncated
/sbin/ldconfig.real: file /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libRicohCameraSDKCpp.so is truncated

<code>sudo apt-get install kstars-bleeding</code>

I set up a profile in kstars (Tools -> Ekos) and tried to connect through that. My INDI Control Panel - Kstars window settings are as in the example elsewhere on this site. If I click connect here I get a yellow and then a red light and time out errors. Nevertheless, for testing, I ran the driver in a terminal and attempted connection in HNSKY (because I found it the simplest path to navigate to a connect button to run a test connection). Configure Kstars has an open logs directory button but clicking that does nothing. So here I give you the terminal output as a log.

<code>indiserver -v indi_synscan_telescope</code>
2020-09-03T14:31:00: startup: indiserver -v indi_synscan_telescope
2020-09-03T14:31:00: Driver indi_synscan_telescope: pid=2907 rfd=3 wfd=6 efd=7
2020-09-03T14:31:00: listening to port 7624 on fd 4
2020-09-03T14:31:00: Driver indi_synscan_telescope: snooping on GPS Simulator.GEOGRAPHIC_COORD
2020-09-03T14:31:00: Driver indi_synscan_telescope: snooping on GPS Simulator.TIME_UTC
2020-09-03T14:31:00: Driver indi_synscan_telescope: snooping on Dome Simulator.DOME_PARK
2020-09-03T14:31:00: Driver indi_synscan_telescope: snooping on Dome Simulator.DOME_SHUTTER
2020-09-03T14:36:06: Client 0: new arrival from *********** - welcome!
2020-09-03T14:36:07: Driver indi_synscan_telescope: indi_synscan_telescope dispatch error: Property CONNECTION is not defined in .
2020-09-03T14:36:50: Client 0: read EOF
2020-09-03T14:36:50: Client 0: shut down complete - bye!
2020-09-03T14:36:50: Client 0: new arrival from *********** - welcome!
2020-09-03T14:36:51: Client 0: read EOF
2020-09-03T14:36:51: Client 0: shut down complete - bye!

EQmod (in Kstars) required a guide camera to be chosen, I don't have one connected (that's another linux driver issue) so I chose it by name in the drop down, but it is not connected.

I apologise if I have left out key information, but I am in very unfamiliar territory with this.

I can add that:
<code>dmesg | grep USB</code>
did return:
usb 1-1.2: Product: FT232R USB UART
usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
usbserial: USB Serial support registered for FTDI USB Serial Device
ftdi_sio 1-1.2:1.0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected
usb 1-1.2: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0

Thank you for your time and patience!
Last edit: 4 years 3 weeks ago by George Doring.
4 years 3 weeks ago #59329

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This error looks very worrying to me:

2020-09-03T14:36:07: Driver indi_synscan_telescope: indi_synscan_telescope dispatch error: Property CONNECTION is not defined in .

I tried to recreate your issue, by removing my config folders for INDI and KStars, to simulate a fresh install, but I could not cause that error to appear.

Normally you wouldn't run indiserver as root, but in this case, I'd try running indiserver as root (or with sudo), to see if there is a possible permissions issue. One area of possible permissions conflict is access to the USB-serial device. Usually your user must be a member of the "dialout" group (or be running as root) to gain access to the serial ports. Check in /etc/group to see if your user is a member of dialout.

I also wonder if there is some remnants left over from when you installed INDI libs from Ubuntu repository, before you removed them and went to Jasem's PPA.
4 years 3 weeks ago #59399

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Have you tried running indiserver with indi_eqmod_telescope driver?
4 years 3 weeks ago #59405

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Rendering Error in layout Message/Item: array_keys(): Argument #1 ($array) must be of type array, null given. Please enable debug mode for more information.

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