Orion has new Starshoot AutoGuider Driver v4

[S Eigell]

I just found that Orion has posted an updated driver for their SSAG Camera.

It's listed to now support Win8 (and XP thru Win7) and USB3 - both updates which might be of interest to quite a number of PHD2 - SSAG Users.

It's also interesting that Orion has chosen to post Win and OSX versions of PHD2.2.1 Install Packages on their site, as well as older PHD1.14.

The new Orion SSAG Driver download is also interesting in that it includes an SSAGPHD2UPDATE.EXE, which their instructions indicates contains a new "PHD guiding DLL" which needs to be re-installed after every / any PHD2 Version Update.

This seems to indicate that Orion is supplying a DLL which they believe PHD2 will erroneously overwrite upon a Version Update (doesn't it) ??

I've used the older SSAG v2 Drivers for quite some time now, across PHD v1.13 thru PHD2 v2.2.1 without pursuing any such re-install.  Is this something that I missed ??  Or is it news to the Group, too ??

[Andy Galasso]

S Eigell,

Thanks for the information on the SSAG driver update.

I just updated PHD2 to include the updated v4 version of SSAGIF.dll so users running PHD2 r743 or newer need not run SSAGPHD2UPDATE.EXE.

I tested the  v4 DLL+driver combination with my SSAG on a Windows 7 machine.  It would be great if somebody could test the combination of PHD2 r743 or newer with the previous version of the SSAG driver (v2).  S Eigell, is that something you could try once I upload a new snapshot build with the v4 DLL?

Andy

[S Eigell]

I can test using the SSAG Driver v2 under Win7 (but not Win8/8.1) using either a USB2 or USB3 Host Port (since SSAG are still USB2 Devices).  I have a laptop which runs PHD2 which has not yet been updated to Orion's SSAG v4 DLL.

let me know...

[Andy Galasso]

Thanks, here a build:  http://openphdguiding.org/phd2r746-installer.exe

It includes the v4 DLL from Orion. I'm especially interested to know if it continues to work with an existing SSAG setup that has not yet been updated to v4. If it works for you I'll go ahead and release it on the development snapshots page.

Thanks,

Andy

[Sylvain Girard]

Hi All, Hi Andy,

I just installed your r746 build (thing of upgrading MVSC Redistributable Packages for 201 ;-) ) without upgrading SSAG driver. The connection to the camera fail. Asus eePC 1215n, Win7 x86.

20:14:48.426 78.273 5456 Status Line 1: Connexion à la caméra

20:14:48.558 00.132 5456 Throw from gear_dialog.cpp:644->OnButtonConnectCamera: connect failed

20:14:48.558 00.000 5456 Status Line 0: Echec Connexion Caméra

20:14:48.560 00.002 5456 Status Line 4: 

20:14:48.560 00.000 5456 Connected AO:None

20:14:48.560 00.000 5456 Status Line 0: Connection au Scope

20:14:48.562 00.002 5456 Error thrown from scope_onboard_st4.cpp:73->Attempt to Connect Onboard ST4 mount when host is not connected

20:14:48.562 00.000 5456 Throw from gear_dialog.cpp:772->OnButtonConnectScope: connect failed

20:14:48.562 00.000 5456 Status Line 0: Echec Connexion Scope

20:14:50.293 01.731 5456 Status Line 1: Connexion à la caméra

20:14:50.294 00.001 5456 Throw from gear_dialog.cpp:644->OnButtonConnectCamera: connect failed

20:14:50.294 00.000 5456 Status Line 0: Echec Connexion Caméra

20:14:50.303 00.009 5456 Status Line 4: 

20:14:50.304 00.001 5456 Connected AO:None

20:14:50.310 00.006 5456 Status Line 0: Connection au Scope

20:14:50.312 00.002 5456 Error thrown from scope_onboard_st4.cpp:73->Attempt to Connect Onboard ST4 mount when host is not connected

20:14:50.312 00.000 5456 Throw from gear_dialog.cpp:772->OnButtonConnectScope: connect failed

20:14:50.313 00.001 5456 Status Line 0: Echec Connexion Scope

20:15:00.732 10.419 5456 Status Line 1: Connexion à la caméra

20:15:00.733 00.001 5456 Throw from gear_dialog.cpp:644->OnButtonConnectCamera: connect failed

20:15:00.733 00.000 5456 Status Line 0: Echec Connexion Caméra

[Sylvain Girard]

Once upgraded with v4 SSAG driver, it's working well but you must strictly follow Orion installation guide. I.e. uninstall V2 driver, manually uninstall SSAG driver from the Device Manager, install v4 and update manually SSAG driver int the device manager.

Sylvain

[Andy Galasso]

Ok, thanks. That was the information we needed. Too bad it did not work, the situation is a bit ugly now. The v4 SSAGIF.dll does not work with the v2 drivers.

Here are a couple ways we can address it:

  1. require SSAG users to upgrade to v4, or

  2. somehow determine the driver version at runtime and use runtime dynamic linking (LoadLibrary/GetProcAddress) to load the appropriate SSAGIF.dll. Maybe we can find the driver version from the registry somehow, or perhaps we could attempt to load v4 and fall back to v2 if it fails (blech)?

Anyone have any other ideas?

Andy

[Andy Galasso]

Ok, this is strange. I tried the v2 driver + v4 dll combination on my machine and it worked fine.

Could somebody else with a SSAG please give it a try?

   1. do not upgrade your SSAG drivers (keep v2)

   2. install phd2 r746 from http://openphdguiding.org/phd2r746-installer.exe

   3. select StarShoot Autoguider for camera, and connect

Thanks,

Andy

[Bret McKee]

Should we try to contact Orion and see if we can find the person who understands what they have done? There is always the potential that some installer has put a copy of the dll in a non-obvious place and the reason you are seeing inconsistent results is because the systems are somehow different?

Bret

[S Eigell]

I tried to run PHD2r746 this evening - to no success.

I've encountered an error:

The program can't start because MSVCP120.DLL is missing from your computer.  Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

I was able to find / download / deploy a copy of MSVCP120.DLL, only to be alerted that MSVCR120.DLL is missing.  This lead me to the realization that either PHD2r746 or the SSAG v4 DLL is requiring the whole VisualC++ 2013 Runtime.

After pursuing the Redistributable package across the MS site (they aren't making it as easy to find or download as they did with the older VCREDIST packages), and getting BOTH the 32-bit and 64-bit installed, I tried to startup PHD2r746 again.  SUCCESS in Startup.  FAILURE to Connect to SSAG Camera - either on USB3 or USB2 port.

[Andy Galasso]

S Eigell,

Thanks. I just fixed the problem with the installer missing the updated version of MSVCP120.DLL -- that was a consequence of us recently updating to MSVC 2013 for the Windows development environment.

Thanks for the confirmation that SSAG connect fails with the v2 drivers, so now we have some work to do to fix that.

Andy

[Andrew Hood]

If you really want the full VC++ 2013 runtime it took me 30 secs to find them.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=40784

[Andy Galasso]

Ok, here is a new version that transparently handles both v2 and v4 Orion SSAG driver installs.

   http://openphdguiding.org/phd2r748-installer.exe

It works by detecting the installed driver version and dynamically loading the appropriate v2 or v4 DLL.

Please give it a try if you have a SSAG. I would be interested to hear from anyone with either v2 or v4 Orion drivers installed.

Thanks,

Andy

[taz...@gmail.com]

Andy,

I'm running Windows 8.1 64-bit and was running Orion's v2 drivers. I followed their guide to remove v2 and install v4, and then installed PHD2 r748. I get a failure error when attempt to connect to camera. I tried running the ssagupdate program and doing a full reinstall of the v4 drivers, but PHD2 still returned an error when connecting to the SSAG. Next I removed r748 and installed the version from Orion's site, then ran ssageupdate, and the camera works.

I'd be happy to test more this evening when I get home, if you'd like.

Mark

[bba...@hughes.net]

Just thought I would add my experience with the new drivers:  I downloaded the V4 drivers from the Orion site and followed their directions to the letter including the thorough removal of the old drivers.  I then started PHD2 and it recognized/connected to my SSAG.  I looped images so the camera appears to function correctly!  Note:  I used one of my USB2 ports, not my USB3.  I should also note that the SSAG did NOT install on this same port with the V2 drivers.

 

Thanks to both Orion and the PHD guiding group - this issue has been a thorn in my side for months.  Now I only have to haul ONE laptop out to my observatory...  :-)

 

Regards

Bruce

[Andy Galasso]

Bruce,

Thanks for letting us know how it went.

What version of PHD2 are you using? The latest development snapshot, 2.2.1g, works with either v2 or v4 Orion drivers without running the Orion PHD2 updater program (SSAGPHD2UPDATE.exe). In fact, running SSAGPHD2UPDATE has no effect on PHD2 2.2.1g or later since it updates a DLL that is not used at all by PHD2.

The reason I ask is that it would be good to know that another user has successfully used v2.2.1g with a SSAG.  If you tested with a version older than 2.2.1g, would you mind giving 2.2.1g a try?

Thanks,

Andy

[bba...@hughes.net]

Hi Andy

I have PHD 2.2.0 installed.  I’d be happy to try v2.2.1 if it helps you out.

I looked in my “program files (x86)” and I have two PHD folders 1) “PHDGuiding” which has v1.14.0 and 2) PHDGuiding2” for v2.2.0.  Do I have to uninstall anything prior to downloading v2.2.1?  Let me know.

Also, since I finally have gotten things working after months of frustration will you help me get my system back to where it is at this moment (PHD 2.2.0 and the SSAG playing well together) if v2.2.1 does not recognize my SSAG???    J

Bruce

[Andy Galasso]

Bruce,

Thanks for offering to test. I was hoping you could test version 2.2.1g, r758, the most recent build on the development snapshots page since that is the build that has the support for the SSAG v4.

Installing a different PHD2 version does not require uninstalling the prior version. But because SSAGPHD2UPDATE mucks around with your PHD2 installation, we have to be a bit more careful than usual (which is why we are trying to get rid of the need for SSAGPHD2UPDATE!).

Here's what you can do:

1. Close PHD2 2.2.0 if it is running.

2. Rename your existing PHD2 install folder in C:\Program Files (x86) to something like "PHDGuiding2-save".

3. Download and install r758 from the development snapshots page.  This will create a new folder C:\Program Files (x86)\PHDGuiding2 containing version 2.2.1g. (No need to run SSAGPHD2UPDATE.)

4. Test PHD2 2.2.1g with your SSAG.  You can confirm you are running 2.2.1g by looking at Help => About.

If you decide you want to revert back to 2.2.0:

1. Close PHD2.

2. Remove the folder PHDGuiding2 containing version 2.2.1g.

3. Rename "PHDGuiding2-save" back to "PHDGuiding2".

Thanks for your help.

Andy

[bba...@hughes.net]

Thanks for the detailed instructions Andy - I'll try it tonight and report back.

 

Regards

Bruce

[bba...@hughes.net]

OK, I followed your instructions then downloaded v2.2.1g, r758.  I plugged my SSAG into the USB2 port and opened PHD2 guiding.  At the top of the application is said "PHD Guiding 2.2.1g - My Equipment".  I connected to the SSAG and it was recognized - I then looped exposures (in my living room) pointing the camera from light to dark and it works fine. 

 

I would say the test was a success...   :-)

 

I'm assuming you would recommend I just continue using this (v2.2.1g) version???

 

And, do you need me to do anything else??

 

thanks

Bruce

[Andy Galasso]

Bruce,

Excellent, thank you for testing it, that is a big help.

Feel free to keep using 2.2.1g; we will be releasing it shortly as 2.2.2. Having another person confirm that the SSAG changes are working as expected helps get us to that point.

Andy

[bba...@hughes.net]

You're welcome Andy - happy to help.

 

Bruce