2.6.9dev3 update

[bw_msgboard]

Andy just did a build yesterday and has uploaded a dev3 release.  This has a fix to the multi-star function that was causing problems for some SGP users along with a few other changes that people have been asking for.  You can review the release content here:

 

https://openphdguiding.org/development-snapshots/

 

You can download and install the dev release from inside PHD2 if you have un-checked the option to check only for major releases:

 

 

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[Brian Valente]

Just want to point out one new Dev 3 feature that has been requested a few times recently

"Graph stats: exclude dither recovery frames from stats"

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Brian 

Brian Valente

portfolio brianvalentephotography.com 

[Jack Thewlis]

Hi Brian,

I'm having an issue installing the Dev 3 update on my Win 10 32bit desktop.

I'm unable to get the update via my current Dev 2 installation, so have downloaded the Dev 3 Installer manually. After the installation, which appears to go smoothly, the system pops up the following error message. when I try to run it. Two separate download/install sessions gave the same result.

Many thanks for your help.

- Jack

[Andy Galasso]

On Tue, Jan 5, 2021 at 5:20 AM Jack T wrote:

I'm having an issue installing the Dev 3 update on my Win 10 32bit desktop.

Jack,

Oops, we inadvertently introduced a 64-bit windows dependency into dev3. Would you mind testing this version to see if it fixes the issue: https://openphdguiding.org/phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer.exe

Andy

[Jack Thewlis]

Hi Andy,

Yep, that worked. But, I had to run a System Restore to before the last Dev3 update (64-bit dependent), which must have modified a related file needed by the 32-bit version. Anyone updating directly in 32-bit will be fine (I guesss). Maybe it needs a 32-bit/64-bit system check to the Dev3?

Many thanks for your help.

- Jack

[Niccolò Coli]

Hi, I just installed dev3 and it looks like I lost all my PHD2 profiles....or at least PHD can't find them anymore

Any way to restore them?

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[bw_msgboard]

What OS are you running on?  Did you make the big mistake of first un-installing the earlier release?

 

Bruce

 

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[Niccolò Coli]

Hi Bruce

I am running Win10 x64 and I didn't make the big mistake. I downloaded the installer from the website and ran it.

Right after the installation I opened PHD2 and a welcome pop-up "it appears this is the first time you are using PHD2" appeared asking for profile wizard

So it looks like a total fresh installation, lost profiles, dark library, calibration

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/7BF39CEDF69948D8ADD5BC2BAD2ECF6D%40HomeDesktop.

[Brian Valente]

is it possible you have both versions installed now?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CA%2BfX3qvZeEsR59z%2B7sc8WFLjSnBm4yZnLPhQvYyUfyEJncqLDQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[bw_msgboard]

I just did this (again) on my Win10 x64 system and it worked the way it should.  The installer script doesn’t remove any of this stuff so there’s something else amiss.  Is there any chance you’re running under a different account name?  Are you making the mistake of running with Admin privileges?  Do you already have an instance of PHD2 running in the background?  If you’re comfortable running the Registry app, you can see if the profiles are there – drill down to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/StarkLabs/ and see if there is an entry – or more than 1 entry – for PHDGuidingV2.  I think it’s unlikely that you’ve lost this information unless you did an un-install.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CA%2BfX3qvZeEsR59z%2B7sc8WFLjSnBm4yZnLPhQvYyUfyEJncqLDQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Niccolò Coli]

The answers to all the questions are negative. I checked the Task manager, the install folder and I have one single PHD instance, I also only have one account on the imaging PC and it's not Admin.

In the registry I have this entry which is related, I guess, to the new profile I have just created from the wizard.

I literally downloaded the installer and double clicked on it, nothing fancy

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/40F13E21BB1D462CBEBF510F80D96102%40HomeDesktop.

[bw_msgboard]

Are you saying there’s nothing below this entry in the hierarchy?  You can’t drill down to a level below it?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CA%2BfX3qt3t7voQBKYpAVDWPyTcf4NY1Svvms1qn9EXLgFYuR32g%40mail.gmail.com.

[Niccolò Coli]

sorry the snapshot was incomplete

this is the profile I have just created after the upgrade, nothing else here

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/3BBA0B4CEC5B47B393EF624580C805D1%40HomeDesktop.

[bw_msgboard]

I’m at a complete loss and I don’t know how we can trouble-shoot your situation.  I’ll keep poking at it but I think we’re going to find this is something unique to your system environment.  In the meantime, can you post two debug log files for us: one from before you did the upgrade and the one where you first ran dev3?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CA%2BfX3queBHsvK8XJHujO9nBo6ezw272676Z7iUkmUdskSWEXCA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Niccolò Coli]

Thank you Bruce, the two logs attached .

In the meantime I have upgraded PHD2 on my laptop (same procedure - download and double click) and it worked fine

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/BE3EA30C495F42768E7D00D0E0937D59%40HomeDesktop.

[Niccolò Coli]

Is there a way I can manually input the previous calibration from the debug log?

[Andy Galasso]

On Tue, Jan 5, 2021 at 7:33 AM Jack T wrote:

But, I had to run a System Restore to before the last Dev3 update (64-bit dependent), which must have modified a related file needed by the 32-bit version. Anyone updating directly in 32-bit will be fine (I guesss). Maybe it needs a 32-bit/64-bit system check to the Dev3?

Hi Jack,

Thanks for reporting back. We'll include that fix for 32-bit Windows in the next PHD2 update. You can continue using the test version until then (it will update automatically assuming you have auto-update enabled.)

For what it is worth, I installed the fixed version on a pristine Windows 10 32-bit system with all the Windows updates applied and it worked for me without any issues, so I am not sure what is going on with your having had to roll back windows updates.

Andy

[bw_msgboard]

I see something funny in the log files but I don’t know how it relates to your problem.  In the December log, the language and locate-related properties look like this:

 

11:51:34.653 00.000 8892 GetInt("/wxLanguage", 0) returns 60

11:51:34.669 00.016 8892 locale: initialized with lang id 60 (r=1)

11:51:34.669 00.000 8892 locale: wxTranslations language set to 60

 

But in the January log, those properties look like this:

 

15:27:57.437 00.000 8472 GetInt("/wxLanguage", 0) returns 0

15:27:57.453 00.016 8472 locale: initialized with lang id 0 (r=1)

15:27:57.469 00.016 8472 locale: wxTranslations language set to 0

 

This suggests something changed in the environment of your system.  Andy and I have both looked again at the problem and we really can’t see how it was caused by PHD2.  When PHD2 deletes profile entries or resets a configuration, there are debug log entries made – none of that is present.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CA%2BfX3qv_%3Drsk3BOJ-OomrViP5VXeFsCGwL%3D-aZQ6jOU9951QnQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[bw_msgboard]

There’s no supportable way to do that.  The best approach is just to spend a couple of minutes and do a fresh calibration.  If you’re careful to manually clear the Dec backlash and you’ve run the new-profile-wizard to rebuild the profile, the calibration shouldn’t be a big challenge.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CA%2BfX3qsTET1DR41_Ujb6eySBJRQqRptqMxq1C7%2Bz64qMkWy2PQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Niccolò Coli]

I have no idea, maybe it's a 2021 Windows bug...

I have managed to reuse the dark library by renaming it, now only calibration is missing but it requires clear skies

thank you for your support

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[Jim Hunt]

Hi,

I was just wondering if the latest Altair Astro Library from Nick Smith managed to make it into the the dev3 update?

I believe Nick submitted it to Andy about a week ago, so it might have missed the deadline.

Thanks, Jim 

[Brian Valente]

Hi Jim

looks like it did

the release notes show what's in each release:

https://openphdguiding.org/development-snapshots/

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/6f97afec-fbe1-4fbf-b310-268b27768520n%40googlegroups.com.

[Jim Hunt]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the superfast reply! :-)

Now why didn't think to look there? Doh!

I put it down to contained excitement - this library fixes a problem I have been working with Andy and Nick on for over 12 months! Whoo hoo!  :-)

Whilst I'm on... I had the rare opportunity to do some imaging on the 24th Dec (after 3 months of cloudy skies). I tested the multi-star option and it was absolutely stunning!
Normally I get a RMS Total of about 1.2px. Multi-star was giving me about 0.8px.  During my imaging run I found I could dynamically switch between multi and single star guiding, whilst it was still guiding. Switch from multi-star to single star and the RMS total drifted up to 1.2px in about 90s. Switch back to multi-star and it drifted back down to 0.8px in about 90s.

If the logs are of use, then let me know and I'll dig them out and post them.

Thanks again guys!

Cheers, Jim 

[Tony Law]

Hi Andy, I just joined the group as I had the same issue on a 32bit Tablet. I downloaded the 32bit version and it worked! Thankyou Tony

[Chuck Koos]

I also got the vcruntime140.dll error. I tried the dev3vcrt32a-installer, but still got the same error. I'm running Windows 10 32 bit. Any more information I can provide?

-chuck-

[bw_msgboard]

Hi Chuck.  AFAIK, everyone who has used this installer has been ok on 32-bit Windows:

 

https://groups.google.com/g/open-phd-guiding/c/MIonWl6ignk/m/i-CfOZUZCAAJ

 

Suggest you give that a try.

 

Bruce

 

 

 

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From: 'Chuck Koos' via Open PHD Guiding [mailto:open-phd...@googlegroups.com]
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2021 4:42 PM
To: Open PHD Guiding
Subject: Re: [open-phd-guiding] 2.6.9dev3 update

 

I also got the vcruntime140.dll error. I tried the dev3vcrt32a-installer, but still got the same error. I'm running Windows 10 32 bit. Any more information I can provide?

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[Chuck Koos]

Sorry, first time posting on this message board, so I may have missed something that should have been obvious to me. 

What installer are you saying I should use? I tried the dev3vcr32a-installer and it failed with the same error message about the vcruntime140.dll. I checked and made sure that my OS was up to date, and it is. 2.6.9 runs without any problem. I tried dev2, and it also gets the error on my system.

Is there another version of the installer I should be trying? Multiple star guiding seems like a significant improvement to help smooth out seeing errors, so I'm keen to give it a go.

-chuck-

[Brian Valente]

Hi Chuck

use the installer that both and and bruce sent a link to

this one:

https://groups.google.com/g/open-phd-guiding/c/MIonWl6ignk/m/i-CfOZUZCAAJ

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/eeb74210-2bee-496c-96e5-5c56180a989en%40googlegroups.com.

[Brian Valente]

Sorry grabbed wrong link

this one:

https://openphdguiding.org/phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer.exe

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/eeb74210-2bee-496c-96e5-5c56180a989en%40googlegroups.com.

[Chuck Koos]

As I said in my original message, that's the one I tried and it didn't work. 

[Brian Valente]

Chuck can you try this one from the dev3 page (if you haven't already)

https://openphdguiding.org/phd2-2.6.9dev3-installer.exe

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/3d63520f-b3e1-4a48-9b68-4a892dd75384n%40googlegroups.com.

[Chuck Koos]

Actually, that's what started me on this trip. Here's the sequence I followed:

I've been running 2.6.9 for a few months without issue.

Downloaded phd2-2.6.9dev3-installer.exe, ran it, and got the error about vcruntime140.dll when PHD tried to start.

Searched this chat group and found the link to phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer.exe, ran it, and still got the vcruntime140.dlll error.

Reinstalled 2.6.9, ran it without error.

Installed phd2-2.6.9dev2, got the vcruntime140.dll error.

Ran Windows update to make sure my system was up to date.

Ran phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer.exe, and still got the vcruntime140.dlll error.  

Reinstalled 2.6.9, ran it without error. 

Used the link you sent above and tried phd2-2.6.9dev3-installer.exe again this morning, got the vcruntime140.dll error. 

That's where I sit now. I can provide any additional information you might need, or run a debug version if needed. PHD2 is the only thing this laptop is used for.

-chuck-

[Chuck Koos]

OK, more data on this. I have a system disk from a few weeks ago that I swapped into the laptop. By installing phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer.exe, without having installed, phd2-2.6.9dev3-installer.exe first, the system runs 2.6.9dev3vcrt32a OK. 

So, similar to what Jack reported last month when he had to restore his OS to an earlier version to get his to work, I had to do the same.

So in my non-expert opinion, it looks like phd2-2.6.9dev3-installer.exe corrupts something on Windows 10 32 bit, and it isn't being fixed by reinstalling 2.6.9 or phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer. It might be a good idea to put a warning to 32 bit users on the download page about this, or pull phd2-2.6.9dev3-installer.exe and replace it with  phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer.exe. At least till you can get to the bottom of this. But, your the experts so you may have a better solution.

As I mentioned, anything I can do to help, just let me know.

-chuck- 

[Chuck Koos]

OK, here's how I fixed this. 

The date of vcruntime140.dll in the PHD2 folder after installing  phd2-2.6.9dev3-installer was 12/29/20. 

The date on this file on the restored system that phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer worked OK on today, is 1/5/21. 

I copied the 1/5/21 version to a thumb drive, put the original system drive back into the laptop, then copied the 1/5/21 version from the thumb drive into the PHD2 folder. 

I ran phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer, and now PHD2 version dev3vcr32a runs fine.

So it looks like the 12/29/20 version of vcruntime140.dll is the problem, and, it a appears that when phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer is run after phd2-2.6.9dev3-installer, the 1/5/21 version of vcruntime140.dll isn't overwriting the 12/29/20 version.

As I said before, you're the experts, so I'll leave it to you to sort this all out.

Let me know if you need more information.

-chuck- 

[bw_msgboard]

Thanks for sticking with this, I think it will all get sorted out by the next build.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/6d60c3ec-d24c-4c76-84d1-5d54928a6ddbn%40googlegroups.com.

[Chuck Koos]

I assume getting a new and improved version of PHD2 is like getting new equipment, a minimum of three weeks of cloud cover before I can use it?

-chuck-

[Andy Galasso]

Chuck,

Thanks for the info. For some reason we do not understand, the PHD2 installer fails to replace the 64-bit DLL in the PHD2 install folder.

If anyone else comes across the vcruntime140.dll error message after installing 2.6.9dev3 on 32-bit Windows, here's the recommended workaround:

1. exit PHD2

2. open Windows File Explorer and navigate to your PHD2 install folder, C:\Program Files (x86)\PHDGuiding2

3. locate the file vcruntime140.dll and delete it

4. download and install a newer version of PHD2: phd2-2.6.9dev4 or later. As of present 2.6.9dev4 has not yet been released, so you can use phd2-2.6.9dev3vcrt32a-installer.exe which is the same as 2.6.9dev3 but has the correct 32-bit vcruntime140.dll file.

Andy

[Charles Koos]

Andy, I have a suggestion for PHD2. As a newbie, I didn't understand where in the sky I was supposed to point the guide scope for calibration. The recommendation was to point it at the meridian and equator. And I thought, "hmm, I wonder where that is." I eventually figured it out, but I also stumbled across the Drift Align tool, which will automatically move to the correct location, just by hitting the "Slew" button. No thinking needed on my part, excellent! So that's what I always use now. But this isn't obvious to newbies.

So now, I repeatedly read on the support forums about people struggling the same way I did. Much time is wasted back and forth between users and the experts as they get the concept of pointing at meridian/equator understood. But, since the code already exists in the Drift Align routine, wouldn't it be relatively easy, and extremely user friendly, if the same tool could be implemented in the calibration routine?

Here's my idea. When PHD2 starts a calibration, it checks to see where the scope is pointing. If it isn't in the ideal part of the sky, a pop-up displays that tells the user that the scope is not pointed in the correct direction, and just like the current Drift Align pop-up, it tells the user the current pointing, the slew to coordinates, as well as a button to initiate the mount slew.

What do you think?

-chuck-

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[Andy Galasso]

Chuck, thanks for the suggestion. I added an item to the PHD2 Issue Tracker, #959.

Andy