Hi,
In trying to use my computer and Stellarium to improve my viewing experience I read;
"The purpose of this (Ocular) plugin is to simulate what a user would see through their eyepiece when viewing an object".
I had hoped that the image would reflect the magnification of the eyepiece. Shouldn't a 10mm ep image be bigger than an image through a 25mm ep. As an inexperienced user I questioned the strange reverse outcome with the plugin author and he has now updated the Ocular plugin here; http://www.stellarium.org/wiki/index.php/Ocular_plugin
something to do with the complex subject of Exit Pupil calculation.
I have downloaded the updates and received help and support from Barry Gerdes (http://www.geocities.com/wendygblyde/) but the results do not reflect the changes I had expected. Barry tells me he has it working.
Has anybody else had any success with the updated Ocular Exit Pupil plug-in?
I am interested in successful Screenshots.
Any help would be appreciated.
Peter
Hi Robert,
Thanks for the screenshots.
There must be something wrong with my Version or the way I have edited the module.ini file.
I will try to post some screenshots to show my problem.
Peter
Are you sure you installed the plug-in correctly? I recall that I had to delete all the previous bits and then run the latest as a self-extracting installation. From then on, all I needed was to edit the module.ini file as shown. I think it would be hard to make a mistake with that, although, as I know only too well, mistakes, even simple ones are easily made. So yes, I would agree, check your module.ini file first, and if that doesn't fix it, then do the re-install. Incidentally, the module.ini file should be in the ....\Application Data\Stellarium\modules\Ocular directory. (Or at any rate, that's where mine ended up with the auto install.)
Robert
Hi
There are some problems with the ocular display and it has been worked on a number of times. If you are trying to use it with Stellarium version 0.10.2 you will only be able to use the older version that has some size problems and does not have the exit pupil modification. That only works as static module in 0.10.3 (in development).
At present the latest version of the exec portions of stellarium build 4685 are available on my web site. They can be used with version 0.10.2 to give a snapshot of what the state of the program is at the moment. www.geocities.com/wendygblyde
This version has all the modules working as static modules so they only need the button icons and Module.ini files to work. most of the older dynamic modules still work but the latest ocular module with the exit pupil mod only works as a static module in windows.
If you are able to get the downloads from my web site (it may take a few goes as there is only one download available every hour.) unzip them and copy the new stellarium.exe and libmainstel.dll to the stellarium folder then unzip the module folder and place it in the stellarium folder.
Stellarium should then run OK as version 0.10.3.
This version will also automatically update the satellite parameters automatically every couple of days
Hi Robert,
No, I am not sure I installed the new plug-in correctly.
I have previously done a few eyepiece edits successfully and the latest edits of your scope/ep's have been added from details in your screenshots.
It all looks ok but the image results I get are not OK.
I am trying to duplicate your images but need to know what Exit Pupil settings you used. Maybe that will make the difference.
Peter
Hi Barry,
Could you please explain what you mean by "static".
I tried to run the downloads but got error message "Entry Point Not found ..." so back to v10.2.
Attached screenshot 000.png Moon at 48x --- extra large
whilst 001.png at 120x --- much smaller. Does this explain the "problem" that the new plug-in is trying to fix?
The static modules are incorporated in the libstelmain.dll. You don't need the old dll's.
If you are having trouble use a clean installation of 0.10.2 and remove all the old modules as they will clash with the new versions.
Hi Barry,
Could you please explain what you mean by "static".
I tried to run the downloads but got error message "Entry Point Not found ..." so back to v10.2.
Attached screenshot 000.png Moon at 48x --- extra large
whilst 001.png at 120x --- much smaller. Does this explain the "problem" that the new plug-in is trying to fix?
Very confusing.
Peter
Hi Peter
Those images do not look correct at all.
This is how they should look. neglecting the orientation which is set for the telescope I would have.
The larger pictures are with the 5.7 (max.size) exit pupil and the small pictures are with the 4.0 exit pupil
Pictures 1 and 2 are the 10mm ep and pictures 3 and 4 are the 25mm ep all with 1200mm FL 52 deg. FOV
Barry
Last edited by Barrykgerdes; 29-05-2009 at 11:09 PM.
You are now in expert hands . I remember now - I had to multiply my scope's fl by 1.5 (at Barry's suggestion) to get realistic mags. But there was no mention of exit pupil size, so there has apparently been some progress since then (about 2 weeks ago). The following is one of my ep entries in module.ini. Note that sfl is up to 2250 (for a 1500mm scope). Perhaps its this "correction" which is now reflected in the exit pupil entry???
[ocular2]
name = Baader Hyperion 21
afov = 68
efl = 21
sfl = 2250
flip = h
However, I'll await the release of the fully tested 0.10.3 version before I do anything further.
Hi Robert,
Thanks.
I have re-installed 10.2 and edited the Ocular module.ini file to include oculars for your Baaders and Barry's gear.
Same incorrect results. Small mag = big image, Large mag = small image.
I have also tried editing extra oculars for 1.5 x FL of my 1200 to bring it up to 1800. Same result.
I am baffled and at a loss to know what to do next.
Peter
When you did the re-install, did you clean out all residual files? Perhaps some stayed in the application data subfolder or elsewhere? It does seem like your program is latching onto something residual from your earlier installations. I seem to recall that my first installation of 0.10.2 had the same problem. I'd be inclined to get rid of any folders that have Stellarium in their name, and then do the re-install knowing that I was really starting from scratch. After installation of the base program I used a file called stellarium-plugin-bundle.exe which put everything in the right place. Do you have this one? Editing the module.ini in the application data\stellarium folder as I showed before was then all that I needed to do. I felt the view shown wasn't true to my experience with my scope and Barry agreed there was a discrepancy, he thought about 1.6x: I settled on 1.5x.
(I did a search but can't find my earlier posts on this.)
Robert
Hi Robert,
Thanks.
I have re-installed 10.2 and edited the Ocular module.ini file to include oculars for your Baaders and Barry's gear.
Same incorrect results. Small mag = big image, Large mag = small image.
I have also tried editing extra oculars for 1.5 x FL of my 1200 to bring it up to 1800. Same result.
I am baffled and at a loss to know what to do next.
Peter
Hi Peter
There were quite a few differences with version 0.10.2. It was built with a later version of Qt and a few of the older files are not compatable with the new platform. If you have version 0.10.1 it should have been uninstalled before you installed the new version. If you did not do this you will need to erase all the files manually before you install the new version.
Also remove the old modules from your documents and settings folder\user\application data\stellarium before you install the new version. I always put the modules in a sub folder of the main stellarium program.
If you have a clean version 0.10.2 you can then update to 0.10.3 without any problems.
Attached screenshot 000.png Moon at 48x --- extra large
whilst 001.png at 120x --- much smaller. Does this explain the "problem" that the new plug-in is trying to fix?
Very confusing.
Peter
This is what mine does too, I have been busy with other stuff though so haven't had time to worry about fixing it - I set mine up some time ago so not sure on which version I am using.
This is what mine does too, I have been busy with other stuff though so haven't had time to worry about fixing it - I set mine up some time ago so not sure on which version I am using.
This was a bug in the early ocular module it was repaired later and recompiled but probably the version you have is the early module. The latest version in 0.10.3 has been corrected.
The corrected components will be placed in an area of IIS that Mike has kindly allocated for the purpose and can be down loaded probably from tomorrow.
Hi JethroB76,
Thanks for confirming the problem I am having with the Ocular module. The Satellite's module seems to work correctly regardless of version number.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for your support too.
I tried installing to a new directory but the program must somehow use existing non compatible files.
I can't remember reading anywhere that updates to 10.1 need all previous files removed. Must have missed something. Would have saved me hours of frustration.
I will wait for 10.3 to be available through IIS before doing any more.
Peter
Hi JethroB76,
Thanks for confirming the problem I am having with the Ocular module. The Satellite's module seems to work correctly regardless of version number.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for your support too.
I tried installing to a new directory but the program must somehow use existing non compatible files.
I can't remember reading anywhere that updates to 10.1 need all previous files removed. Must have missed something. Would have saved me hours of frustration.
I will wait for 10.3 to be available through IIS before doing any more.
Peter
Hi Peter
Many Thanks to Mike!
I have uploaded the file to the iceinspace FTP server. Enter this address
httl://www.iceinspace.com.au/uploads/Stel4685.zip and download the zip file.
Unzip the file to find "Stellariun.exe", "libstelMain.dll" and a folder "modules" containing the necessary files for display of the modules.
Start off with a clean Stellarium 0.10.2 installation. Overwrite the stellarium.exe and libstelMain with the new files and copy the modules folder to your Stellarium folder. This should give a psuedo copy of Stellarium 0.10.3
Remove the old modules folder from your
/documents and settings/yourname]/application data/stellarium folder (XP)
Thanks to Barry, JethroB76 and Robert9. Thanks also to Mike for the upload space.
The Ocular module works -- I now get images that approximate my view through the different eyepieces. Phew.
Now, how to correctly calculate Exit Pupil..........any suggestions?
I have a 8" (200mm) Dob f/6 1200fl and use 25mm (48x mag) and 10mm(120x mag) eps. Sometimes I use a 2x Barlow.
My SW Manual says Exit Pupil = Diameter of mirror divided by ep magnification. So my 25 ep is 200/48x= 4.166 whilst the 10 ep = 1.66
Have I got this right?
Peter
I don't know how the exit pupil size is calculated in stellarium but if you make the exit pupil size 5.7 the window will be the maximum size. If you make it 4.0 the size on screen will be about 3/4 screen height.
However I just discovered a bug in version 4685. Don't try to fly to another planet or the progam will crash. I am trying to locate the problem that occured about two weeks ago.
. I remember now - I had to multiply my scope's fl by 1.5 (at Barry's suggestion) to get realistic mags. But there was no mention of exit pupil size, so there has apparently been some progress since then (about 2 weeks ago). The following is one of my ep entries in module.ini. Note that sfl is up to 2250 (for a 1500mm scope). Perhaps its this "correction" which is now reflected in the exit pupil entry???
