Linux versions - Page 3

rcheshire (Rowland) · #41 09-01-2014, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astro_Bot

That mounts a temporary file system at the /tmp folder, which has the effect of wiping the /tmp folder at shutdown (when the temporary filesystem is unmounted). It's a useful security measure (in some circumstances) but doesn't "extend memory" and in fact, tmpfs is usually (I think always) coded to use memory rather than reside on disk. I use this mechanism for certain small system directories that would otherwise store permanent files that I would rather be transient.

As for memory management: The default Swap partition setup by the distro installer is probably sufficient - swap is the equivalent of Windows' page file, i.e. the swap space where memory pages are stored when not actively in use, assuming memory is ever full enough to cause it to be used. A swap entry in /etc/fstab is also written by the installer but needs no alteration, unless you want to encrypt it. You can adjust the size of the Swap partition during installation if you think it's too small, but usually the installer picks a healthy size based on system RAM size. The Swap partition can also be re-sized manually, and its (new) full size will be used at next boot up.

That's a good explanation - and you are correct. I have been using tmpfs to free up space for certain programs that lodge temporary files and eventually limit space on the disk. Wiping tmp at shutdown is handy. Alternatively, with Pixinsight I moved the location to my home directory on a separate partition.

Yes the installer usually gets swap right. I started on Slackware a long time ago, compiling kernels, partitioning disks, installinv drivers and so on. But its a distant memory.

iandix (Ian) · #42 09-01-2014, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmrid

Thanks for all that. I've just finished loading the full INDI library of drivers for CCDs, Guidecamss, FWs and the like and am busting to try our EKos/KStars with my gear. My Apogee Alta just came back from a full service today as well. It's all go!
Peter

great news, If you have any problems ... you should also install the latest INDI drivers from here http://www.indilib.org/download.html just cut and past those commands into your terminal window, they are more up to date that ones found in the standard repositories.

pmrid (Peter) · #43 09-01-2014, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iandix

great news, If you have any problems ... you should also install the latest INDI drivers from here http://www.indilib.org/download.html just cut and past those commands into your terminal window, they are more up to date that ones found in the standard repositories.

Thanks Ian, yep. Done that. Some disappointments though, the 3rd party ATIK CCD drivers do not work on my CCD (4000LE) and I haven't been able to persuade INDI/Ekos to connect my Apogee Alta U8300. Not sure why but I'll persevere. I have a SXVR_H16 to try as well yet so all is not lost.

Funny how the gods of printed circuitry seem to know when you are feeling like you've had a win. I had no sooner managed to get all this Linux stuff assembled and loaded than my laptop keyboard has decided to go into permanent retirement - the plastic underlay seems to have deteriorated in several places so keys are "dead" - meaning a drop-in keyboard replacement before I can do much more. Ahh, thank you EBay.

Peter

rcheshire (Rowland) · #44 09-01-2014, 06:08 PM

http://www.astro.louisville.edu/software/xmccd/

Is this likely to be of help for your Apogee camera? Though somewhat standalone. Supports Apogee Alta.

I installed XmCCD SBIG drivers and it worked beautifully. Following the instructions very carefully...

pmrid (Peter) · #45 10-01-2014, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcheshire

Following the instructions very carefully...

Thanks Rowland. I love that little caveat - it's a bit like finding "some assembly required" on that thing you ordered from Ikea. Takes an engineering degree and a month of preparation to accomplish.
Peter

rcheshire (Rowland) · #46 10-01-2014, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmrid

Thanks Rowland. I love that little caveat - it's a bit like finding "some assembly required" on that thing you ordered from Ikea. Takes an engineering degree and a month of preparation to accomplish.
Peter

I must admit to being a little nervous. A bit like a first date. Though I can barely remember that.

netwolf · #47 10-01-2014, 08:30 PM

Wow impressed with the Ekos tutorial, I would love to use Linux for astronomy. I have tried various distros, had mint running on a home server box before that became the home internet caffe PC for all to share. I think I may have a VPC of mint on my laptop used it once to try pixinsight on linux.

Has there been a Ekos video on the polar alignment routine?

netwolf · #48 11-01-2014, 12:13 AM

Can anyone confirm support in indi for Losmandy Gemini 1 controller? It seems the eqmod has extensive support but am wondering how good this is for other goto controllers.

pmrid (Peter) · #49 11-01-2014, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by netwolf

Can anyone confirm support in indi for Losmandy Gemini 1 controller? It seems the eqmod has extensive support but am wondering how good this is for other goto controllers.

I think there is a Gemini connection. I just did a new install of KStars (bundled with Ekos) in a Linux Mint Version 16 setup. I also downloaded the full INDI library and did a full update on the Linux OS. The idea was to get the basic system working first, before I tried to do much with it.

In KStars, under Tools, is Ekos which brings up a page for defining your equipment. Losmandy Gemini is on of the choices under Telescope. Since I want to run a Gemini 1/ Titan setup with this system, I am interested in this question too.

Also, it looks like there is an alignment module as well - using plate-solving methods - see here:

http://www.indilib.org/about/ekos/alignment-module.html

I didn't get a chance to try to make the connection because as soon as I loaded KStars, the system became progressively slower and slower to the point of being in virtual lockup. So I rebooted and loaded System Monitor before opening KStars and Ekos again. As far as I could see, the CPU usage was not excessive (a 3 GB Core Two duo and both processors ran between 10 and 15 % most of the time). KStars itself said it was only using 4-10% of the CPU, Network activity was light and memory usage was also light. So I don't know what the devil is going on. Anyone got any ideas?

My first thought is that KStars and/or Ekos busies itself polling the system looking for devices and if you haven't got them switched on yet, gets locked up in the search process. Anyone got any other ideas?

But since KStars was using so little resources, I'm onto second thoughts which is the video drivers are not up to the task. I'm going to try getting hold of replacement drivers and see how they perform.

Also, I tried connecting to the Gemini but couldn't do it so there's something else to follow up. Bugger.

Good thing the weather is such rubbish!

Peter

Terry B · #50 11-01-2014, 12:11 PM

I downloaded the iso file. It was a slow process even on my NBN connection. I assume it is the server at the other end that is slow.
I'm just experimenting with it at the moment and have just loaded it as a live distro and am posting this from the live distro.

I want it mostly for IRAF so will experiment more.

pmrid (Peter) · #51 11-01-2014, 01:36 PM

I'll keep posting updates on progress in the hope that it may be of some help to other Linux luddites such as myself.

I've identified the cause of the system slowdown/lockup. It was in fact the video driver. I had added an aftermarket video card to this PC so I could use an HDMI connection. I removed it and switched back to native VGA and the thing runs fine.

I've tried to connect to Gemini and the rest of the kit without success. I get a message asking if I have read/write access to the port. Not sure what the hell that means. There is no indication it's finding my cameras, FW or focuser. Those all load via a powered hub at the scope at the moment. It may be I'll have to ditch the hub and go back to a cable jungle. Pity but I don't know enough about Linux to see my way to any other solution.

Peter

lazjen (Chris) · #52 11-01-2014, 04:16 PM

Peter, you're inspiring me to get off my backside and get underway with setting up my laptop with Linux.

I've managed to connect to G11 Gemini 2. I also got the error about needing read/write permission. I've got a temporary fix for that, but I'll try to find the proper solution.

The temporary fix: If your port is something like /dev/ttyACM0, then in a terminal as root, type: chmod o+gw /dev/ttyACM0

After that restart kstars and try again.

pmrid (Peter) · #53 11-01-2014, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazjen

Peter, you're inspiring me to get off my backside and get underway with setting up my laptop with Linux.

I've managed to connect to G11 Gemini 2. I also got the error about needing read/write permission. I've got a temporary fix for that, but I'll try to find the proper solution.

The temporary fix: If your port is something like /dev/ttyACM0, then in a terminal as root, type: chmod o+gw /dev/ttyACM0

After that restart kstars and try again.

In the INDI control panel, the scope defaults to /dev/ttyUSB0 (or similar). Since the scope connects via a serial connection, I've been resetting that to /dev/ttyS0 and INDI then says it is connected to the Gemini and KStars seems to know (from the Gemini controller) where the scope is pointing. But it won't obey any commands (slew etc). So there's a disconnect there somewhere and the connection seems to drop out. I suspect there is some device contention going on for that serial port.

Also, from one restart to the next, INDI doesn't remember that I have reset that Port. It keeps coming back to the default USB0.

No other devices will connect - no doubt because they are all behind a USB hub and I'm guessing INDI doesn't know how to find them. Not sure about the solution.

Persevere.

Peter

lazjen (Chris) · #54 11-01-2014, 06:36 PM

Ok. I'm using a USB connection to the Gemini 2, so it's coming up differently.

I haven't got it to move the scope yet, but it does see the scope moving around.

I was using the live Distro Astro 2.0 to trial this. I had some difficulties trying to install it on my laptop (not helped by me trying to keep the Windows already there and installing on to another disk). I failed with the Distro Astro, so I'm now trying the latest Ubuntu and installing kstars, etc. I'll see how that goes.

mithrandir (Andrew) · #55 11-01-2014, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazjen

The temporary fix: If your port is something like /dev/ttyACM0, then in a terminal as root, type: chmod o+gw /dev/ttyACM0

On my Linux box the answer would be make the logonid a member of the tty group.

Do a "ls -l /dev/ttyACM0" to check the ownership.

lazjen (Chris) · #56 11-01-2014, 09:16 PM

Spot on Andrew, that was the real fix. I also had to add myself to the video group for a CCD camera.

EDIT: also need "dialout" group according to ekos FAQ.

pmrid (Peter) · #57 11-01-2014, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazjen

Spot on Andrew, that was the real fix. I also had to add myself to the video group for a CCD camera.

EDIT: also need "dialout" group according to ekos FAQ.

I've done the
Sudo adduser xxxx dialout

So, I have to do the same for tty and video?

Peter

lazjen (Chris) · #58 11-01-2014, 10:45 PM

dialout's the important one, the others are "maybe". However adding them won't hurt.

lazjen (Chris) · #59 11-01-2014, 11:17 PM

Ok, discovered some more info regarding the G11. I think the Losmandy Gemini entry might be for the older version, not G2. I couldn't get it to work.

For the G11 G2, using LX200 Classic works much better - it's actually driving the scope around now.

Moonlite focuser connected fine and appears to work ok.

For CCDs:

I've had no luck with the SBIG ST-i. Indi seems to have trouble initialising it. And I found that the camera got quite warm after being connected for a while.

The QHY 5 doesn't connect but no error appears.

For the DSLR, the OS recognises the 6D fine, and I get indi connecting ok, but I can't seem to get it to take a photo/preview just yet. I'll have to investigate gphoto2 further to check how well the 6D is supported.

Also, I'm in the process of going to "kstars-bleeding" and building from the latest sources.

netwolf · #60 12-01-2014, 12:09 AM

Chris/Peter

In the video they talk about pointing model, is this a independent pointing model in Ekos or does it work in conjunction with the Gemini pointing model and parameters?

The eqmod looks quiet cool, almost wish my g11 was synscan based. Maybe time to look at the AstroEQ project.
https://github.com/TCWORLD/AstroEQ
Or maybe look at the sitech again but the don't have Indi support.

I really like what I see in Ekos and it's free, compare that to the cost of equivalent on Windows. Best of all it's on Linux. Wonder if this works under BSD.

I'm trying to get my Mint setup going but i think I will need to download the latest version and rebuild. Also I'm out of space on my laptop need to backup and move old stuff of to my archives.

Regards
Fahim