SC4/AOX Calibration Binning Misbehavior (scripted)

(MDL 7.14)

In an SC4/AOX hardware configuration, when scripting a guider calibration (CCDCamera.GuiderCalibration()), a guider binning change (CCDCamera.GuiderBinning) does not appear to propagate to the Binning field of the DLImaging AO Control window.

This field will change only if a star locate (CCDCamera.GuiderExpose(duration)) is executed prior to guider calibration (which is also the work-around). The state of autostar selection (CCDCamera.GuiderAutoSelectStar) has no effect on whether the field is updated during calibration.

This behavior might explain the reports that scripted guider calibrations of greater than 1x1 are unsuccessful, assuming that 1x1 guider binning is default.

 

Colin, thanks for looking into this.

No, I'm trying to change the binning, then calibrate: The steps (in pseudo-code) are:

1. CCDCamera.LinkEnabled = true
2. CCDCamera.GuiderBinning = <something different from the current DLImaging AO Control Window binning>
3. CCDCamera.GuiderCalibration(some duration)

After step 2 and throughout step 3 the DLImaging AO Control Window binning does not change its prior value to the value set in step 2.

Example:
1. CCDCamera.LinkEnabled = true
//Current DLImaging AO Control Window binning field reads "1"
2. CCDCamera.GuiderBinning = 3
//Current DLImaging AO Control Window binning field reads "1"
3. CCDCamera.GuiderCalibration(some duration)
//Current DLImaging AO Control Window binning field reads "1" (Grayed out during calibration, as expected)

Another example:
1. CCDCamera.LinkEnabled = true
//Current DLImaging AO Control Window binning field reads "4"
2. CCDCamera.GuiderBinning = 1
//Current DLImaging AO Control Window binning field reads "4"
3. CCDCamera.GuiderCalibration(some duration)
//Current DLImaging AO Control Window binning field reads "4"


I've written a Windows forms app that runs unit tests on the guider calibration interfaces if you'd like to have a look at the code itself. Just let me know.

 

Will do.

 

Additional observation:

When scripting a guider locate or calibration, a master dark frame does not appear to be generated and applied despite that option being selected in DLImaging AO Control -> Setup tab -> Options -> Enable AutoDark.

 

Evidence? Hah! You want evidence??? My word is no good???

Well, OK.

Try this experiment (can be done with or without actual stars to look at, but simulators don't work.).

1. Open MDL with SC4/AO hardware configured. Connect to open DLImaging AO Control window.
2. In DLImaging AOControl window -> Setup tab -> Options -> Enable Autodark (select)
3. In DLImaging AO Control window -> Locate tab -> Exposure: set to 1
4. In DLImaging AO Control window -> Locate tab -> Binning: set to 1
5. In DLImaging AO Control window -> Locate tab -> Mode: set to Locate
6. In DLImaging AO Control window -> Start
Note that status line will read "Preparing Master Darkframe". If not, then change the binning and take another shot at it. It will. In fact, this reduction frame will be taken every time the binning or exposure is changed -- and that's a good thing.

However, if you do steps 1-2 then use the scripting interface to do the same functions, i.e.

CCDCamera.GuiderBinning = 1
CCDCamera.GuiderAutoSelectStar = true
CCDCamera.GuiderExpose(1)

Then locate function runs, but the same "Preparing Master Darkframe" does not appear in the status line nor does the guider image appear to have been dark reduced, even if binning and exposure are changed to other values in the scripting. At least, that's my observation.

 

Awesome. What threw me was that with the equivalent GUI vs scripted comparison for the Locate function, the GUI Binning field does update to the value commanded by scripted binning. All good to know.

If I have clear skies before you have clear skies, a setup and the time, I will try to run that check and report back.