The requested operation is not permitted at this time

PM sent.

Whenever I’ve asked Hitec they’ve always said I have the latest version !

File sent. I hope that solves your problem!

I wish ! Unfortunately not, still no joy with this.

It very much looks to me as if the Open Roof request never got to HitecObs as the ASCOM trace file for it contains repeats of the following:

21:41:26.061 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
21:41:26.061 Slewing Get False
21:41:26.061 Slaved Get False
21:41:26.061 CanFindHome Get False
21:41:26.562 Slewing Get False
21:41:27.063 Slewing Get False
21:41:27.063 ShutterStatus shutterClosed

This is what I see in the Voyager monitor:

21:41:13 202 - Action Start
21:41:13 208 - Opening Dome Shutter …
21:41:13 312 - Action Aborted for Error : [(ASCOM) ASCOM.HitecObs.Dome] Open Shutter Not Done (The requested operation is not permitted at this time)
21:41:13 318 - Action Time [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 0 [s]
21:41:13 324 - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 3 [s]
21:41:13 330 - Action End : FINISHED_ERROR
21:41:21 268 - Action Start
21:41:21 275 - Closing Dome Shutter …
21:41:23 275 - Dome Shutter Closed
21:41:23 297 - Action Time [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 2 [s]
21:41:23 327 - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 3 [s]
21:41:23 334 - Action End : OK

ASCOM diagnostics 100% error free, still debugging…

Robert

It’s better if you show the 2 log in the same time otherwise is not useful.

Have you try to asked what the error mean to driver developer ?

Voyager polling status each 1s to driver,

All the best
LO

The developer is not very responsive - he hasn’t ever replied to my emails.

This is both logs from Voyager connecting:

22:27:09 370 - Setup Connect Request
22:27:24 041 - Action Start
22:27:24 062 - Opening Dome Shutter …
22:27:24 266 - Action Aborted for Error : [(ASCOM) ASCOM.HitecObs.Dome] Open Shutter Not Done (The requested operation is not permitted at this time)
22:27:24 271 - Action Time [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 0 [s]
22:27:24 275 - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 3 [s]
22:27:24 279 - Action End : FINISHED_ERROR

22:27:18.853 Dome Starting initialisation
22:27:18.903 Dome Completed initialisation
22:27:18.904 DriverVersion Get 1.6
22:27:18.904 InterfaceVersion Get 2
22:27:18.904 Description Get HitecRoof - ASCOM Driver
22:27:18.908 Connected Get False
22:27:18.910 Connected Set True
22:27:18.913 Connected Set Connected
22:27:19.007 Slewing Get False
22:27:19.008 SupportedActions Get Returning empty arraylist
22:27:19.009 Slewing Get False
22:27:19.013 DriverVersion Get 1.6
22:27:19.013 InterfaceVersion Get 2
22:27:19.015 Slewing Get False
22:27:19.015 Slaved Get False
22:27:19.016 DriverVersion Get 1.6
22:27:19.016 CanFindHome Get False
22:27:19.018 DriverInfo Get HitecRoof - ASCOM Driver. Version: 1.6
22:27:19.018 DriverVersion Get 1.6
22:27:19.019 DriverInfo Get HitecRoof - ASCOM Driver. Version: 1.6
22:27:19.019 DriverVersion Get 1.6
22:27:19.517 Slewing Get False
22:27:20.017 Slewing Get False
22:27:20.017 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
22:27:20.017 Slewing Get False
22:27:20.018 Slaved Get False
22:27:20.018 CanFindHome Get False
22:27:20.519 Slewing Get False
22:27:21.019 Slewing Get False
22:27:21.019 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
22:27:21.019 Slewing Get False
22:27:21.019 Slaved Get False
22:27:21.019 CanFindHome Get False
22:27:21.520 Slewing Get False
22:27:22.020 Slewing Get False
22:27:22.020 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
22:27:22.020 Slewing Get False
22:27:22.020 Slaved Get False
22:27:22.020 CanFindHome Get False
22:27:22.521 Slewing Get False
22:27:23.023 Slewing Get False
22:27:23.023 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
22:27:23.023 Slewing Get False
22:27:23.023 Slaved Get False
22:27:23.023 CanFindHome Get False
22:27:23.524 Slewing Get False
22:27:24.025 Slewing Get False
22:27:24.025 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
22:27:24.025 Slewing Get False
22:27:24.025 Slaved Get False
22:27:24.025 CanFindHome Get False
22:27:24.039 Connected Get True
22:27:24.526 Slewing Get False
22:27:25.027 Slewing Get False
22:27:25.027 Slewing Get False
22:27:25.027 Slaved Get False
22:27:25.027 CanFindHome Get False
22:27:25.528 Slewing Get False
22:27:26.029 Slewing Get False
22:27:26.029 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
22:27:26.029 Slewing Get False
22:27:26.029 Slaved Get False
22:27:26.029 CanFindHome Get False
22:27:26.530 Slewing Get False
22:27:27.031 Slewing Get False
22:27:27.031 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
22:27:27.031 Slewing Get False
22:27:27.031 Slaved Get False
22:27:27.031 CanFindHome Get False
22:27:27.531 Slewing Get False
22:27:28.032 Slewing Get False

Sorry but I don’t know the mean of the driver error. Try tu put a poth hub ascom between voyager and your driver, probably the poth can stabilize the communication. We can arrange tomorrow a remote connection if this can help me to have more idea to help you.

Did you need help ? … i’m free
All the best
LO

Hi LO,

Sorry I’ve just got in from work. That’s a very kind offer but let me try a couple of things first, shouldn’t be long.

Best wishes
Robert

Hi LO,

If you are still free and are willing to try then I would be very grateful.

Kind Regards
Robert

I’ve managed to get it working. I looked up a DCOM access error and granted permissions on a registry key for HiTecObs and now it works.

I’ve no idea why it would have been like that but I’m just glad that bit is sorted.

The next issue I seem to have is that when I open the roof Voyager thinks the roof is open before the driver indicates that it is. Closing the dome seems to work correctly and indicate closed when the driver does.

To me it looks like Voyager is not looking at ‘ShutterStatus’ but ‘OpenShutter’ as the roof indicates open in Voyager after the ‘Waiting Time After…Read Status’ time (I set it to 10 seconds for this test). I know I could set the time to a long enough value but then I wouldn’t actually know whether the dome had opened.

Note that I’m using ‘ASCOM Dome’ and not ‘ASCOM Dome Connectionless’ as that seems to work for me.

These are the logs from a close and open session:

Voyager:
20:21:50 811 - Closing Dome Shutter …
20:22:14 334 - Dome Shutter Closed
20:22:14 355 - Action Time [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 23 [s]
20:22:14 360 - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 4 [s]
20:22:14 372 - Action End : OK
20:23:36 366 - Action Start
20:23:36 373 - Opening Dome Shutter …
20:23:46 373 - Dome Shutter Open
20:23:46 394 - Action Time [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 10 [s]
20:23:46 417 - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_DOME_CMD] => 0 [m] 5 [s]
20:23:46 427 - Action End : OK

ASCOM Log file:
20:21:50.203 ShutterStatus shutterOpen
20:21:50.203 Slewing Get False
20:21:50.203 Slaved Get False
20:21:50.203 CanFindHome Get False
20:21:50.705 Slewing Get False
20:21:50.799 Connected Get True
20:21:51.205 Slewing Get False
20:21:51.205 Slewing Get False
20:21:51.205 Slaved Get False

… lots of repeated lines …

20:22:12.245 CanFindHome Get False
20:22:12.746 Slewing Get False
20:22:13.247 Slewing Get False
20:22:13.247 Slewing Get False
20:22:13.247 Slaved Get False
20:22:13.247 CanFindHome Get False
20:22:13.748 Slewing Get False
20:22:14.249 Slewing Get False
20:22:14.249 Slewing Get False
20:22:14.249 Slaved Get False
20:22:14.249 CanFindHome Get False
20:22:14.323 CloseShutter Shutter has been closed
20:22:14.750 Slewing Get False
20:22:15.250 Slewing Get False
20:22:15.250 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
20:22:15.250 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
20:22:15.250 Slewing Get False
20:22:15.250 Slaved Get False
20:22:15.250 CanFindHome Get False
20:22:15.752 Slewing Get False
20:22:16.253 Slewing Get False
20:22:16.253 ShutterStatus shutterClosed

… lots of repeated lines …

20:23:35.416 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
20:23:35.416 Slewing Get False
20:23:35.416 Slaved Get False
20:23:35.416 CanFindHome Get False
20:23:35.917 Slewing Get False
20:23:36.359 Connected Get True
20:23:36.419 Slewing Get False
20:23:36.419 ShutterStatus shutterClosed
20:23:36.419 Slewing Get False
20:23:36.419 Slaved Get False
20:23:36.419 CanFindHome Get False
20:23:36.919 Slewing Get False
20:23:37.420 Slewing Get False
20:23:37.420 Slewing Get False
20:23:37.420 Slaved Get False
20:23:37.420 CanFindHome Get False
20:23:37.921 Slewing Get False
20:23:38.422 Slewing Get False
20:23:38.422 Slewing Get False
20:23:38.422 Slaved Get False
20:23:38.422 CanFindHome Get False
20:23:38.923 Slewing Get False
20:23:39.424 Slewing Get False
20:23:39.424 Slewing Get False
20:23:39.424 Slaved Get False
20:23:39.424 CanFindHome Get False
20:23:39.925 Slewing Get False
20:23:40.426 Slewing Get False
20:23:40.426 Slewing Get False
20:23:40.426 Slaved Get False
20:23:40.426 CanFindHome Get False
20:23:40.927 Slewing Get False
20:23:41.428 Slewing Get False
20:23:41.428 Slewing Get False
20:23:41.428 Slaved Get False
20:23:41.428 CanFindHome Get False
20:23:41.929 Slewing Get False
20:23:42.122 OpenShutter Shutter has been Opened
20:23:42.430 Slewing Get False
20:23:42.430 Slewing Get False
20:23:42.430 Slaved Get False
20:23:42.430 CanFindHome Get False
20:23:42.931 Slewing Get False
20:23:43.432 Slewing Get False
20:23:43.432 Slewing Get False
20:23:43.432 Slaved Get False

… lots of repeated lines …

20:23:58.965 Slewing Get False
20:23:59.466 Slewing Get False
20:23:59.466 Slewing Get False
20:23:59.466 Slaved Get False
20:23:59.466 CanFindHome Get False
20:23:59.967 Slewing Get False
20:24:00.467 Slewing Get False
20:24:00.467 ShutterStatus shutterOpen
20:24:00.467 Slewing Get False
20:24:00.467 Slaved Get False
20:24:00.467 CanFindHome Get False
20:24:00.969 Slewing Get False
20:24:01.470 Slewing Get False

I hope you can help ?

Best wishes
Robert

No Robert voyager doesn’t work in this way.

All the best
LO

Robert
Glad you got the driver working. As for detecting the shutter open or closed, this is an issue with the Hitec driver and not Voyager. I have had it with other software also.
You can easily solve it by adding a Wait action in your Voyager dragscript before you move your scope. I use 20 seconds and that avoids any issues with the mount starting to move or the roof trying to close before the mount is settled.
Roberto

Others Voyager’s users that doesn’t trust the simple status of dome, use Viking and an I/O card with input sensors to recognize real open and close. This is a safety way to follow in my opinion. Also because they can check with sensor the real position of mount before open and close dome.

For your info
LO

That is right LO we are on the same wavelength.

My observatory roof does sometimes fail to open for whatever reason, it is rare but can happen.

The roof controller does have built in safeguards which I trust. I have relays on the mount to confirm home position and also on the roof to confirm opened or closed position however the mount will still slew under control if I tell it to whether the roof is open or closed. This is the reason a simple timeout is dangerous (for me anyway) as if the roof stops part way through and the roof is detected as being open then I’m relying on the mounts collision detection to avoid damage.

As I see it the HitecObs roof controller does send back a signal (see the ascom log I posted) but, for whatever reason, Voyager is not seeing it. That could be I’ve got a setting wrong but I’m not sure that’s the case. It could also be that the Hitec software is sending the wrong message back - I don’t know.

Whatever the issue, it means I could not use Voyager automation overnight and get much sleep.

Best wishes
Robert

Sorry Robert,

Voyager check the shutter status like all the other software.
I cannot change this because is the right way, action finish for error or if shutter status is opened or closed (depend on kind of action you ask) !

Sometimes the dome driver is very slow, and after request need a few seconds to start procedure. If Voyager check the status before procedure start could find shutter status in a bad status (i ask open and i found closed when i will expect opening or opened) fot this reason there’s a time to choose to avoid control of status before, “Waiting time after command before starting read status”. This is the mean of this Voyager parameters. I’m coming from a RealTime programming … usually for me safety and security is at first place creating software.

Solutions:

  • check if you have something wrong in driver setup
  • retrieve and send to me the source code of driver and i can try to fix problem is possible
  • ask to driver developer to look and fix problem (Voyager working with multithreading, usually some driver developers doesn’t think about this and wrote code without thread safety in mind)
  • using Viking and connect your sensor output to an I/O card compatible and manage safety open and close and mount status with DragScript

I offered my remote help, i cant do more.
If you dont find a valid solution i’m the first to say to you to don’t use Voyager for automation.

All the best
LO

Hi LO,

Excuse my ignorance of ASCOM, it is a bit of a black box to me as is the HiTec roof controller. If you say that you’re doing the right thing then I believe you, I just needed to get to the bottom of what was going on and understand it. I do some programming so can quite understand what you’re saying.

Of your solutions only the last might be a way out.

Apologies, I did accept your kind offer but I didn’t notice the forum icon with your message and phone number till too late. If you have some time over the weekend then I would still be very grateful for some of your time if you could fit it in.

Best wishes
Robert

BTW. Not being able to automate the roof wouldn’t stop me from buying the software - it is far more reliable than anything else I’ve had. I’m liking Voyager so much that if this roof controller won’t work with it correctly then I would consider replacing it with one of your recommendations.

You are welcome when you want to contact me during the we.
I can create a modified control to add in Voyager list of Dome Control to manage your HiTec controller if this is possible. If you have doc about to read pleaae send to me in PM.

All the best
LO

Hello Robert, after yesterday phone call i add a new dome control in Voyager called ASCOM Dome HitecRoof with some changes to have more log info at monitor and in a log file. Also i slowed down the polling time of status. Please do some test with this version and send me back log from ASCOM and Voyager. Take two set of log: one normal and one activating the flag in voyager setup, tab voyager, box Logging, flag “ASCOM Extended info” activated. After test remove the flag.

Hi Robert,

like you can see in the log the problem is inside the driver. The open and close shutter in your driver are sync and doesnt come back before finish process. When finished voyager can read status and status is correct to finish action.

I cannot do anything, probably if your card have a sensor to read if roof is open or close this doesn’t work or isn’t read from driver.

Solution is use in this way and add a time delay with dragscript and trust your driver or using viking and a new I/O card to validate roof status.

All the best
LO

Hi LO,

I emailed the developer and am hoping he responds but in any case I thank you very much for your time and effort looking at this, it’s very much appreciated.

If the HitecObs developer is not able to provide the appropriate interface then I will look at one of your suggested alternatives together with the Viking software.

Best wishes
Robert