PHD2 Development Snapshot Builds

 

v2.6.6dev1

23 May 2019

• Equipment profile wizard and Guiding Assistant now recommend Lowpass2 Dec guiding for mounts with high-res encoders or near-zero backlash
• Calibration is now automatically cleared if the camera selection is changed
• Predictive PEC: enable the model retaining option by default for new profiles
• ZWO cameras: update to SDK version 1.14.0227 (Windows, Mac, and Linux)
• New Omegon Pro camera selection
• INDI mounts: fix incorrect LST fallback calculation for mount drivers that do not provide LST
• Guide log: ensure monotonically increasing timestamps regardless of changes to the system clock
• Minor debug log cleanup
• Camera simulator: fix crash when no mount or AO is selected
• Fix crash in connect equipment or advanced dialog when AO is selected but mount is None
• Updated French translation

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.6

24 March 2019

• Mac: MallinCam SkyRaider camera support
• INDI SBIG AO support
• Drift Align tool: auto-select a new star if star was lost in the Adjust phase
• Fix Advanced Settings window problem where typing invalid characters in the focal length field could set it to zero
• Minor UI updates: improve some tool tips; re-enable the camera selection button after the camera is disconnected
• Server API: include calibration declination in get_calibration_data message
• Added command-line options for saving and loading the full set of config settings to/from a file
• Additional logging in the debug log
• Updated French and Traditional Chinese translations

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.5dev7

29 January 2019

• Guiding Assistant: new feature to review prior G.A. run results
• Guiding Assistant: avoid too large min-move recommendations
• Guiding Assistant: check for poor camera focus
• Guiding Assistant: recommend binning when image scale is too low
• Calibration review: show calibration side of pier
• Add menu items for toolbar button functions
• Backlash compensation: better resiliency against stiction
• Dark libraries: fix problem loading the wrong dark frame for exposures below 0.02s
• Connect gear: only enable camera selection button when camera driver supports multiple cameras
• ASCOM scopes: better handling for ASCOM drivers that terminate outside of PHD2
• Altair cameras: update to SDK version 30.13270.2018.1102
• ToupTek cameras: update to SDK version 33.13814.2019.0120
• ZWO cameras: use snap mode for USB cameras USB2 mini cameras - fixes various guiding stability problems caused by video mode
• Linux: add Touptek camera support
• Linux: fix a potential crash related to INDI text properties
• Fix long-standing possible crash when Manual Guide tool is run with On-camera mount
• Updated French and Traditional Chinese translations

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.5dev6

25 October 2018

• New Meridian flip calibration tool
• New: ToupTek camera support for Windows; using ToupTek SDK version 30.13059.2018.1003
• Guiding Assistant: improved min-move recommendations
• Guide camera pixel scale is now shown in the new profile wizard and the stats window
• Added a button to reset camera gain to camera's default value
• Altair cameras: update to SDK version 30.13010.2018.0926
• Altair cameras: new option to use older SDK for 2015/2016 era cameras
• Altair cameras: prevent connecting to the wrong camera when reconnecting after a disconnect
• Lowpass2: insure guide pulse never goes in the wrong direction; more debug logging
• Fix glitchy display when changing profiles by clearing the displayed image
• New profile wizard: center the dialog on the screen, not on the gear dialog
• Windows: fix PHD2 crash when opening the mount setup dialog after the RPC server has been terminated
• Fix bug in ProfileWiz - camera properties were being displayed on AuxMount tab if camera was Simulator
• Ensure backlash compensation is enabled only when Dec guide mode is Auto
• INDI: fix problem connecting Aux Mount that does not provide guiding properties
• Event server: send calibration step events
• Updated Traditional Chinese Translation
• Help file: add help for too-little east/south moves in calibration; fix broken link re focusing with Star Profile tool

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.5dev5

9 September 2018

• ZWO Cameras: fix a bug in 2.6.5dev4 that could prevent camera from connecting

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.5dev4

4 September 2018

• Simplified Z filter settings interface
• Bookmarks are now persistent across PHD2 sessions
• ZWO cameras: update SDK to version v1.13.0821 (Window, Linux, Mac)
• ZWO cameras: provide an option to operate camera in 8-bit or 16-bit mode
• ZWO cameras: use camera model name to decide which camera to connect to
• SBIG cameras: do not rely on camera name to distinguish color vs mono
• More detailed tooltip for status bar calibration indicator
• Update the Flip Calibration menu item and tooltip to make it more explicit that it flips the calibration immediately
• Server interface: return an error response for an invalid JSON RPC request
• Server interface: fix invalid JSON message output for alert messages with embedded newline characters
• Windows: better Windows version reporting in the debug log
• Better handling of errors that occur during application startup
• INDI Aux Mount selection no longer excludes mounts that do not have the GUIDER interface
• New Profile Wizard: use an 'on-camera' mount if camera = 'simulator'; add warning dialog if selected gear has no pointing info
• Remove the None guide algorithm (aka Identity guide algorithm) selection
• Updated Traditional Chinese translation

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.5dev3

23 July 2018

• Updated calibration settings window
• Calibration distance is now configurable
• New option to display mount corrections to scale on the graph
• New low-pass ZFilter guide algorithm (experimental)
• ZWO Cameras: use default gain setting reported by the driver (default gain was way too high)
• Guiding Assistant: fix problem with invalid min-move recommendations when GA is stopped and re-started
• Guiding Assistant: enforce minimum sampling time for making recommendations
• Remove unwanted check on guide rates when dec compensation is disabled
• Fix incorrect range checks on aggressiveness for Hysteresis and Resist Switch guide algorithms
• Log uploader: fix problem with log timestamps being garbled in some time zones
• Fix display of calibration graphs on Linux
• Fix problem with star profile not being displayed when search region is less than 15 pixels and star is close to the edge of the frame
• INDI: fix phd2 crash when another app sets the camera or mount Connected property to false
• event server: remove excessive debug log output when client is calling get_star_image
• Updated Traditional Chinese translation
• Help file updates

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.5dev2

2 July 2018

• ZWO ASI Cameras: update SDK to v1.13.0523 (Windows) and v0.7.0503 (Linux & Mac)
• SBIG cameras: fix problem not recognizing multiple SBIG cameras
• SSAG cameras (Mac): fix possible crash after connecting camera and allow entering arbitrary USB VID/PID values for cameras with corrupted firmware
• PPEC: allow stopping/starting guiding without resetting the model
• Guiding Assistant: fix handling of very large backlash to always show recommendations
• Updated Traditional Chinese, French, and Russian translations
• Debug log improvements

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.5dev1

23 May 2018

• More informative alert messages when runaway guiding is detected and for failed calibrations
• QHY cameras: update Windows SDK to V20180502_0 from QHY
• AO: remove irrelevant guide algo choices
• Update to wxWidgets 3.0.4
• Fix layout bug in BLC controls
• Minor debug logging improvements
• Lots of INDI improvements
  • INDI cameras: automatically de-bayer color cameras
  • do not allow overlapping RA and Dec guide pulses (overlaps can trigger a bug in some INDI drivers)
  • better logging including a verbose logging option
  • display the selected INDI devices in the Connect Equipment window
  • only show camera drivers in the camera selection list and mount drivers in the mount selection list
  • much better resilience to dropped connections from the INDI server
  • cancellable progress window for INDI device connection
  • fix INDI GUI excessive window updates by displaying the GUI after properties have been received from the server
• A bunch of help file updates
• Various improved tool-tip messages
• Updated Korean and Russian translations

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.5

30 April 2018

• Backlash compensation improvements
• Updated Russian and Traditional Chinese translations
• Updated Russian Help File
• Server API enhancements (fix a potential crash when the client instructs PHD2 to shutdown; add methods for setting and allow clients to get the name of the current guide algorithm on each axis.)
• Improved logging of events in the Guide Log, like exposure duration changed and PPEC parameter changes

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev10

31 March 2018

• improved backlash compensation dynamic adjustment
• add additional control options for backlash compensation
• apply backlash comp for "fast recovery" moves after dithering
• apply backlash comp for AO mount bumps in declination
• simulator: fix lag in response to manual guide motions during long exposures
• Updated Traditional Chinese translation
• Updated Russian translation
• Updated Russian help file
• Windows: fix problem with log file uploader not seeing the full contents of the current session's logs
• log file uploader: fix layout of grid for non-English translations
• Polar drift tool: status line fix
• Polar drift tool: restore guiding on close

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev9

1 March 2018

• Add some new options for better control of backlash compensation
• fix a problem that prevented some cameras from automatically re-connecting after a disconnect
• ZWO cameras: update SDK versions to V0.7.0118 (Linux/Mac) and V1.13.1.12 (Windows)
• Updated Traditional Chinese translation
• Polar drift tool: re-enable guiding when done
• min motion controls allow changing with finer increments
• server: fix problem with receiving empty commands from some clients
• fix problem with graph sometimes displaying the correction incorrectly when the Predictive PEC guide algorithm is in use
• simulator minor improvements for changing settings on the fly

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev8

12 February 2018

• New tool to upload log files to openphdguiding.org
• Guiding Assistant: improved backlash test
• Altair cameras: updated SDK to version 20_12_2017
• Updated French translation
• Updated Help

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev7

17 January 2018

• fix bug introuced in 2.6.4dev6 causing a new equipment profile to replace an existing profile
• updated help file
• updated French translation
• fixed spacing in polar drift align window
• Guiding Assistant: correct for dec drift and show an uncertainty estimate

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev6

19 December 2017

• ZWO Cameras: update Windows SDK to V1.13.1.9
• SX Camera: fix pixel size value being reported incorrectly when square pixels option is enabled
• Updated Traditional Chinese translation
• Updated French translation
• Updated German translation
• Dither settling now ignores dec distance when dec guide mode is None
• Show help info in status bar as menu items are highlighted
• Drift align tool: fix problem with alignment circle sometimes following the guide star in Adjust mode when it is supposed to remain stationary
• Fix bug when guiding is initiated at the pole

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev5

30 Nov 2017

• New Polar drift tool - drift alignment using a star field near the pole
• Static Polar Align tool updates
• Better detection and handling of changes to mount guide speed and camera binning
• Improvements to New Profile Wizard
• INDI fixes
• Updated French and Traditional Chinese translations
• Updated help file

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev4

20 Oct 2017

• Star auto-selection no longer has 40-pixel edge distance restriction
• More explicit labeling of pixels vs arc-seconds units in graph window and stats window
• Remove modal dialog boxes from most camera connect functions
• Updated Traditional Chinese translation
• Updated French translation
• Static Polar Align tool improvements
• Add RA to guide log guide section heading

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev3

8 October 2017

• Static Polar Alignment tool improvements
• Atik cameras: binning support added
• Server API: new methods for sensor temperature and cooler status

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev2

3 October 2017

• Static Polar Align tool updates
• Add Static Polar Align and Drift Align tutorials to the Help file
• High resolution (4K) screen UI layout fixes
• Updated Traditional Chinese translation

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4dev1

27 September 2017

• New Static Polar Align tool that uses the center of rotation of a polar field to align on the pole.

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.4

25 September 2017

• Fix bugs in calibration review and calibration sanity check when Dec guiding is disabled
• Update to latest ZWO ASI SDK

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.3dev8

2 September 2017

• Altair cameras: update to new SDK version (2017-09-01)
• Updated French translation from Cyril
• Guide log: only show gain value when PHD2 is controlling the gain
• AO: better handling of step failures: show an alert and suggest new AO travel limit setting
• AO: fix bump instability when guide star is far from lock position
• AO: make sure calibration covers full travel range
• INDI fixes
• Updated Windows INDI client libs
• Do not allow invalid hysteresis setting (100%)
• Fix problem with server sometimes not restarting when PHD2 is restarted
• Allow cam simulator to simulate async ST4 guiding
• Do not tie up main UI thread for GPxxx and INDI mounts and AO moves
• Include milliseconds in FITS header timestamps
• Help file updates
• Debug log enhancements

      [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.3dev7

18 July 2017

• Enable INDI support on Mac and Windows
• Disable Auto-select star when calibrating or guiding
• Updated French, Spanish and Traditional Chinese translations
• Help file updates
• Reset graph when gear profiles changes
• Event server: send a SettleBegin event when settling starts; added a new method to expose a single camera frame
• Windows: prevent windows firewall warning message after installing PHD2

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.3dev6

13 June 2017

• QHY cameras: fix incorrect guide directions when using On-camera (ST4) guiding
• Restart PHD2 automatically when language changes or when the Reset Configuration option is selected
• Help file updates
• New option to automatically check for software updates

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.3dev5

31 May 2017

• Updated Portuguese translation
• Windows installer - do not run the VC++ redistributable installer
• Fix text truncation with some translations in spctrograph slit position window
• Mac: fix crash when disconnecting GPUSB
• Adjust guiding parameters automatically when camera binning is changed
• PPEC: fix problem with min-move parameter not being honored
• Make sure not to retain calibration unless auto-load calibration is selected
• Display AO correction rate in AO graph window
• Help file updates
• Guard against too-small aggressiveness or hysteresis settings being entered
• Allow custom camera exposure duration selection

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.3dev4

29 April 2017 

• fix RA/Dec overlay when AO is in use
• server API additions to get calibration information and send guide pulses to scope
• improve Guiding Assistant text layout for some translations
• additional debug log output for the PPEC guide algorithm
• A new Portuguese (Brazilian) translation
• Default Gain for QHY cameras is now 40
• update QHY camera SDK to V7.4.16.4
• Update Altair SDK to latest 1.1.4 version to support new camera models
• fix crash when stats window is updated and Camera = None
• update ZWO Linux/Mac SDK to V0.6.0328
• don't allow Predictive PEC period value to be disrupted when the guiding assitant is run
• updated French translation

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.3dev3

10 April 2017

• updated translations
• more strict protection against windows being placed off-screen after screen resolution changes
• Predictive PEC settings UI improvements in Advanced Dialog
• Predictive PEC key settings added to Graph window
• additional information saved to FITS headers when saving an image
• QHY cameras: we now use an up-to-date QHY camera SDK for native support of QHY cameras on Windows, Mac, and Linux

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.3dev2

28 March 2017

• New Predictive PEC guide algorithm!
• Mac: fix problem with SX camera not being found
• camera gain setting should not allow value 0
• comet tracking: adjust RA shift rate for scope declination

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]

 

v2.6.3dev1

20 March 2017

• New image logging options based on trigger events, like star lost or large error offset
• Option to determine star saturation based on ADU value rather than star profile
• Improved detection of low-snr stars by more accurate background calculation
• Improved star mass change detection
• New option to reject stars below a minimum size (HFD)
• AO: fix bug with AO bump continuing after server received Pause command
• add more info to fits headers when saving images
• event server: add get_settling method

    [Windows Download EXE]     [Mac OS X Download ZIP]