PHD2_cmds_proxy

Send PHD/2 commands over TCPIP using the PHD/2 json protocol

Rationale

Fundamentally to be able to use PHD/2 from clients that can call other programs with parameters but cannot be modified to send commands over a custom TCP/IP socket as PHD/2 requires.

Usage

Usage: PHD2_cmds_proxy {--verbose|help} [--command="json string" {--response="regex to match json string response"}] {--host=hostname {--port=number}}
Send commands over TCP/IP to PHD/2 and optionally handle responses.

Options:
  -v, --verbose              Get extra spammy output including step by step
                               logging of communications.
  -c, --command=VALUE        Quoted json command to send verbatim to PHD/2.
                               --response is optional with --command.
  -r, --response=VALUE       Regular expression that matches json response
                               from PHD/2 that indicates the command is done.
                               Requires --command be specified.
  -h, --host=VALUE           Optional host to connect to. Default is localhost
                               if none specified.
  -p, --port=VALUE           Optional port on host to connect to. Default is
                               port 4400 if none specified.
  -?, --help                 Display this help.

Examples of invocation.

Incidentally these are the things I suspect you are most likely to want to do.

1. Stop PHD/2 doing all the things.

PHD2_cmds_proxy.exe --c={\"method\":\"stop_capture\"}

Note: There is no response to wait for when telling PHD/2 to stop capture.

2. Tell PHD/2 to do everything it must to start guiding.

PHD2_cmds_proxy.exe --v --c="{\"method\": \"guide\", \"params\": [{\"pixels\": 1.5, \"time\": 8, \"timeout\": 40}, false], \"id\": 42}" --r="SettleDone"

This example will cause PHD/2 to start looping, attempt to find a guide star, calibrate if it must and commence guiding. We wait for a response that contains the string "SettleDone" to tell us for good or bad that PHD/2 is done.

Cloning.

Clone with --recursive as there is a single submodule to pull in as well.

git clone --recursive https://github.com/NgileahObservatory/PHD2_cmds_proxy.git

Building.

In Visual Studio, open the solution file (.sln). Build. Job done.

Example use with a third party application.

MPO Connections (Connections) has powerful scripting capabilities. It can run other programs from its scripts but command line parameters are limited to 20 characters.

My setup has batch files to invoke PHD2_cmds_proxy with all the parameters necessary. These are called from MPO Connections and allow Connections to start and stop guiding as necessary.

Figure 1. MPO Connections controlling external guiding. PHD/2 running simulated camera and mount.

This makes the following possible.

1. Connections slews to target.
2. Autofocus.
3. Plate solve target field.
4. Command PHD/2 to commence guiding.
5. Image the target for whatever length of time or number of images.
6. Command PHD/2 to cease guiding.
7. Slew to the next target and repeat steps 2 through 6.

This will result in more targets imaged and more sleep obtained!