Automatic sequence start by command line

Sequence Generator Feature Requests
1

Hello, i have seen several posts requesting the feature like sgp.exe /run sequence.sgp to automatically start the sequence when SGP is launched, but could not confirm if this was implemeted.

In our remote observatories, we have to run a specific program to prepare the observatory before SGP can connect the equipments (roof, telescope cool down, etc…)
We use SendKey commands to ask SGP to connect the equipements and start the sequence.
But SendKey protocol is not very reliable.

Could you please consider the launch by command line feature, or even better add the “Connect all equipements” and “Start Sequence” in the API.

2

I have also asked for this feature in the past, would be a good addition that shouldn’t be hard to implement.

Mikael

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3

I would also like to see this feature. I have a script that opens the roof at a set time and it could easily tell SGP to start.

@droide78, would you please add a link to this request to the SGP 4.4 request list post so it’s considered with the other requests?

4

Added in SGP 4.4 feature list requests

5

We’ll think about this. Doing this for individual setups (your rigs) may appear easy, but this is not so easy when considered as a product feature for all rigs.

Starting a sequence, in SGPro is actually a highly interactive step which does not lend itself well to APIs. Over time, you have probably streamlined your start to be one-click and we have designed it to be that way… if you have not taken the time to do this and call the API:

  • we need to propagate dozens of different potential errors out of the UI and into the API response (not hard, just a slog)
  • we need to determine what to do about warnings. Do they act like errors in the API? Is there a setting for this? These are rhetorical…
  • we need to determine how to go through dozens on interactive yes / no and sometimes even numerical user interactions. Or… we need to create some kind of new error saying that the sequence is not compatible with the API until you do these things…

All in all, this is a ways from being a production ready feature.

BUT… all that said, I will consider adding in an “unsupported” feature that literally does none of these things and just emulates the button press. A wholly unfriendly experience, but I suspect that the technical acumen of the folks asking for this won’t find that to be an issue.

6

I won’t find it an issue. It might provide input that will make a more robust version easier to implement.

7

Thank you for considering.

I think just being able to “click” on ConnectAllEquipments and StartSequence would cover most of the needs. I mean, just same as keyboard shortcuts, but available through the API

8

Sorry for the late answer.

Thanks for considering this Ken. I think an “unsupported” API solution would do the work for most of us who would like to use it. If you want to go beyond this, adding an error if any device couldn’t connect (for “ConnectAllEquipments”) and an error if something (anything) prevented the sequence to start (for “StartSequence”) would be good. I mean a non-specific error message, something like “oups this didnt work” message. That would prevent any further actions from the application using SGP through its API.

Thanks, Mikael

9

This has been added into SGPro 4.3 (this and standalone options to connect and disconnect all gear)

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10

Thank you so much !

i started to modify the software of our observatory accordingly.
Connection commands work well.

But, /sequence/start commands ends with this error
“Failed to start sequence “”! Sequence not found!”

Did i miss something ?

Here is my source code (visual basic)

    Dim r As RestRequest = New RestRequest(Method.Post)
    r.Resource = "sequence/start"
    r.RequestFormat = DataFormat.Json
    r.AddHeader("Accept", "application/json")

    Dim a As RestResponse = c.Execute(r)
11

Ok, understood, SequenceFilePath parameter is mandatory.
I thought the command would just start the current sequence if empty.

r.AddParameter(“SequenceFilePath”, seq)

12

This was the intent… I’ll take a look. I didn’t test this much.

13

Many thanks Ken.
Everything works fine with this new feature !
Smooth integration with our observatory software.

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