Another one here, I cannot use automatic focusing routines because of PWI focuser.
You can correct focus based on temperature change and, even if it fails sometimes, SGP will simply give up on focuser not reporting correct position and will continue imaging. You lose some time but not the whole night.
I’m pretty happy to say that I think I’ve solved the problem with the PWI focuser. It is a fork (I think I’m being precise) of this virtual focuser project GitHub - jlecomte/ascom-virtual-focuser: Virtual Focuser ASCOM Driver
My good friend Rafa Barberá kindly programmed a variantion that included a position tolerance so, as long as PWI focuser is inside tolerance, it reports to SGP (or whatever) that the focuser is on the requested position.
If you are running 64 bits software versions I think you need the DeviceHub as an envelope for the 32bit PWI driver. In my case it is SGP->VirtualFocuserAscomDriver->Ascom DeviceHub->PWI Ascom driver.
This is the DLL Dropbox - ASCOM.DarkSkyGeek.VirtualFocuser.dll - Simplify your life
And these are the installation instructions:
Step 1: Get the file from this messge and put ASCOM.DarkSkyGeek.VirtualFocuser.dll somewhere on your system (example: C:\Users\julien\ascom-virtual-focuser).
Step 2: Open a command prompt, but make sure you run it as an administrator!
Step 3: Then, proceed with the installation of the driver using RegAsm.exe, a utility that should already be present on your system (it comes with the .NET framework). Just don’t forget to use the 64 bit version, and to pass the /tlb /codebase flags. Here is what it looked like on my imaging mini computer:
cd C:\Users\julien\ascom-virtual-focuser
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\RegAsm.exe /tlb /codebase ASCOM.DarkSkyGeek.VirtualFocuser.dll
Microsoft .NET Framework Assembly Registration Utility version 4.8.4161.0
for Microsoft .NET Framework version 4.8.4161.0
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Types registered successfully
Note: The output may be more verbose than the above. As long as it says Types registered successfully, you are good to go!
Note: Once the driver has been installed, make sure you do not delete or move the ASCOM.DarkSkyGeek.VirtualFocuser.dll file, or things will not work! (if you do move it, you will need to register it again in its new location)
Step 4: Start whatever application you use to control your equipment.
I hope this helps you all