V1.5.21 - Updates

- Updated and added more comments
- Adjusted tracker speed for sidereal rate and adjusted for TRK stepper being half-stepped.
- Moved the LCD screen into the LcdMenu class, so that devs use that to update the menu. Ensures support for special chars (arrows, degrees).
- Moved functions file from b1 to b3, so that it knows about LcdMenu.
- Consolidated RA and DEC output to one function (saves string space and ensure consistency).
- Added support for LEFT and SELECT to change INFO display for RA and DEC from stepper units to time/degrees and toggle TRK speed and TRP steps.
- Changed Meade command [:Qq#] to not stop steppers and [:Q#] to stop steppers. Both calls quit serial control mode.

Author: ClutchplateDude

Software/Arduino code/OpenAstroTracker/OpenAstroTracker.ino

@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@
 
   =======================================================================================================================================
 */
-String version = "V1.5.20";
+String version = "V1.5.21";
 
 boolean north = true;    // change this to 'false' if youre in the southern hemisphere
 
 float speed = 1.000;    // Use this value to slightly increase or decrese tracking speed. The values from the "CAL" menu will be added to this.
 
+// The radius of the surface that the belt runs on (in V1 of the ring) was 168.24mm.
 // Belt moves 40mm for one stepper revolution (2mm pitch, 20 teeth).
 // RA wheel is 2 x PI x 168.24mm circumference = 1057.1mm
 // One RA revolution needs 26.43 (1057.1mm / 40mm) stepper revolutions
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ int RAStepsPerDegree = 300;      // adjust this value to calibrate RA movement
 int DECStepsPerDegree = 161;     // Number of steps needed to move DEC motor 1 degree.
 
 // This is how many steps your 28BYJ-48 stepper needs for a full rotation. It is almost always 4096.
-// This code drives the steppers in halfstep mode
+// This code drives the steppers in halfstep mode for TRK and DEC, and full step for RA
 float StepsPerRevolution = 4096;
 
 int RAspeed = 400;          // You can change the speed and acceleration of the steppers here. Max. Speed = 600. High speeds tend to make
@@ -65,10 +66,10 @@ int s = 25;
 // The same could be done for the DEC coordinates but they dont change significantly for the next 5 years
 
 // Comment this out to save some code space
-//#define DEBUG_MODE
+// #define DEBUG_MODE
 
 // Uncomment this to support the heating menu
-//#define SUPPORT_HEATING
+// #define SUPPORT_HEATING
 
 // Uncomment to run a key diagnostic
 // #define LCD_BUTTON_TEST

Software/Arduino code/OpenAstroTracker/a_inits.ino

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 #define HALFSTEP 8
 #define FULLSTEP 4
 
-LiquidCrystal lcd(8, 9, 4, 5, 6, 7);
 //SoftwareSerial BT(10,11);
 
 // RA Motor pins
@@ -134,47 +133,12 @@ int RAheat = 0;   // Are we heating the RA stepper?
 int DECheat = 0;  // Are we heating the DEC stepper?
 
 // Stellarium variables
-char current_RA[10];
-char current_DEC[12];
+char current_RA[16];
+char current_DEC[16];
 int HAh_save;
 int HAm_save;
 float slew_RA;
 float slew_DEC;
 
-
-// LCD Character bitmaps
-byte DegreesBitmap[8] = {
-  B01100,
-  B10010,
-  B10010,
-  B01100,
-  B00000,
-  B00000,
-  B00000,
-  B00000
-};
-
-byte MinutesBitmap[] = {
-  B10000,
-  B10000,
-  B10000,
-  B00000,
-  B00000,
-  B00000,
-  B00000,
-  B00000
-};
-
-byte SecondsBitmap[] = {
-  B10100,
-  B10100,
-  B10100,
-  B00000,
-  B00000,
-  B00000,
-  B00000,
-  B00000
-};
-
 //debugging
 String inBT;

Software/Arduino code/OpenAstroTracker/b1_menu.ino

@@ -40,24 +40,32 @@ class LcdMenu {
     int _longestDisplay;   // The number of characters in the longest menu item
     int _columns;          // The number of columns in the LCD display
 
+    int _degrees = 1;
+    int _minutes = 2;
     int _leftArrow = 3;
     int _rightArrow = 4;
     int _upArrow = 5;
     int _downArrow = 6;
 
   public:
-    // Create a new menu, using the given LCD screen and using the given number of LCD display columns
-    LcdMenu(LiquidCrystal* lcd, int cols) {
+    // Create a new menu, using the given number of LCD display columns and rows
+    LcdMenu(int cols, int rows) {
+      _lcd = new LiquidCrystal(8, 9, 4, 5, 6, 7);
+      _lcd->begin(cols, rows);
+
       _activeId = 0;
-      _lcd = lcd;
       _firstItem = NULL;
       _lastItem = NULL;
       _longestDisplay = 0;
       _columns = cols;
-      lcd->createChar(_leftArrow, LeftArr);
-      lcd->createChar(_rightArrow, RightArr);
-      lcd->createChar(_upArrow, UpArr);
-      lcd->createChar(_downArrow, DownArr);
+
+      // Create special characters for degrees and arrows
+      _lcd->createChar(_degrees, DegreesBitmap);
+      _lcd->createChar(_minutes, MinutesBitmap);
+      _lcd->createChar(_leftArrow, LeftArrowBitmap);
+      _lcd->createChar(_rightArrow, RightArrowBitmap);
+      _lcd->createChar(_upArrow, UpArrowBitmap);
+      _lcd->createChar(_downArrow, DownArrowBitmap);
     }
 
     // Find a menu item by its ID
@@ -169,6 +177,7 @@ class LcdMenu {
 
       // Display the actual menu string
       String displayString = menuString.substring(offsetIntoString, offsetIntoString + _columns);
+
       // Pad the end with spaces so the display is cleared when getting to the last item(s).
       while (displayString.length() < _columns) {
         displayString += " ";
@@ -187,17 +196,17 @@ class LcdMenu {
           leastCount++;
           if (*i == '>') {
             _lcd->write(_rightArrow);
-          }
-          else if (*i == '<') {
+          } else if (*i == '<') {
             _lcd->write(_leftArrow);
-          }
-          else if (*i == '^') {
+          } else if (*i == '^') {
             _lcd->write(_upArrow);
-          }
-          else if (*i == '~') {
+          } else if (*i == '~') {
             _lcd->write(_downArrow);
-          }
-          else {
+          } else if (*i == '@') {
+            _lcd->write(_degrees);
+          } else if (*i == '\'') {
+            _lcd->write(_minutes);
+          } else {
             _lcd->print(*i);
           }
           continue;
@@ -245,6 +254,12 @@ class LcdMenu {
         else if (line[i] == '~') {
           _lcd->write(_downArrow);
         }
+        else if (line[i] == '@') {
+          _lcd->write(_degrees);
+        }
+        else if (line[i] == '\'') {
+          _lcd->write(_minutes);
+        }
         else {
           _lcd->print(line[i]);
         }
@@ -258,7 +273,7 @@ class LcdMenu {
     }
 
     // The right arrow bitmap
-    byte RightArr[8] = {
+    byte RightArrowBitmap[8] = {
       B00000,
       B01000,
       B01100,
@@ -270,7 +285,7 @@ class LcdMenu {
     };
 
     // The left arrow bitmap
-    byte LeftArr[8] = {
+    byte LeftArrowBitmap[8] = {
       B00000,
       B00010,
       B00110,
@@ -281,7 +296,7 @@ class LcdMenu {
       B00000
     };
 
-    byte UpArr[8] = {
+    byte UpArrowBitmap[8] = {
       B00100,
       B01110,
       B11111,
@@ -292,7 +307,7 @@ class LcdMenu {
       B00100
     };
 
-    byte DownArr[8] = {
+    byte DownArrowBitmap[8] = {
       B000100,
       B000100,
       B000100,
@@ -302,4 +317,26 @@ class LcdMenu {
       B001110,
       B000100
     };
+
+    byte DegreesBitmap[8] = {
+      B01100,
+      B10010,
+      B10010,
+      B01100,
+      B00000,
+      B00000,
+      B00000,
+      B00000
+    };
+
+    byte MinutesBitmap[8] = {
+      B01000,
+      B01000,
+      B01000,
+      B00000,
+      B00000,
+      B00000,
+      B00000,
+      B00000
+    };
 };

Software/Arduino code/OpenAstroTracker/b0_functions.ino renamed to Software/Arduino code/OpenAstroTracker/b3_functions.ino

@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@ int adjustWrap(int current, int adjustBy, int minVal, int maxVal)
 {
   current += adjustBy;
   if (current > maxVal) current -= (maxVal + 1 - minVal);
-  if (current < minVal) current += (maxVal + 1 - minVal
-                                     );
+  if (current < minVal) current += (maxVal + 1 - minVal);
   return current;
 }
 
@@ -82,6 +81,9 @@ void logv(const char* input, ...) {
   va_end(argp);
 
 }
+//String formatRA(DayTime ratime) {
+//  return String(ratime.ToString());
+//}
 
 String format(const char* input, ...) {
   va_list argp;
@@ -153,3 +155,23 @@ String formatArg(const char* input, va_list args) {
   return String(achBuffer);
 }
 #endif
+
+String formatRA(DayTime* ratime, int act = -1); // The Arduino IDEs auto generation does not handle custom datatypes 
+String formatRA(DayTime* ratime, int act = -1) {
+  sprintf(current_RA, " %02dh %02dm %02ds", ratime->getHours(), ratime->getMinutes(), ratime->getSeconds());
+  switch (act){
+    case 0: current_RA[0]='>'; break;
+    case 1: current_RA[4]='>'; break;
+    case 2: current_RA[8]='>'; break;
+  }
+  return String(current_RA);
+}
+String formatDEC(int degree, int minute, int second, int act = -1) {
+  sprintf(current_DEC, "%c%02d@ %02d' %02d\"", degree > 0 ? '+' : '-', int(fabs(degree)), minute, second);
+  switch (act){
+    case 0: current_DEC[0]='>'; break;
+    case 1: current_DEC[4]='>'; break;
+    case 2: current_DEC[8]='>'; break;
+  }
+  return String(current_DEC);
+}

Software/Arduino code/OpenAstroTracker/b_setup.ino

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-
-// Create the menu variable
-LcdMenu lcdMenu(&lcd, 16);
+// Create the LCD menu variable and initialize the LCD (16x2 characters)
+LcdMenu lcdMenu(16, 2);
 
 // Create the variables to track RA time, RA display time and HA time
 DayTime RATime;
@@ -18,14 +17,6 @@ void setup() {
   log("Hello World!");
 #endif
 
-  // Initialize the LCD (16x2 characters)
-  lcd.begin(16, 2);
-
-  // Create special characters for degrees, minutes, seconds
-  lcd.createChar(0, DegreesBitmap);
-  lcd.createChar(1, MinutesBitmap);
-  lcd.createChar(2, SecondsBitmap);
-
   // Not sure if this is neeeded
   pinMode(A1, OUTPUT);
   pinMode(A2, OUTPUT);
@@ -49,7 +40,7 @@ void setup() {
   HACorrection.set(HATime);
   HACorrection.addTime(-h, -m, -s);
   lastHAset = millis();
-  
+
 #ifdef DEBUG_MODE
   logv("HATime = %s", HATime.ToString().c_str());
 #endif
@@ -68,10 +59,10 @@ void setup() {
   lcdMenu.addItem("INFO", Status_Menu);
 
   // Show a splash screen
-  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
-  lcd.print("OpenAstroTracker");
-  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
-  lcd.print("     " + version);
+  lcdMenu.setCursor(0, 0);
+  lcdMenu.printMenu("OpenAstroTracker");
+  lcdMenu.setCursor(0, 1);
+  lcdMenu.printMenu("     " + version);
   delay(1750);
 
   doCalculations();

Software/Arduino code/OpenAstroTracker/c5_calcStepperPos.ino

@@ -29,17 +29,13 @@ void handleDECandRACalculations()
     float oldRA = moveRA;
     moveRA -= long(12.0f * stepsPerHour / 2);
     moveDEC = -moveDEC;
-    //Serial.println(format("> %s HRPos: %f  MoveRA: %f   newMoveRA: %f    RALimit: %f", RATime.ToString().c_str(), hourPos, oldRA, moveRA, RALimit));
   }
   // If we reach the limit in the negative direction...
   else if (moveRA < -RALimit) {
     // ... turn both RA and DEC axis around
     float oldRA = moveRA;
     moveRA += long(12.0f * stepsPerHour / 2);
     moveDEC = -moveDEC;
-    //Serial.println(format("< %s HRPos: %f  MoveRA: %f   newMoveRA: %f    RALimit: %f", RATime.ToString().c_str(), hourPos, oldRA, moveRA, RALimit));
-  } else {
-    //Serial.println(format("= %s HRPos: %f  MoveRA: %f   newMoveRA: %f    RALimit: %f", RATime.ToString().c_str(), hourPos, moveRA, moveRA, RALimit));
   }
 
   float targetRA = clamp(-moveRA, -RAStepperLimit, RAStepperLimit);
@@ -70,8 +66,10 @@ void doCalculations() {
   // What are these magic numbers??? 335.14? 288? 3590?
   //trackingSpeed = ((((335.1417 / 288.0) * StepsPerRevolution) / 3590)) - 1 + float(speedCalibration);
 
-  // The tracker simply needs to rotate at 15degrees/hour
-  trackingSpeed  = speedCalibration * RAStepsPerDegree * 15.0f / 3600.0f;
+  // The tracker simply needs to rotate at 15degrees/hour, adjusted for sidereal 
+  // time (i.e. the 15degrees is per 23h56m04s. 3590/3600 is the same ratio).
+  // And multiplied by 2 because TRK stepper is halfstepped, whereas RA stepper is fullstepped.
+  trackingSpeed  = speedCalibration * 2 * RAStepsPerDegree * 15.0f / 3590.0f;
   stepperTRK.setSpeed(trackingSpeed);
 
   RADisplayTime.set(RATime);

Software/Arduino code/OpenAstroTracker/c70_menuRA.ino

@@ -191,25 +191,5 @@ void processRAKeys(int key)
 
 void printRASubmenu()
 {
-
-  //Serial.println("HA:" + HATime.ToString() + "  HA(corr):" + HACorrection.ToString() + "  RA:" + RATime.ToString() + "  RA(corr):" + RADisplayTime.ToString());
-  if (RAselect == 0)
-  {
-    lcdMenu.printMenuArg(">%dh %dm %ds", RADisplayTime.getHours(), RADisplayTime.getMinutes(), RADisplayTime.getSeconds());
-
-    //lcd.print(int(diamCorrection));   //for debugging
-    //lcd.print("");
-    //lcd.print(trackingSpeed);
-    //lcd.print("   ");
-  }
-
-  if (RAselect == 1)
-  {
-    lcdMenu.printMenuArg(" %dh>%dm %ds", RADisplayTime.getHours(), RADisplayTime.getMinutes(), RADisplayTime.getSeconds());
-  }
-
-  if (RAselect == 2)
-  {
-    lcdMenu.printMenuArg(" %dh %dm>%ds", RADisplayTime.getHours(), RADisplayTime.getMinutes(), RADisplayTime.getSeconds());
-  }
+  lcdMenu.printMenu(formatRA(&RADisplayTime, RAselect));
 }