Digital Loggers Web Switch and Obs Automation - Forums

Topic starter

Apr 15, 2024 · Edited: Apr 15, 2024

A recent forum posting noted that the standard device for controlling power in a remote observatory is the Digital Loggers Web Power Switch.

I’ve now installed one in my remote observatory (only 10 miles from home.) It works very well.

I control it manually through my obs computer over Chrome Remote Desktop.

Question is: How one uses imaging automation software to control the switch to power down the obs automatically at the end of imaging?

The ASCOM website promotes a driver for Digital Loggers at https://www.ascom-standards.org/Downloads/SwitchDrivers.htm

I’ve managed to download and open the driver (not easy, as ASCOM’s instructions are incomplete).

But how to actually use it? I’m using CCDWare CCDAutoPilot, which has a provision applicable for shutdown, and I can link to the driver. Unknown, however, is whether a command line is also required to tell the drive what to do.

I’ve had no response to questions posted twice now on the ASCOM-Talk group forum. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

CS, Bob Gillette

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Richard Payne

Apr 15, 2024

Hi, I talked to the people at digital loggers and they had me use Amazon Alexa, They were even nice enough to completely set it up for me.
I use it to turn on/off the following
1-Roof control
2-Mount
3-Eagle Computer
4-Interior lights
This is from my Phone, This has been in use for 3 years with zero issues. The Sky Roof software closes the roof once the AP mount is parked.
I kept it fairly simple and turn it off after a night, yes NINA could power down everything if wanted

Robert Gillette

Topic starter

Apr 15, 2024

Richard,

Thanks for your input. I gather you still have to push a button, or speak to Alexa, to power up and down. I’m looking to automate the process for the sleep benefit. I’m not using NINA as it doesn’t let me use Maxim for imaging and guiding, which I prefer. CCDAutoPilot meets all my needs, so far.

Bothers me that the folks at ASCOM have not been helpful.

Best, Bob

Barry Schellenberg

Apr 15, 2024

Does CCDAutopilot allow you to run a script at the end of the session? If so, that would be how to do it.

I use MaxPilote and it turns things on/off at the beginning of the session and the opposite at the end of the session. It’s all done with scripts.

Read this: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/674146-digital-loggers-web-power-switch-script-to-power-off/

and this: https://www.digital-loggers.com/scripting.html

Helpful

Robert Gillette

Topic starter

Apr 15, 2024

Barry,

Thanks very much for these leads. I believe CCDAP allows scripting. Will investigate promptly.

Beautiful setup you’re using.

CS, Bob

Barry Schellenberg

Apr 16, 2024

From the post I pasted in, it appears to use scripts. What you’re trying to do should be possible.

Robert Gillette

Topic starter

Apr 16, 2024

Thanks, Barry. Much appreciated.

CS, Bob

Barry Schellenberg

Apr 16, 2024

I can see from my earlier response that it may not have been clear what I was referring to.

What I meant to say is that it appears CCDAP can make use of scripts and the DL can absolutely be controlled this way.

Let us know should you run into trouble. Happy to help.

Supportive

Robert Gillette

Topic starter

Apr 16, 2024

Yes, I can confirm CCDAP can use scripts. Though I’m not able to write one, I’m sure I can find a competent author. I’ll turn now to the good folks at CCDAP.

Best, Bob

Well Written

Barry Schellenberg

Apr 16, 2024

Open Notepad on your computer (assuming you are on Windows) and paste this code in. You will need to change the IP address to whatever your DL is and then update your log in and password. Don't change the spaces or anything else. The number 6 in the example below is the switch number. Change it to whatever you want to control. Then save it as a .vbs file and point CCDAP to it.

Make another one that says off rather than on as in the example below and now you can control on & off.

Dim objShell,oExec

Set objShell = wscript.createobject("wscript.shell")
Set oExec = objShell.Exec("C:\Users\barry\Documents\Observatory\Scripts\uu4\UU.W32.exe 192.168.1.1xx:xx your login:your password 6on")

Set objWMP = Nothing
Set objShell = Nothing
WScript.Quit

Barry Schellenberg

Apr 16, 2024

I should add. After you save the above text to a .vbs file, double click the file to make sure it works before you involve CCDAP.

It should execute on its own by double clicking it.

Robert Gillette

Topic starter

Apr 17, 2024

Barry,

That’s marvelous! I’ll try it soon as possible.

Many thanks, Bob

Robert Gillette

Topic starter

Apr 17, 2024

Barry,

To clarify, do I correctly understand that your script, saved as a .vbs file, in no way involves using the ASCOM driver I’m obsessing on?

Bob

Barry Schellenberg

Apr 17, 2024

Correct.

Arnie

Apr 17, 2024

Robert Gillette:
A recent forum posting noted that the standard device for controlling power in a remote observatory is the Digital Loggers Web Power Switch.

I’ve now installed one in my remote observatory (only 10 miles from home.) It works very well.

I control it manually through my obs computer over Chrome Remote Desktop.

Question is: How one uses imaging automation software to control the switch to power down the obs automatically at the end of imaging?

The ASCOM website promotes a driver for Digital Loggers at https://www.ascom-standards.org/Downloads/SwitchDrivers.htm

I’ve managed to download and open the driver (not easy, as ASCOM’s instructions are incomplete).

But how to actually use it? I’m using CCDWare CCDAutoPilot, which has a provision applicable for shutdown, and I can link to the driver. Unknown, however, is whether a command line is also required to tell the drive what to do.

I’ve had no response to questions posted twice now on the ASCOM-Talk group forum. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

CS, Bob Gillette

You can also look at this page: https://www.digital-loggers.com/scripting.html

It shows you how to enter scripts directly into the Digital Logger hardware, bypassing the need for ASCOM. At the very bottom of the page is a simple script for turning all eight outlets off each night. One could easily modify this to turn whichever outlets you want off at astronomical dawn, after your sequence has finished. You could even put in wait commands if you want some time in between each outlet powering down. In the evening when you are ready to image, turn on the outlets you need for the night, and they will shut off automatically again the next morning.

Arnie

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Robert Gillette

Topic starter

Apr 17, 2024

Arnie,

Thank you for this added info. Bottom line seems clear: Digital Loggers is already equipped for scripted control, and the ASCOM driver, whatever it does, is unnecessary.

Big relief here, and huge admiration for the power of the AstroBin community.

CS, Bob

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Nick Grundy

Apr 17, 2024

I feel like this is a dumb question, but going to ask it anyways

how do you all trigger the power up of the windows PC once you enable the 120v port? I've been testing this for a remote setup and I haven't been able to trigger this without a wake-on-lan type of config.

Barry Schellenberg

Apr 17, 2024

I leave my observatory computers running 24/7. This helps with mitigating humidity in the summer and extreme cold in the winter.

If you want to turn yours off between sessions, then the WOL is the only way I'm aware of.

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Robert Gillette

Topic starter

Apr 17, 2024

Good question, actually. I use a two-socket Proxicast (US and Taiwanese) digital switch in my cabin (about 10 meters from my two small observatories) where the two controlling desktop style computers are housed. The switch connects by Ethernet cable to my router. I can turn each of the computers on and off individually over the Proxicast website or via an app on my phone.

I run the computers over Chrome Remote Desktop.

CS, Bob

Helpful

Arnie

Apr 18, 2024

Nick Grundy:
I feel like this is a dumb question, but going to ask it anyways

how do you all trigger the power up of the windows PC once you enable the 120v port? I've been testing this for a remote setup and I haven't been able to trigger this without a wake-on-lan type of config.

No dumb questions here! If the BIOS of your observatory computer supports it, you can set it to boot up whenever power is applied. I, too, leave my mini-pc running 24/7, but setting it to boot on Power On has saved my skin a couple of times when power was lost for longer than the UPS could keep it going. Once the power came back on, so did the computer, no intervention on my part necessary.

Arnie

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