Proof of concept to automatically enter operating mode when client app sets the time/date

[oakamil]

This is probably not the best way to accomplish this, but here's a quick change that moves Cedar server into operating mode when SkySafari/Stellarium set the time/date over the LX200 protocol. Putting this up for discussion.

Something like this would be most useful for Bluetooth mode as the user would not need to connect over WiFi to get through the initialization process.

A few notes:

• This is a one-time attempt only, and if it fails the user would have to reconnect in the app or use Cedar Aim
• SkySafari doesn't set the time/date for an Alpaca connection so it only applies to LX200
• Of course the user will need to have the cap off of Hopper / Cedar DIY and the unit pointed at the sky for this to work
• Focus adjustment would still need Cedar Aim
• Alignment can be done through Stellarium or SkySafari via sync

[smroid]

I've been thinking of a different approach to auto-operate.

Current behavior: whenever cedar-server starts, it is in setup-focus mode. The user must exit setup-focus mode by tapping 'done', at which point cedar-server runs calibrations that among other things verify a plate solve can be done. If this fails, we stay in setup-focus mode. If the calibration/solve succeeds, cedar-server advances to setup-align mode. Only after the user skips or completes setup-align mode are we in the "aim" operate mode.

Goal: allow cedar-server to advance directly to "aim" operate mode upon startup. This assumes that the user has previously established focus and alignment.

Proposal: on the focus screen, next to the 'done' button, we'll add a 'skip' checkbox. If selected, whenever cedar-server starts, it automatically attempts a calibration and if successful advances to setup-align mode (but see below). If the calibration fails, cedar-server retries periodically (i.e. until the dusk sky darkens sufficiently and/or the user remembers to open the lens cover :-). During such retries Cedar Aim will show the setup-focus screen with a snack bar saying why calibration failed and that we are retrying.

On the alignment screen, next to the 'done' button we'll also add a 'skip' checkbox. If selected, whenever cedar-server completes its post-focus calibration, it skips the alignment and advances to "aim" operate mode.

Thus: if both 'skip' checkboxes are selected, cedar-server automatically skips focus screen (if the calibration succeeds) and skips the align screen, advancing into "aim" operate mode.

We'll add a "re-enable focus/align steps" menu item to clear the 'skip' checkboxes.

Design rationale: most users can use the focus skip; Hopper can ship with this pre-selected since Hopper is prefocused. But the 're-enable focus/align steps' menu item can be used to re-expose the focus screen if need be.

Users that use Cedar device on one telescope can generally skip alignment after the initial one. The re-align button can be used during a goto to touch up the initial alignment if need be. Users that move their Cedar device between telescopes might choose to not skip the alignment screen.

[oakamil]

I think the proposal is reasonable. The user can also focus or align without re-enabling those steps by selecting the mode in the drawer.

SkySafari/Stellarium users can also re-align from those apps (Sync and Align functions respectively).

[smroid]

Hmm, I was thinking that if the user selects to skip focus and/or alignment, those would be deleted from the mode selector, and the mode selector would go away altogether if both are skipped. The "re-enable focus/align steps" would bring it all back.