V6.6.8.0 ASCOM Driver Updates

ASCOM.Driver/OpenAstroTracker/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs

@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
 // set of attributes. Change these attribute values to modify the information
 // associated with an assembly.
 [assembly: AssemblyTitle("ASCOM OpenAstroTracker")]
-[assembly: AssemblyDescription("ASCOM multi-interface server for OpenAstroTracker")]
+[assembly: AssemblyDescription("ASCOM multi-interface server for OpenAstroTech Mounts")]
 [assembly: AssemblyConfiguration("")]
 [assembly: AssemblyCompany("OpenAstroTech")]
 [assembly: AssemblyProduct("")]
-[assembly: AssemblyCopyright("Copyright © 2020-2025, OpenAstroTech")]
+[assembly: AssemblyCopyright("Copyright © 2020-2026, OpenAstroTech")]
 [assembly: AssemblyTrademark("")]
 [assembly: AssemblyCulture("")]
 
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 //      Build Number
 //      Revision
 //
-[assembly: AssemblyVersion("6.6.7.3")]
-[assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("6.6.7.3")]
+[assembly: AssemblyVersion("6.6.8.0")]
+[assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("6.6.8.0")]
 
 [assembly: ComVisibleAttribute(false)]

ASCOM.Driver/OpenAstroTracker/README.txt

@@ -1,38 +1,38 @@
 +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 |                                                                          |
-|   OpenAstroTracker ASCOM Driver V6.6.7.3 Pre-Release                         |
-|   Published: 23. June 2025                                              |
+|   OpenAstroTracker ASCOM Driver V6.6.8.0 Pre-Release                     |
+|   Published: 11. March 2026                                              |
 |                                                                          |
 +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
-This is the latest ASCOM driver available for the OAT and OAM. It allows 
+This is the latest ASCOM driver available for the OAT, OAM and OAE. It allows 
 various client programs to communicate with the OAT using both standard 
-LX200 Meade protocol commands, as well as proprietary OAT extensions to 
-that protocol.
+LX200 Meade protocol commands, as well as proprietary OpenAstroTech extensions 
+to that protocol.
 
-The driver is compatible with ASCOM 6.5 and 7.0.
+The driver is compatible with ASCOM 6.5 and 7.x.
 
-The driver also contains controls for the OAT and OAM so that it can be 
+The driver also contains controls for OpenAstroTech mounts so that they can be 
 initialized, configured, slewed, unparked, homed, focused and parked 
 from the driver Properties dialog.
 
  * Tested on MKS Gen L V2.1, Arduino Mega and ESP32. No other variants of 
    Arduino have been tested, or are officially supported.
- * Tested with V1.10.4 firmware.
- * Tested with V1.11.0 firmware.
  * Tested with V1.13.12 firmware (RECOMMENDED).
  * It will probably work with earlier version (down to V1.6.32 and later).
 
 
 Support
 -------
  * For any issues or questions arising from the use of this driver, or any
-   other OAT-related questions or to interact with the OAT community, 
-   please visit our Discord server.
+   other OpenAstroTech mount-related questions or to interact with the 
+   OpenAstroTech community, please visit our Discord server.
 
 
 Testing
 -------
+ * 6.6.8.0 Not tested.
+
  * 6.6.7.3 Not tested.
 
  * 6.6.7.2 Conformance Test (2025-Apr-20) 
@@ -75,8 +75,31 @@ So... keep your towel handy and supervise operations.
 
 Release History
 ---------------
+ - 6.6.8.0 : Pre-Released 2026-03-10
+   Cached profile to reduce disk reads
+   Removed an access mutex that was superfluous since we were already using
+     lock {} at a lower level
+   Fixed the :SC# command to return "1"
+   Fixed sending the :Q# command (did not have trailing #, which probably
+     caused the spurious NINA exception)
+   Cached the NovaS31 COM object from ASCOM, instead of instantiating and
+     tearing it down all the time.
+   Protected the version against multi-threaded race condition.
+   Saved the tracking state per axis (probably not needed, but safer).
+   Optimized SideOfPier calculation to make far fewer calls to the mount
+     and fixed a numerical wrap issue.
+   Made the drivers UTCDate return the UTC date from the mount.
+   Fixed the PollUntilZero function to have a timeout of 60s instead of
+     waiting for all eternity in case of protocol issue. Also made it poll
+     every 500ms instead of 1000ms.
+   Split the exception handling for connection vs. other issue in the 
+     Setup dialog
+   Fixed a few Index-Out-of-range bugs in the Setup Dialog.
+   Added checks to :GX# processing to make sure we got a full answer.
+
  - 6.6.7.3 : Pre-Released 2025-06-23
-   Added support for ASCOM driver to get and set time and date from and to mount.
+   Added support for ASCOM driver to get and set time and date from and 
+     to mount.
 
  - 6.6.7.2 : Pre-Released 2025-04-20
    FindHome and AtHome implemented.

ASCOM.Driver/OpenAstroTracker/SharedResources.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-//
+//
 // ================
 // Shared Resources
 // ================
@@ -66,27 +66,20 @@ public enum LoggingFlags
 		private static double latitudeDefault = 30;
 		private static double longitudeDefault = -97;
 		private static double elevationDefault = 1;
-		private static Mutex _commandMutex;
+		private static readonly Mutex _commandMutex;
+		private static ProfileData _cachedProfile;
+		private static readonly object _profileLock = new object();
 
 		static SharedResources()
 		{
+			_commandMutex = new Mutex(false, "CommMutex");
 			EnsureLogger();
 		}
 
 		//
 		// Public access to shared resources
 		//
-		public static Mutex OATCommandMutex
-		{
-			get
-			{
-				if (_commandMutex == null)
-				{
-					_commandMutex = new Mutex(false, "CommMutex");
-				}
-				return _commandMutex;
-			}
-		}
+		public static Mutex OATCommandMutex => _commandMutex;
 
 		private static void EnsureLogger()
 		{
@@ -116,19 +109,26 @@ private static void EnsureLogger()
 
 		public static ProfileData ReadProfile()
 		{
-			using (Profile driverProfile = new Profile())
+			lock (_profileLock)
 			{
-				driverProfile.DeviceType = "Telescope";
-				return new ProfileData
+				if (_cachedProfile != null)
+					return _cachedProfile;
+
+				using (Profile driverProfile = new Profile())
 				{
-					TraceState = Convert.ToBoolean(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, traceStateProfileName, String.Empty, traceStateDefault)),
-					TraceFlags = (LoggingFlags)Enum.Parse(typeof(LoggingFlags), driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, traceFlagsProfileName, String.Empty, traceFlagsDefault)),
-					ComPort = driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, comPortProfileName, string.Empty, comPortDefault),
-					BaudRate = long.Parse(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, baudRateProfileName, string.Empty, baudRateDefault)),
-					Latitude = Convert.ToDouble(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, latitudeProfileName, string.Empty, latitudeDefault.ToString())),
-					Longitude = Convert.ToDouble(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, longitudeProfileName, string.Empty, longitudeDefault.ToString())),
-					Elevation = Convert.ToDouble(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, elevationProfileName, string.Empty, elevationDefault.ToString()))
-				};
+					driverProfile.DeviceType = "Telescope";
+					_cachedProfile = new ProfileData
+					{
+						TraceState = Convert.ToBoolean(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, traceStateProfileName, String.Empty, traceStateDefault)),
+						TraceFlags = (LoggingFlags)Enum.Parse(typeof(LoggingFlags), driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, traceFlagsProfileName, String.Empty, traceFlagsDefault)),
+						ComPort = driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, comPortProfileName, string.Empty, comPortDefault),
+						BaudRate = long.Parse(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, baudRateProfileName, string.Empty, baudRateDefault)),
+						Latitude = Convert.ToDouble(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, latitudeProfileName, string.Empty, latitudeDefault.ToString())),
+						Longitude = Convert.ToDouble(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, longitudeProfileName, string.Empty, longitudeDefault.ToString())),
+						Elevation = Convert.ToDouble(driverProfile.GetValue(driverID, elevationProfileName, string.Empty, elevationDefault.ToString()))
+					};
+					return _cachedProfile;
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -146,6 +146,11 @@ public static void WriteProfile(ProfileData profile)
 				driverProfile.WriteValue(driverID, elevationProfileName, profile.Elevation.ToString());
 				currentLogFlags = profile.TraceFlags;
 			}
+			// Update cache after successful write so subsequent ReadProfile calls skip the registry
+			lock (_profileLock)
+			{
+				_cachedProfile = profile;
+			}
 		}
 
 		#region single serial port connector
@@ -241,7 +246,9 @@ public static string SendMessage(string message)
 						case ExpectedAnswer.DoubleHashTerminated:
 							retVal = SharedSerial.ReceiveTerminated("#");
 							retVal = retVal.TrimEnd('#');
-							retVal = SharedSerial.ReceiveTerminated("#");
+							// Protocol returns two #-terminated strings (e.g. :SC returns "1#Updating Planetary Data#").
+							// Return the first string (success indicator); read and discard the trailing info string.
+							SharedSerial.ReceiveTerminated("#");
 							break;
 					}
 
@@ -349,7 +356,7 @@ public static bool Connected
 				}
 			}
 
-			get => SharedSerial.Connected;
+			get { lock (lockObject) { return SharedSerial.Connected; } }
 		}