QCollimator

I thought I would try and write a simple Collumator tool so I can use a cheap SV205 Web-Cam type camera to check the colimination on my GSO 6".

The Collumation screen looks something like this

What do you require ??

Some form of Web Camera that is compatible with Qt/your computer should be enough. As I only have 1 web camera (An SV205 so not a true astro camera - a Web YUYV type camera), I pick the default camera automatically in the code.

Please note: For Mac users - there is some extra security that needs to be granted (using the Code. It ONLY allows access to the Web Camera for this session - and does not allow access to Microphone). You can vertify this using the Info.plist.

Hardware

• A Web Camera connected to your Computer

Software

• Qt 6 Compiler
• cmake needs to be installed

Build now checked for

• Linux (Arch)
• Mac

Build Process

Quite simple (I think)

Get the code

 cd <Your Development Area> 
 git clone git@github.com:timseed/QCollimate.git
 cd QCollimate 
 mkdir build
 cd build
 cmake ..
 make
 make run

You should see the initial screen like this

You need to make the Ring's active in order to see them. You can Dynamically re-size them to match your eyepiece data.

Errors/Warnings

None.

This is my make output

[  0%] Built target QCollimate_autogen_timestamp_deps
[ 11%] Automatic MOC and UIC for target QCollimate
[ 11%] Built target QCollimate_autogen
[ 22%] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/QCollimate.dir/QCollimate_autogen/mocs_compilation.cpp.o
[ 33%] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/QCollimate.dir/main.cpp.o
[ 44%] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/QCollimate.dir/mainwindow.cpp.o
[ 55%] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/QCollimate.dir/Widgets/ringwidget.cpp.o
[ 66%] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/QCollimate.dir/Widgets/colview.cpp.o
[ 77%] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/QCollimate.dir/Widgets/gridlayoutdebugger.cpp.o
[ 88%] Linking CXX executable QCollimate.app/Contents/MacOS/QCollimate
[100%] Built target QCollimate

QT Code

Qt was easy initially to get a Video feed,the trouble was I could not manipulate an overlay. This took quite a long time to understand.

Mac-isms

On a mac to see the available USB camera you type

 system_profiler SPCameraDataType

Which in my case yields

Camera:

    SVBONY SV205:

      Model ID: UVC Camera VendorID_3034 ProductID_22656
      Unique ID: 0x1124300bda5880

Due to Security the Mac needs to be granted permission in 2 places - Info.plist ( So I have this file as a source file,and referenced in the CMakelists.txt), but it also needs the user to confirm they are allowing the camera to be used.

Now this is a little more tricky, as it needs to be done in a careful manner. i.e. Do not connect to the camera until we have permission....

So the code goes

• setupUi(this);
• CameraPermission();
  • This just keeps checking until 1 of 2 possibilties
    • Granted - we then call the Widget creation and connection code
    • Denied - we give the user a message and throw our toys out of the pram.

If you get a message looking like

QCollimate starting
qt.multimedia.ffmpeg: Using Qt multimedia with FFmpeg version 7.1.2 LGPL version 2.1 or later
Trying to use  ""

No suitable video Camera can be found on your system.

Why did I create this ?

It is cloudy and raining.... I am waiting for my new GSO 6" Astro - which will need to be (occasionally??) collumated. This seemed a good use of my time and resources.

Plus ... trying to access Streaming Video via QT has eluded me for some time.

Next Steps

Use with my scope (when it arrives !)

There already is the provision for different colours for the rings already. It will not be difficult to implement - but only of use under special circumstances I think.

Problems/Feedback

Please let me know...