Ascom multiplane Camera.ImageArray support

Hi,

first time user of NiNa and long time user of ASCOM. in fact I have developped my own ASCOM camera driver for Lumix Cameras. (available on Github: https://github.com/totoantibes/LumixCameraAscomDriver/) It has worked well for me over the last year or so. I have used it in combination of APT so far and wanted to try Nina.

I seem to have an issue with the image transfer from the driver to Nina with the use of the multidimension camera.ImageArray

NiNa seems to expect a 2D array however i send out a 3D array (multiplane) since i generate a color image which i guess is not so common with ASCOM cameras.

This has worked very well for me on APT, I also pass the ASCOM CONFORM test with no issue or warning.

the error I get at exec time from NiNa is:

Unable to cast object of type ‘SystemInt32[,,]’to type ‘SystemInt32[,]’.

now maybe this is due to my own implementation of the ASCOM driver multiplane imagearray but since i’ve had good success with other apps i am thinking NiNa is not handling it correctly.

(side note: i had to mod the driver to actual send a fake CCDtemperature of 25C instead of the standard exception built in the ascom driver template) in order for NiNa to confirm the connection to the camera driver. this seems quite odd as not all cameras can sent temperature back. )

steps:

select the camera driver from the list.
configure the driver
connect and confirm all data is passed correctly to nina (size x y, temp, read out modes etc.)
try and capture in the imaging tab.
above mentioned error is displayed.

Thanks

‌

here is the excerpt of my imageArray() property.

‌

 Public ReadOnly Property ImageArray() As Object Implements ICameraV2.ImageArray        Get            If (Not cameraImageReady) Then                TL.LogMessage("ImageArray Get", "Throwing InvalidOperationException because of a call to ImageArray before the first image has been taken!")                Throw New ASCOM.InvalidOperationException("Call to ImageArray before the first image has been taken!")            End If            Dim Tiffimagefile As IO.FileStream            Tiffimagefile = New FileStream(TiffFileName, IO.FileMode.Open)            ReDim cameraImageArray(cameraNumX - 1, cameraNumY - 1, 2) ' there are 3 channels: RVB. 
            Dim decoder As New TiffBitmapDecoder(Tiffimagefile, BitmapCreateOptions.PreservePixelFormat, BitmapCacheOption.Default)            Dim stride As Int32            Dim index As Int32            Dim bitmapSource As BitmapSource = decoder.Frames(0)            Dim bytesPerPixel As UShort            bytesPerPixel = bitmapSource.Format.BitsPerPixel / 8 '3 for JPG and 6 for RAW            stride = bitmapSource.PixelWidth * bytesPerPixel
            If CurrentROM = 1 Then                Dim pixels(bitmapSource.PixelHeight * stride) As UShort                bitmapSource.CopyPixels(pixels, stride, 0)                For y = 0 To (cameraNumY - 1)                    For x = 0 To (cameraNumX - 1)                        index = x * 3 + (y * stride / 2) 'because of the 16 bit instead of the 8 bit per channel this /2 is needed.                        cameraImageArray(x, cameraNumY - y - 1, 0) = pixels(index)                        cameraImageArray(x, cameraNumY - y - 1, 1) = pixels(index + 1)                        cameraImageArray(x, cameraNumY - y - 1, 2) = pixels(index + 2)
                    Next x                Next y            Else                Dim pixels(bitmapSource.PixelHeight * stride) As Byte                bitmapSource.CopyPixels(pixels, stride, 0)                For y = 0 To (cameraNumY - 1)                    For x = 0 To (cameraNumX - 1)                        index = x * 3 + (y * stride)                        cameraImageArray(x, cameraNumY - y - 1, 0) = pixels(index + 2) 'R and B are reversed                        cameraImageArray(x, cameraNumY - y - 1, 1) = pixels(index + 1)                        cameraImageArray(x, cameraNumY - y - 1, 2) = pixels(index)
                    Next x                Next y
            End If            Tiffimagefile.Dispose() 'cleaning up aftermyself and removing the Tiff file once it is used            My.Computer.FileSystem.DeleteFile(TiffFileName)
            TL.LogMessage("ImageArray Get", "getting the Array")
            Return cameraImageArray        End Get    End Property

‌

Robert

‌

Comments (9)