Problem with command line

[ObsMip]

Hi,
First at all, thanks a lot for this very nice software (PSRemote), we plan to use it in a project of an automatic all-sky camera for monitoring clouds; I write a C++ interface to use its routines.
I join to DavidK's list of requested features that will be very usefull (particularly the autofocus lock and "rememberance" of this setting)

Also I would need some help as I don't success fully in using the command line exe. For example when I plug the camera in Auto mode, with PSRemote running and I type in a prompt the following command:
C:/Progra~1/BreezeSys/PSRemote/PSRemoteTest/PSRemoteTest.exe
then the camera takes the shot correctly.
But then if I type for example
C:/Progra~1/BreezeSys/PSRemote/PSRemoteTest/PSRemoteTest.exe -s 3
in order to have an other shutter speed, I get an error message:
Error setting shutter speed, error: 4
What's going wrong with my command line? Does I make a mistake with the synthax? Or does I need to set my Canon A80 in another mode?
Thanks a lot for your help!
Cheers,
Sylvain.

Marie Lothon / Sylvain Rondi / Observatoire Midi Pyrénées

[Chris Breeze]

Sometimes Windows returns an error even though the function succeeds. Does the shutter speed get set? If so, the best thing to do is to ignore the error status for this call.

It isn't possible to save an AF lock setting and restore it later. The lack of control over focus is the main limitation of Canon's remote interface.

[ObsMip]

Hi Chris, Thanks for your answer,
Unfortunately the shutter is not set. For example if I successively type:
>C:/Progra~1/BreezeSys/PSRemote/PSRemoteTest/PSRemoteTest.exe -s 3
>C:/Progra~1/BreezeSys/PSRemote/PSRemoteTest/PSRemoteTest.exe
The shutter speed remains the same, i.e. automatic shutter speed. The only way for me to change it is to deal with the PSRemote combobox. But I don't succeed doing it with command line.
Do you have any idea about something wrong?
Thanks a lot for your help...

Sylvain Rondi / Marie Lothon

[Chris Breeze]

I've just tested this with my A80 and it appears to work fine. You can only set the shutter speed if the camera exposure mode is set to Tv or Manual. You will get an error 4 if the exposure mode is Av or Program because it isn't possible to set the shutter speeds in these modes (the camera's auto-exposure sets it automatically).

[ObsMip]

Thanks a lot Chris: that's what I hadn't understood, I just had tested with the program wheel on the camera to Manual, but I also needed to put PSRemote software in that mode to work well.
So for those interested, you need to have both the camera AND the software set to "Manual" and then the commands works well:
>C:/Progra~1/BreezeSys/PSRemote/PSRemoteTest/PSRemoteTest.exe -s xxx
to change the shutter speed and then
>C:/Progra~1/BreezeSys/PSRemote/PSRemoteTest/PSRemoteTest.exe
to release and take the shot.
Thanks again! :)
Sylvain.


Marie Lothon / Sylvain Rondi / Observatoire Midi Pyrénées

[Chris Breeze]

I'm glad it's working now. In fact the position of the camera dial is ignored and can be set to anything so you only need to set the exposure mode in PSRemote to Manual.

[ObsMip]

Thanks a lot Chris! Well, I'd have a further question:
- we would like to take shots with 15 sec exposure during the night and automatic exposure during the day. However it seems that when set on Manual, and if I send a command like
>C:/Progra~1/BreezeSys/PSRemote/PSRemoteTest/PSRemoteTest.exe -s 0
then the exposures are always 15 sec even if I send a simple command:
>C:/Progra~1/BreezeSys/PSRemote/PSRemoteTest/PSRemoteTest.exe

So my question is: is there a way to automatically switch between manual and automatic exposures, without having to change it on PSRemote frontend?

Thanks for your help!
Cheers,
Marie Lothon / Sylvain Rondi / Observatoire Midi Pyrénées

[Chris Breeze]

You can do this by changing the exposure mode to manual first and then set the shutter speed.

e.g. to take a picture in manual exposure mode with Tv=15 sec:
PSRemotetest.exe -e 3 -s 0

To take a picture in program exposure mode:
PSRemotetest.exe -e 0

[alundeb]

When executing a command that succeeds, but still returns with an error message, the program stops processing subsequent options. It would be nice to have a "continue on error" option to force the program to continue anyway.

Thanks,

Anders