My astronomy project:
EQ6 Mount and OnStep driver

Contents:

1. Introduction, EQ6 and OnStep
2. OnStep Hardware
3. Setup FYSETC E4 board
4. Compile & Upload
5. Web browser parameter setup
6. Enclosure and peripherals
7. To be continued

Related projects:

• EQ6 dismantling rebuilding
• AstroEQ for EQ6
• OnStep for EQ6
• Pier mount

Note:
I take no responsibility or liability for what are written here, you use the information on your own risk!

4, Compile & Upload:

As before said I will use the OnStep software to control the mount's stepper motor.

More to read about OnStep:

• https://onstep.groups.io/g/ main/ wiki/ 3860OnStep
• https://github.com/ ozarchie/ OnStepGitHub Ozarchie

I come aware that there were a new version of OnStep, the OnStepX. The X indicate that it's a new version which has more functions. I don't need all that functionality today but good for the future.

Arduino IDE:

If you don't have the Arduino developer tool installed it's time to install it now. I have it installed on a Windows 10 PC.

Information about Arduino IDE and download:

• https://www.arduino.cc/ en/ softwareArduino IDE

Firmware:

What's even better, there a lot written about this FYSETC E4 board and how to setup it for OnStepX. OnStepX is a newer version of OnStep with a lot of extra futures.

Instructions how to setup the FYSETC E4 for OnStepX:

• https://onstep.groups.io/ g/ main/ wiki/ 32747Wiki
• https://onstep.groups.io/ g/ main/ wiki/ 32794(*) Uploading Firmware, Wiki

Prepare Arduino IDE:

To let the Aurdino IDE find the libraries you have to download and install you must add some URLs to it. Open File> Preferences. Note where it's stored, upper arrow. Copy the link from the OnStepX info page above (*) to Additional boards manager URLs. If you have more than one line of URLs, they must be separated by a ",". Click on the button at the right arrow to see all of them.

I have two lines of links installed here. Note: When add new URLs in this window, one at each row, the "," will be added automatically when click OK.

Install ESP32 package:

I follow the instructions and install the esp32 by Espressif:

I took some minutes to install, no errors did occur. Note, instead of version 3.0.7 you should install version 2.0.17 according to the info in (*).

Maybe it ask about updates, if there is, Install All. But a bit confusing, did I overwrite version 2.0.17 now ?

OnStepX special for FYSETC E4:

There is a special version of OnStepX for this particular board FYSETC E4 which make it much easier. Download it by clicking on the green button Code and then Download ZIP.

GitHub download OnStepX for FYSETC E4:

• https://github.com/ hjd1964/ OnStepX/ tree/E4GitHub

Move the ZIPed file to where you want it, I have mine in the Arduino > OnStepX map. Unpack it.

Start Arduino with OnStepX.ino:

Now you can test that OnStepX-E4 is correct installed. Close Arduino IDE. Look in the folders where you have the OnStepX.ino installed. When you find it, rename it to have the same name as the folder: OnStepX-E4, alternativly, change the library from OnStepX-E4 to OnStepX. Double click on OnStepX-E4.ino / OnStepX.ino and Arduino should start with OnStepX-E4 and its files open.

Select Config.h tab. Here is most of the setup done, in this special version most of the data is by default correct. I had to change the RA and DEC gear ratio only.

ESP32 board:

Open the board manager. Select your esp32 board. It comes hundreds of different esp32 boards to choose from. The instructions say: ESP32 Dev Module, but my CPU is ESP32 WROOM, see below.

Looking at the esp32 processor. Hard to read "ESPRESSIF" and "ESP32 WROOM 32". I used the ESP32 Dev Module, maybe I have to change that later.

Installing extra libraries:

Follow the instructions and install all the extra libraries that is needed. Even those whose functions you don't use. Note: in some cases you should install an older version.

Some info how to install libraries:

• https://docs.arduino.cc/ software/ ide-v1/ tutorials/ installing-libraries/Installing Libraries, Arduino Docs

Add support for ESP8266:

To add support for a web browser interface, add ESP8266 for the board manger.

But this feels a bit wrong, even if it works. Next time I compile it I try to install this library instead:

Smart Web Server:

• https://github.com/ hjd1964/ SmartWebServer/ releases

Setup Tools menu:

Follow the instructions (*) to setup from Tools menu: Boards, CPU frequency, Partition, Port, Erase all Flash etc.

Compiling code:

Now everything is ready for compiling the code. Click on the left button on top. It starts compiling and maybe deliver some error messages.

Error message:

I got the following error message:
loading library from c:\Users\Lars\ Documents\Arduino\libraries\TMC2209-main:
invalid library: no header files found

When looking in the libraries I found what was wrong, two TMC2209-main libraries are nestled on top of each other. Removed one level and compiled once again, this time without error messages.

Upload file:

No error messages and now it can be uploaded to the board. Click on the Right Arrow, it starts to compile once again and then upload the code to the FYSETC E4 board.

Uploaded and all looks correct. Time to do a test of the OnStepX board.