Newbie problem Usb release works but no images actually shot

philliplederer

4

« on: 07 / April / 2013, 18:15:36 »

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I have built a USB remote set up and installed CHDK on my Canon SD750. I have used the appropriate releases downloaded a day or two ago.

I followed the setup instructions on the CHDK wiki for enabling the remote. I went to the menu and set the remote parameters so a remote works and set it to single shot mode. I set nothing else.

(The setup instructions for the remote ought to be edited for newbies to tell you to exit from CHDK after setting the remote parameters by hitting the print button again, and then turning the camera on and off to get the optics to become active.)

When I hit the USB button, the screen indicates the camera has responded. So my switch and power supply are ok. But no image is actually shot. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance!

Phil

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waterwingz

12140

Re: Newbie problem Usb release works but no images actually shot

« Reply #1 on: 07 / April / 2013, 18:36:39 »

Quote from: philliplederer on 07 / April / 2013, 18:15:36

I have built a USB remote set up and installed CHDK on my Canon SD750. I have used the appropriate releases downloaded a day or two ago.

Please post the exact filename of the CHDK release you used. I'm sure its fine but I've be surprised in the past by people trying to use something they found buried in the backwaters of the internet.

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I followed the setup instructions on the CHDK wiki for enabling the remote.

These instructions : http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/USB_Remote_V2 ? They are the only current one.

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I went to the menu and set the remote parameters so a remote works and set it to single shot mode. I set nothing else.

If you are using a current version of CHDK, you need to do three things - enable remote, set the switch type (one press), and set the control mode (Normal). This does not sound like what you describe?

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(The setup instructions for the remote ought to be edited for newbies to tell you to exit from CHDK after setting the remote parameters by hitting the print button again, and then turning the camera on and off to get the optics to become active.)

Pressing the print button again is necessary for doing anything in CHDK. You need to exit <ALT> mode to take a picture - its not specific to the USB remote code.

However, if you have to power cycle the camera to "get the optics working" then there is something else wrong. I have three different Canon P&S cameras all running CHDK, all three work great with my USB remotes, and I've never had to do that.

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When I hit the USB button, the screen indicates the camera has responded. So my switch and power supply are ok. But no image is actually shot. What am I doing wrong?

What does the screen do to indicate the camera has responded? If you are in shooting mode and apply power to the USB port, the camera will respond regardless of whether CHDK is loaded or not. So a response means you have power going to the USB port, but does not tell you CHDK is setup correctly.

« Last Edit: 07 / April / 2013, 18:38:18 by waterwingz »

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Ported : A1200 SD940 G10 Powershot N G16

philliplederer

4

Re: Newbie problem Usb release works but no images actually shot

« Reply #2 on: 12 / April / 2013, 17:52:37 »

Mr "waterwingz", thanks for your help! I got it to work.

I am writing the following to help other newcomers, and perhaps to encourage some fine person to edit the pages I now mention.

The problem was this: I did not set the "control mode" to NORMAL. Nor did I know that to use the shutter one (counterintuitively) needs to get out of CHDK mode.

On the instruction set at http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/USB_Remote, there is a lot of information. The description of the remote and how to make one is very elementary. However, then the instructions take off and assumes too much knowledge of CHDK, in particular, that to actually program the remote shutter release capability one needs to adjust the Control mode.

Further, how exactly to use the remote shutter was very unclear to this newbie. On page http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Prepare_your_SD_card the term "ALT key" is undefined. If one knew it was the "printer" key on my D780, one could certainly get to the menus. Assuming one knew how to set the "remote parameters", you also need to know that using the remote requires one to hit the ALT key again. Further, the lens system is off--nowhere does it say that one needs to hit the shutter release on the camera to get the lens system to open and actually take a picture.

For an expert who knows what Control mode is, the instructions are very clear. But for a newbie whose first foray into CHDK is to get a working remote, it assumes too much. I myself pieced together info from this site, your reply and two youtube videos.

While I am spouting from a newcomers perspective, on the setup page please mention that locking the disk when creating a bootable disk works because the CHDK overrides the lock and the images are (counterintuitively) stored on the "locked disk.

Perhaps someone can edit the above web pages. to make things a bit more obvious.

Thanks again,

Phil

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philliplederer

4

One more non-obvious issue

« Reply #3 on: 12 / April / 2013, 18:00:23 »

The remote shutter release page also is very unclear as to how to get to the "remote parameters" menu. I spent a lot of time searching. Of course it is buried in the Miscellaneous items sub-menu which is itself the very last item on the first menu page. Then again, the remote parameters sub-sub-menu is found very very far down in the Miscellaneous items sub-menu. One could waste a lot of time figuring this out.....

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waterwingz

12140

Re: Newbie problem Usb release works but no images actually shot

« Reply #4 on: 12 / April / 2013, 20:24:54 »

Quote from: philliplederer on 12 / April / 2013, 17:52:37

I am writing the following to help other newcomers, and perhaps to encourage some fine person to edit the pages I now mention.

Well, its a wikia - anyone can edit it. That page happens to be one that I put a lot of effort into and I think it shows compared to some of the other pages - especially some of the others that I worked on. I also did a little of the work on the USB code too.

I'm not taking offense as you probably did not see what the previous one was like. And what the whole menu setup for the original USB remote looked like. I can get you a release 1.0.0 for your camera if you are curious to see. But it might be more fun to just drive straight pins into your eyeballs instead

Having said that, I do thank you for your detailed feedback. Things can always be improved but CHDK will never be totally user friendly. Its a hack - you are expected to do a little work exploring on your own

I'll see if I can fold some of your changes into the page without doubling the length by including a whole bunch of information that you can learn elsewhere as you learn the intricacies of CHDK. Frankly, many of your struggles are with the core of how CHDK works rather than the USB remote code in particular.

So how would you feel about you authoring a wikia page titled "CHDK things that confuse the first time user" or something like that? That could be a really good page ! And its probably much easier for you to do that me - I've been in so long that I have no idea what's confusing to a new user now.

Quote from: philliplederer on 12 / April / 2013, 18:00:23

The remote shutter release page also is very unclear as to how to get to the "remote parameters" menu. I spent a lot of time searching. Of course it is buried in the Miscellaneous items sub-menu which is itself the very last item on the first menu page. Then again, the remote parameters sub-sub-menu is found very very far down in the Miscellaneous items sub-menu. One could waste a lot of time figuring this out.....

An unfortunate side-effect from the menu system in the 1.0.0, 1.1.0, & 1.2.0 verions of CHDK being different. You will find the same issue with the documentation for most of the other features. The price of progress on an "all volunteer" project I'm afraid.

« Last Edit: 13 / April / 2013, 00:21:52 by waterwingz »

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Ported : A1200 SD940 G10 Powershot N G16