Cannot edit ASIair Plus inputs - Dialog box has no numbers

DSOstrider

I am attempting to set up an ASIair Plus on a new IPad Pro and the edit functions in ASIair Pro are not working.
When attempting to edit dialog boxes in ASIair Pro, like inputting the focal length of the guide scope, a dialog box with numbers 0-9 should appear to select values from. The box appears but there are no numbers in it as there are on several YouTube videos of the device.

I have deleted the ASIair app from the IPad and reinstalled it with the same result each time. The version was restored to factory settings then updated to the latest software with the same result.

Another person, with a working version of ASIair Pro on their cell phone, also attempted to edit the values and got the same error. This suggests to me that the issue is the box itself, not the software loaded on the computer - but I do not know. I would have thought that reloading to the latest version would update the software in the box.

An image of the ipad screen is attached and shows the dialog box with no numbers.

Any inputs are appreciated.
Ed

asiair-plus-does-not-work.pdf

80kB

johnpd

So you are on v2.0? Please confirm exact app and firmware versions. Also what version of iPadOS you have installed.

You mention that when you click somewhere in that dialog box numbers appear but not in the entry field? Are they just appearing in the dialog box itself?
Are you getting this same type of dialog box wherever you try to enter numbers? I don't have v2.0 installed yet. Under v1 when you clicked in an entry box, the keyboard would pop up. This special dialog box may be a modification for v2.
What type of display mode are you using on your iPad, light or dark? I am wondering if there might be some issue with that although I would have thought someone might have complained about this a while ago.

JohnD

DSOstrider

Great questions.

The numbers do not appear in the dialog box, just in the input box (focal length call out). The only two numbers that appeared with many many clicks were 1 and 6.
Yes, it is the exact same dialog box every time. The app version is 2.0(10.46), the ipadOS version is 16.0.
The ipad was light and I shifted it to dark. Same result.

Do you think this is an issue with the ipad software, the ASIair installed on the ipad, or the software installed in the box?

w7ay

DSOstrider The numbers do not appear in the dialog box

This is what I see (ASIAIR v2.0, general release) on an iPad (12.9" M1 based iPad Pro, iPadOS 16.1.1):

When I tap on the Main Scope Focal Length text field, a flashing red vertical cursor at the end of the entry (see above screen shot). This is the usual iOS/iPadOS behavior.

At the same time, a numerical keyboard appears at the bottom part of the screen.

Notice the backspace icon (an open arrow with a "x" in it) at the right side of the virtual keyboard. First, tap that backspace button many times. (20 or 30 times, just for the heck of it.)

Then enter your focal length (the "3" in my example above is correct, since this is a 3.2mm lens of my all sky camera and ASIAIR truncates to the nearest integer).

You should see the numbers are they are typed (tapped) in, with the red flashing cursor remaining at the end of the numbers. If the field remains black, but the red cursor moves, check the Text Accessibility settings of your iPad (see end of this posting).

When you are done, be sure to tap on the "enter" icon at the bottom right of the virtual keyboard (the one that looks like an asymmetrical "V"). That should also exit the virtual keyboard.

Which of these steps failed for you?

Be sure to check also the Accessibility Settings in iOS. Especially the items in the Display & Text Size. If "Smart Invert" or "Classic Invert" are on, turn them off.

Chen

DSOstrider

Thank you Chen for your detailed feedback.

This is the screen I get when attempting to edit the Main Scope Focal Length text field. There is a flashing red curser showing it is active - same as you have, Instead of getting the numerical keyboard at the bottom, the screen shows only the box I circled in red, below.
This is the entire ASIair screen - there is no hidden text field below.
Clicking the back arrow deletes the entries in the text field. Clicking the curser in the area of the single red arrow puts a "1" in the text field. Clicking where the two arrows are puts a "6" in the text field. they are the only two active numerical responses to clicking in the input box - the check, back arrow and decimal work. No actual numbers ever appear in the circled box.

The step that failed is, after clicking on the Main Scope Focal Length text field, the numerical keyboard does NOT appear, instead a corrupted dialog box appears.

enaiman

DSOstrider That window does not look right - looks like it is undocked and resized - no wonder you don't see numbers.
Try to resize it if you can or try to drag it to the bottom of the screen hopping it will dock. Try to press that white linf at the bottom of the window and see what happens.

I don't think it is a bug but a keyboard setting involved.

w7ay

DSOstrider Instead of getting the numerical keyboard at the bottom, the screen shows only the box I circled in red, below.

Aha, ZWO screwed up implementing a floating keyboard in iPadOS correctly. See if this Apple support page to expand that keyboard (like pinch zooming action) works for you:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210758

When you expand it fully, the keyboard should appear at the bottom of the window.

Chen

DSOstrider

I agree that the floating keyboard is not working. Unfortunately, it is not "hidden" below the edge of the screen, it is corrupted into the box circled in red.

I tried the suggested method of reducing the size of the app on the screen but there was no additional part to it below the bottom edge.

I sent a communication to ZWO outlining the problem and included the image showing the corrupted dialog box. I will post any reply received.

Thanks to all for your continued efforts to fix the issue.

PMTeam@ZWO

DSOstrider Got you, we will try to fix this issue. Thanks for your feedback.

w7ay

DSOstrider it is corrupted into the box circled in red.

You get that small floating keyboard on an iPad when the keyboard is asked (either by you or by the app) to shrink.

See if you can manually pinch zoom it to a larger size per the Apple support page that I had earlier posted.

What ZWO should have done is to force a keyboard size to be no smaller that what their UI contains. However, by pinch zooming, you may be able to override that.

Chen

DSOstrider

Thank you ASIAIR@ZWO for your response above.
ZWO has also replied to my query to ZWOptical with further instructions on which specific area to send my inquiry. A focused inquiry has now been sent to the requested area and I will await their response.

I very much appreciate your individual support and the corporate ownership from ZWO.

Ed.

DSOstrider

Folks,
ASIair does not play well with the floating keyboard that was part of the setup of my brand new iPad.

ZWO technical help replied promptly to my inquiry (than you very much ZWO) and recommended that the keyboard be reconfigured to the full size keyboard option on the iPad. After changing to the full size keyboard all editing functions worked from that keyboard.
Problem Resolved.

Thanks to every one who input to the issue with particular thanks to the ZWO folks including Chen, Sara Liu and Simon Lewis.
Kind Regards