APO 1m Ash Dome rotation (ASCOM Alpaca dome server) — device market

Install

Three ways to run this device. Each one serves its fake backend: no instrument, no simulator install and no upstream checkout.

OpenAI4S (one command)

shell

openai4s lab add labs/holtzmanjon__apoalpyca

Installs the device into the OpenAI4S Lab on its fake backend and starts it. First time? See setup below.

Or, in the workbench, open the Lab tab → Market → Install.

Standalone MHS endpoint

shell

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/PKU-YuanGroup/OpenMHS.git && cd OpenMHS
PYTHONPATH=MHS/sdk/src python3 -m mhs serve labs/holtzmanjon__apoalpyca --port 7400
# in a second terminal, from the same directory:
PYTHONPATH=MHS/sdk/src python3 -m mhs describe --endpoint http://127.0.0.1:7400

Serves the device as an MHS endpoint on port 7400 from an OpenMHS clone (Python 3.10 or later, standard library only); describe prints what it offers.

Any MCP host (Claude Desktop, Cursor, …)

mcp configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apoalpyca": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": [
        "-m",
        "mhs",
        "serve",
        "labs/holtzmanjon__apoalpyca",
        "--mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PYTHONPATH": "/path/to/OpenMHS/MHS/sdk/src"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add this server to the host's MCP configuration and replace /path/to/OpenMHS with the path of your OpenMHS clone. The host starts the server and talks to it on stdin and stdout.

What it does

Measures

azimuth
shutterstatus
slewing
athome
atpark

Adjusts

Nothing declared.

Actions

slew_azimuth: Start a SlewToAzimuth and wait until the server reports slewing (relay on). Completion is a started rotation, not arrival; no start within 1.5 s is unknown
park: Start a Park slew to the stored park position and wait until the server reports slewing; already parked or no start within 1.5 s is unknown
find_home: Start a FindHome rotation and wait until the server reports slewing; already home or no start within 1.5 s is unknown
set_park: Store the current azimuth as the park position through SetPark; no motion is commanded
abort_slew: Switch the rotation relay off through AbortSlew and confirm the server's slewing flag is false; the dome coasts and the shutters are not affected

Names as the driver declares them. Units, limits and the safety declaration are in the package's REFERENCE.md.

First-time setup

The OpenAI4S workbench with the OpenMHS lab, from a source checkout:

shell

# OpenAI4S workbench with the OpenMHS lab (source checkout)
git clone --recursive https://github.com/PKU-YuanGroup/OpenAI4S.git
cd OpenAI4S && ./setup.sh && source .venv/bin/activate
openai4s lab add labs/holtzmanjon__apoalpyca
openai4s serve        # open the Lab tab

The standalone endpoint and the MCP server need only an OpenMHS clone and Python 3.10 or later. More in the market's getting-started guide and on the OpenAI4S host page.

Source and evidence

Upstream: holtzmanjon/apoalpyca
Pinned commit: 3d4c48ec092c
Licence: GPL-3.0
Stars: 0
Evidence: contract_checked on the fake backend
Backends: fake, hardware

The driver package MHS/drivers/labs/holtzmanjon__apoalpyca wraps the upstream code at the pinned commit. Its REFERENCE.md documents the full contract: every value, action, unit, limit and the safety declaration.