345 replies to this topic

[Sunspot]

Could be. I remember while we were testing Reg6 beta, the same thing was happening, the last frame was named 0000 I think. Cor did a bug fix to correct it.

Freddy,

AS!2 Saturn are marginally better than Reg6...slightly less grain, but all my Saturn images have way too much grain (noise) compared to Jupiter and Mars. I set gain for Saturn (in Firecapture) between 2500 and 2800. Blows me away that all you folks using the same scopes get such smooth images.

Paul

.....wonder whether this has anything to do with the "0000" - "0001" - "0002" sequence the ninox'd bmp's are presented as Paul - but AS!2 is going to do its own thing regardless (just as R6 would also) so I think it is probably a moot point...

[claytonbigwood]

You could try renaming the 0001 file to 0001a, and the 0000 file to 0001 for eg

[MvZ]

Paul, it is indeed purely cosmetic.

AS!2 reads the filenames as Windows sends these to the program when the files are dropped on the main form. I could sort the files after AS!2 received them, perhaps I'll make some changes, but it has absolutely no effect on your results.

Like Darryl said, AS!2 does it's own thing. It will always use it's own quality estimator. The order of the frames does not matter at all. So if you want to manually exclude certain files in AS!2 (like that really blurry Saturn frame you have shown here) you simply should not drag and drop that frame on AS!2.

[Sunspot]

Emil,

Thanks!! Didn't want a bug to slip by. After I do the ninox sort, I usually only drag the first 75% of the frames over. This set I dragged 100% and caught that.

Paul

Paul, it is indeed purely cosmetic.

AS!2 reads the filenames as Windows sends these to the program when the files are dropped on the main form. I could sort the files after AS!2 received them, perhaps I'll make some changes, but it has absolutely no effect on your results.

Like Darryl said, AS!2 does it's own thing. It will always use it's own quality estimator. The order of the frames does not matter at all. So if you want to manually exclude certain files in AS!2 (like that really blurry Saturn frame you have shown here) you simply should not drag and drop that frame on AS!2.

[MvZ]

I have been working on AS!2 lately. The new version will probably be online at the end of this week/early next weekend.

If you have some interesting suggestions, or ran into problems, now is the time to let me know.


2.0.0.49 - March 6 2012
- Fixed frame offset issue when stacking multiple files in a row.
- Preview first frame during batch processing.
- Fixed limited maximum memory usage on 32-bit OS to a maximum of 2 GB (on a 64-bit OS the application can use up to 4 GB). Didn't work in version 2.0.0.48, a 32-bit OS could still use more than 2 gigabytes, which is NOT allowed.
- Added support for both Jpg (or Jpeg) and PNG files (just drag and drop, always make sure you load files of the same format only, and that have the same dimension!)
- Added create master stack option (for master flats or darks).
- Added image calibration options, both a master dark and/or flat frame can be laoded to calibrate your raw images. The resolution of these frames HAS to be the same as the resolution of the raw frames. The following filteypes are supported: PNG, TIF, BMP, JPG, and PSD(!) in either 16 or 8 bit formats (16-bit is recommended).
- Interface Fix: Opening new file will correctly reset processing times of previous file.
- Interface Fix: Clicking the open file button will not immediately close the previous file.
- Interface Fix: In surface mode the offset and image center are now longer shown (white and yellow cross near the center of the screen).

2.0.0.48 - February 28 2012
- Interface fixes (show filename without path of opened file in the bottom of the main window and as the caption of the frame view window. When hovering above the filename the full filepath will be shown. The total number of files opened is also listed.)
- Fixed placing too large APs in small images (an AP must now easily fit in the frame).
- Changed minimal image size to 96x96 pixels.
- Fixed output prefix text box is now actually always a prefix, wether the files are saved in folders or not.
- Changed from a static buffer to a dynamically allocated buffer to read in AVI frames. This allows for extremely large frames to be succesfuly read (e.g. 2592 x 1944 x 3 channels) without extra memory increases for those using normal resolutions
- No longer showing a random frame when opening a new planetary imaging file, instead it shows the first frame.
- Fixed edge quality bug when using too small APs (it would hang at the end of Analysis)
- Limited maximum memory usage on 32-bit OS to a maximum of 2 GB (on a 64-bit OS the application can use up to 4 GB)
- Changed default priority of AS!2 to below normal. This has little effect to the processing speed, but it should make the system more responsive when you are also trying to perform other tasks during processing (like watching stupid movies on youtube... or making recordings)
- Fixed issue when reprocessing an entire batch of files when buffering was enabled (the program would wrongly think the first file was already buffered, which could result in either a program crash or wrong results)
- Fixed manually removing all APs now correctly disable the Process button.
- Interface Fix: enter percentage to stack during MAP mode automaticaly turns off the frame number option, and vice versa. So simply enter one of the boxes (left click) and type a % or frame number, and that is what is going to be stacked.
- Interface Fix: drizzling options better categorized (off, 1.5x, 3x)
- Edge quality checkbox changes now correctly forces new quality estimation.
- Changed drizzle filename convention (removed the . in the filename)
- Added error handling of opening/writing/closing the log-file (if it can't get access to the log-file, it will silently accept that)
- Fixed quality graph not drawing when visualisation was turned off.
- Edge quality estimator more robust against missing information or abrupt edges (e.g., when the planet is moving outside the FOV).

[Yung]

Emil, thanks! Excellent work!
Now there are no seams...!

[MvZ]

Thanks.

For those who missed it, version 2.1 of AutoStakkert! has just been put online. It can be downloaded at www.autostakkert.com

Some of the release notes that weren't already mentioned in a couple of posts above:

- A new checkbox Force Global Quality is added under the Gradient Quality estimator. When this option is checked it Forces all APs to use the same subset of frames (those frames with the best overall quality), instead of the default function where each AP uses its own local quality estimator and own subset of frames. The global quality results in slightly less detail per AP, but should prevent seams showing up on recordings made under variable transparancy.
- MAP is now default stacking method (this basically saves you one click).
- Clicking in the quality graph will now show the frame at that position (similar to using the framebar in the frame window). Pressing ctrl+click in the quality graph, will also set the frame percentage to stack according to the position in the graph.
- Regarding YUV avi files. AS!2 now makes use of a more conservative YUV -> RGB conversion scheme whenever it notices the used YUV format is invalid. This should remove clipping effects for certain YUV files. I would recommend to not use YUV for astronomical images in the first place, recording in RGB (or better yet, raw bayered b/w frames) makes more sense.
- Fix. Resizing the frame will now remove APs that fall outside the allowed region.
- Fixed file opening permissions to read-only, this allows to open more files that are already open in another program. Should have done this a long time ago.
- Interface Fix: changed stack at framenumber/percentage labels to hopefuly make a bit more sense.
- Interface Fix: frame numbers now run from 1 to #frames (which is what normal people like), instead of 0 to #frames-1 (which is what programmers like).

[Kokatha man]

Thanks for this Emil, your program is greatly appreciated!

I have never had the variable trnsparency issues and hence seams.....although several of my captures created seams in R6 if I used that program to process as opposed to AS!2

I do have another issue which I meant to email you over.....so I wonder if you could take a look at my other thread here http://www.cloudynig...5/o/all/fpart/1
and comment upon whether I got hold of the wrong end of the stick with my interpretation of what you said about running "Edge" and "Gradient" estimators at the same time in AS!2....?

[Sunspot]

Well rats!! I dropped 1000 bmp frames on AS!2 as always and got this error message.

Paul

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[MvZ]

I'll look into it tomorrow Paul. There will probably be a 2.1.0.1 soon to fix some of the things I missed...

And Ill get back to you as well Darryl.

[MvZ]

Paul, you got mail!

Seems when updating some of the code which deals with reading the images, I missed a simple flag stating that an image folder was opened successfully. Fixed it in a beta version, will probably upload it to my website when Paul has had a chance to test it out for me.

[Sunspot]

Got it and responded....Thanks!!

Paul

[Space Cowboy]

Firstly I would like to say I think Emil is a genius! Castrator has been the bedrock of my processing for now. I love AS!2 but am having problems when using castrated raw y800 avis from IC Capture as very often the image is pure blue in AS!2 even though debayer safe is selected in Castrator and the avis work fine in Registax as do the original uncropped avis. I'm using the latest 2.01 as2 with xp and windows 7. Last night 6 out of 7 castrated avis were all blue in as!2.

[claytonbigwood]

Stuart, as Darryl pointed out to me, you can simply do your cropping in AS!2 and forget about Castrator
I believe Castrator is an interggral part of AS!2 ??
I have yet to try this with some Y800 files as I am still debayering with the FC utility, but I will have a go tonight and let you know how I go.

[claytonbigwood]

First AVI ran like a dream
Ditto the second
Results for the second below

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[Space Cowboy]

As you say Rob as!2 crops but its so much slower compared to using a castrator cropped avi. I've just re-castrated one and its come out fine. It worked fine when I first downloaded the latest as!2 but then some came out blue again. Cannot understand it.

[Space Cowboy]

I'm using castrator version 0.0.1.9. Castrator frees up so much space on my hard drive don't want to lose that option.

[MvZ]

Space Cowboy, could you show a screenshot of a blue avi? Does it happen consistently, each time you open a particular avi, does it come out blue?? If so, could you perhaps send the avi to me (using www.wetransfer.com or something similar)?

[Space Cowboy]

Yes it happens most of the time Emil. I will try and send you an avi but for now here is the blue image :

[MvZ]

Looks like it failed to find the correct debayer scheme automatically.

Have you tried forcing AS!2 to use the correct debayer scheme (color -> Force bayer XXXX)

If I switch the red and blue channels, it looks fine again.

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[Space Cowboy]

Cheers Emil! I must be going blind, did not see that option.

[claytonbigwood]

I'm using castrator version 0.0.1.9. Castrator frees up so much space on my hard drive don't want to lose that option.

I'm guessing that you delete your originals after you "Castrate" them??
I find that compressing the files (ZIP or like) saves me extra space as well, typically 40% on a Castrated file.
I archive all my data this way now

[Space Cowboy]

Thanks Rob I do need to get on top of things.I tend to delete the poor stuff but zipping the good data would help for sure. Guess I've been too lazy to do that.

[JoeR]

AutoStakkert does not work for me. I open the AVI and Analyze. Then every time I hit 3) Stack nothing happens. It keeps trying to bring up the image window or whatever it is called. It would help if there was a tutorial on how to use this.

[MvZ]

Version 2.1.0.5 is now online ( www.autostakkert.com )

- Fixed when switching to Single AP mode, AS!2 would not stack automatically (you had to manually place an AP first).
- Maximum size of the frame is set to 3000×2000, internal frame size limitations have been removed. Use the INI-file to further increase the maximum image size (the INI-file contains a maxWidth and maxHeight value).
- Made edge quality estimator more robust still. It will now still provide a meaningful quality estimator whenever it encounters missing information.
- Fixed bug in detecting horizontal and vertical artefacts, causing random lockups after analysing.
- Fixed regression bug: failed to open any image files (fit, bmp, tif, jpg, etc.. it would all show there were no frames available).
- Fixed some typos.
- Fixed repeating “No buffering override” message… for real this time…

JoeR, I still haven't gotten around to writing a manual. I'll have more time later this week, perhaps in the meantime someone else can help you out? Have you looked at the first post in this thread? It should provide enough pointers to get you started. What kind of recordings are you trying to process (what is the target, how did you make the recordings)?