Export plans/sequences to ASIair?

[theskyhound]

Hello,

I installed your imaging system, and did some testing, and I noticed some things I can't explain, and which might suggest there is more going on than just a printer problem. In your screen capture of your Schedule there aren't any lines describing filter changes. I don't understand how that can be.

This is what a Schedule, made with your imaging system, should look like:
   

If you could be so kind as to try generating a Schedule again to see if the filter change show up. And if they do, does the printer problem go away?

Otherwise, I need more context for testing. Please send a screen capture of the Exposure tab of the Lagoon Nebula Imaging Project. Please also send a capture of the full Scheduler window so I can see what the other settings are.

[mike@lockwood.us.com]

Hello,

I installed your imaging system, and did some testing, and I noticed some things I can't explain, and which might suggest there is more going on than just a printer problem. In your screen capture of your Schedule there aren't any lines describing filter changes. I don't understand how that can be.

This is what a Schedule, made with your imaging system, should look like:


If you could be so kind as to try generating a Schedule again to see if the filter change show up. And if they do, does the printer problem go away?

Otherwise, I need more context for testing. Please send a screen capture of the Exposure tab of the Lagoon Nebula Imaging Project. Please also send a capture of the full Scheduler window so I can see what the other settings are.

Please see attached for the information you requested.

The printer problem still persists with physical printer as well as printing to a pdf file.

thank you again

[theskyhound]

Those first two are the Exposure Calculator, but I think I have enough info.

It appears that the issue with no filter changes appearing has gone away. I am going to assume that it was the result of an incorrect setting in your imaging system, unless it comes back. To be honest, I don;t even know that that happens, except maybe if the time to change filters is set to zero?

Anyhow, I will also presume that if you print the schedule displayed in the last capture, that the printing issue is still present.

[theskyhound]

I have reproduced the printed output issue and am working on finding the problem, as well as adding the Copy feature.

Out of curiosity, I noted that your range of allowed exposure times is 240 to 300 seconds. This is a very small range, and won't allow SkyTools to take full advantage of optimizing your sub exposures to the conditions at any moment. I'm not really sure how that's going to work in practice either. When you enter a range of allowed exposure times it uses an algorithm to select exposure times in between the numbers in the range. I'd have to look at the code, but it may try every second between 240s and 300s, or go in 60 second increments, meaning that you are only allowing 4 min and 5 min exposures. If the latter was your intention, better to enter 240s and 300s in the list of allowed exposure times in the lower part of the dialog instead. But again, that's a pretty restrictive range... if that is your intention, what is your thinking behind it?

[mike@lockwood.us.com]

Those first two are the Exposure Calculator, but I think I have enough info.

It appears that the issue with no filter changes appearing has gone away. I am going to assume that it was the result of an incorrect setting in your imaging system, unless it comes back. To be honest, I don;t even know that that happens, except maybe if the time to change filters is set to zero?

Anyhow, I will also presume that if you print the schedule displayed in the last capture, that the printing issue is still present.

yes sir - printing issue still exists

---

I have reproduced the printed output issue and am working on finding the problem, as well as adding the Copy feature.

Out of curiosity, I noted that your range of allowed exposure times is 240 to 300 seconds. This is a very small range, and won't allow SkyTools to take full advantage of optimizing your sub exposures to the conditions at any moment. I'm not really sure how that's going to work in practice either. When you enter a range of allowed exposure times it uses an algorithm to select exposure times in between the numbers in the range.  I'd have to look at the code, but it may try every second between 240s and 300s, or go in 60 second increments, meaning that you are only allowing 4 min and 5 min exposures. If the latter was your intention, better to enter 240s and 300s in the list of allowed exposure times in the lower part of the dialog instead. But again, that's a pretty restrictive range... if that is your intention, what is your thinking behind it?

My thought pattern on the exposure times is simplicity actually. 

I use Astro Pixel Processor for stacking, calibrating and integration.
APP requires Darks, Flats, Dark Flats ( which I'm sure you already knew that ) for calibration. To make stacking & integrating process less complicated, I try to stick with 300 second subs.

That is how I was taught - this old dog is willing to change if creating a much better final product with different exposures is the result.

I built a Dark Library mostly consisting of 300 second Bin1 and Bin2
If I need to, I can build an additional Dark Library with multiple exposure times if that helps Sky Tools 4 to work more efficiently

[theskyhound]

Hello,

I have found the problem and fixed it. There should be an update later today, unless I run into more things I need to fix right away.

If you intend to only use 300s subs, then I suggest using the lower portion of the allowed exposure times dialog, and just add a single 300s entry. You will probably be fine with the 300s exposures, except that in a few cases you may not be able to avoid saturating the brighter parts of the image. The other way for SkyTools to deal with that is to select a different gain setting, so I would suggest adding a few more gain settings into the gain setting list.

Also, about the gain settings, I suggest removing the word "Gain" from the label for each gain, as this is leading to the word "Gain" being duplicated in the Schedule.

[mike@lockwood.us.com]

Hello,

I have found the problem and fixed it. There should be an update later today, unless I run into more things I need to fix right away.

If you intend to only use 300s subs, then I suggest using the lower portion of the allowed exposure times dialog, and just add a single 300s entry.  You will probably be fine with the 300s exposures, except that in a few cases you may not be able to avoid saturating the brighter parts of the image. The other way for SkyTools to deal with that is to select a different gain setting, so I would suggest adding a few more gain settings into the gain setting list.

Also, about the gain settings, I suggest removing the word "Gain" from the label for each gain, as this is leading to the word "Gain" being duplicated in the Schedule.

Awesome ! that was fast.

I will do as instructed on the 300s exposure setting and also remove the word Gain in the Gain Options tab

Yes - I am also aware that using 300s subs on certain targets will Clip the Hilites....especially with the Orion Nebula.  I wanted to first master the Sky Tools 4 software then refine it with different exposures, gains, etc.

thank you again sir

[mike@lockwood.us.com]

Hello,

I have found the problem and fixed it. There should be an update later today, unless I run into more things I need to fix right away.

If you intend to only use 300s subs, then I suggest using the lower portion of the allowed exposure times dialog, and just add a single 300s entry.  You will probably be fine with the 300s exposures, except that in a few cases you may not be able to avoid saturating the brighter parts of the image. The other way for SkyTools to deal with that is to select a different gain setting, so I would suggest adding a few more gain settings into the gain setting list.

Also, about the gain settings, I suggest removing the word "Gain" from the label for each gain, as this is leading to the word "Gain" being duplicated in the Schedule.

Awesome ! that was fast.

I will do as instructed on the 300s exposure setting and also remove the word Gain in the Gain Options tab

Yes - I am also aware that using 300s subs on certain targets will Clip the Hilites....especially with the Orion Nebula.  I wanted to first master the Sky Tools 4 software then refine it with different exposures, gains, etc.

thank you again sir

I downloaded the newest version of ST4 - the little Gremlin not printing the Schedule accurately has been resolved.

Many thanks - I'm enjoying your tool the more I learn