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rodroger
12-07-2013, 09:46 PM
Hi everyone,
Just updating my progress with the Database program in "Visual Studio" I am writing for logging your imaging and processing information. I am about 80% finished so far and have only to code the pages for the Final processing information and linking appropriate catalogues to it. Should be able to release it at the end of the year.
Main problem is the Name?
I have called it "The Astrophotographer's Log Book"
But.......
Astrophotographer does not exist in the English language:shrug:, not in any dictionary and every spell check program tells me it is incorrect?
I have also posted this problem on the AAQ Facebook page to see if anybody has any thoughts on this problem. My own believe is I should leave it as is as force the rest of the world to accept this term:), what do you think?:question:

04Stefan07
14-07-2013, 09:02 PM
Personally I think it sounds great! Could the program be used just for logging a normal visual session as well cause then it could just be called "The Astronomy Logger".

Looking forward to it's release. If you need anyone to test it out let me know!

rodroger
14-07-2013, 10:05 PM
Thank you for your comment Stefan:), And yes you could use it as visual log book as well as it will have all the necessary fields for this, as far as seeing and transparency conditions, Dew point, Ambient temperature, Wind Scales, Moon, and so on, but it also has been geared a lot toward Astrophotography, with lots of things Like FWHM, Out of Round, total frames taken, Frames used and all the typical image processing you may do as well as storing your images in a database.
I will be looking for people to help with debugging once I has tried to find most of any errors myself. I thought I would offer these people a free copy of the finished product with life time Registration and all future updates and versions that will be released. I will contact you personally once I think it is ready for this.
I will not be asking a lot for the program anyway and will keep the cost right down, possibly $50.00? for a copy. I do understand why some programs are so expensive with the amount of work that has to go into them, but some are way over priced and unrealistic. I, myself have been working on this all day, everyday now since December 2012.
I have some current screen shots on the Astronomical Association Of Queensland's Forum (I am a current member)
http://www.aaq.org.au/cms/distribution/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=444
I hope you can use the above link which is to the forum, I think non members can browse this? If no, let me know and I will put some current screen shots here. One Item I forgot to mention that I still have to do is the help files, which will take a bit of time.
Also, as I mentioned on the forum, I will have this running on a laptop at this years QLD Astrofest in August 2nd - 10th, I will be still writing code and debugging it :)

04Stefan07
14-07-2013, 10:51 PM
Yep I can access the URL and see the pictures. Looks really good and coming along nicely! Yeah I know what you mean about pricing and stuff. AstroPlanner which is a full on program on planning an observing session and its around the $40-$60 mark to purchase the software which is a bargain considering how much time and effort went into programming it! So yeah around the $50 mark for your program sounds about right but won't know for sure until you get a few testers. As I said before I would be more than happy to debug the program once you are at the testing stage to see for any errors or improvements that can be made.

Do you have any plans to release the program for Mac as well?

rodroger
15-07-2013, 09:45 AM
Thanks again Stefan,
Yes it will have a Mac version as well as a Linux version, also planning for various versions for IPads and other Pads as well. that will be quite easy and is just a compiling option I have to set during the final compiling of the program.
I have been using Astroplanner myself, great program, but found it lacking for a lot of photographic options, that was the reason for me writing this one. Also found Astroplanner can bog down a bit when a number of other programs are running but this would be expected considering how it works. I manly use it to move my scope to my next target by remote access. I have everything set up outside, including my Laptops, and run all from another laptop in lounge room. I use TightVNC for the wireless remote connection using Window 7 home and Vista Home as these do not support the Windows Remote Desktop like XP did.

DavidLJ
15-07-2013, 02:30 PM
Rodney

Very impressed with the program!

If you don't mind a small observation … I may have missed seeing it in the screenshots but have you considered adding the size of the user's image (as in say arc minutes across and down)? The size of the target image is reported in that way and it could be useful to the user to be able to compare the two.

Cheers, David

rodroger
15-07-2013, 07:39 PM
Thanks David,
Yes, I do have the size of the object in arcs per minute, this on the targets or objects page. As well as, of course Type (e.g. Galaxy), Class (e.g. Sba), R.A, Dec, other names, Distance. Separation if double or multiple stars, these field will enable themselves automatically depending what the object is, Constellation etc. I have also added features such as Altitude of the target or object at time of imaging, if the Moon was present, its phase, it's altitude and distance from the target. I have really tried to allow for a lot of variables which can be turned on or off in the options menu if you do not want to use them. This includes different scales of seeing - Antoniadis, Pickering & Danjon. 3 Different Transparency Scales. The Borte Scale for the Site, Standard Wind Scales (as well as gusts). These will be available from pull down drop boxes, (trying to limit the amount you actually have to type in via the keyboard) Humidity, Dew Point, Transit Time of the target. Importing and exporting of images in various formats, this include conversion from one type to another, including Fits and its special header. And it will also store and play video for those who use web cams etc. I have based a lot of the imaging processing information on MaximDL and Photoshop but I will probably have to get a copy of Pixlinsight and have a look at this also to allow users to change to its processing info, which will mean another page of programming as I know a lot of people are using this now and I should allow for it. There also an extensive equipment list as far as scopes, camera, filters, focal modifications (Focal reduction & barlows) users can choose from or add there own if not in the list yet. The only thing I do not intend to do in this version is hardware operation of camera's and scopes etc. Maybe this will happen in a letter version.
I have spent a lot of time thinking of all the possible variables and adding them as best I can.:)

Geoff45
18-07-2013, 05:05 AM
If you google "astrophotographer" or "astrophotography" you get lots of hits. This is the way language works--we have to introduce new words for new concepts. Try looking up "email" in a 30 year old dictionary. The spell checkers will catch up eventually. Go with your first choice.
Geoff

Wombat
18-07-2013, 08:55 AM
Just had a look at the screen shots for this program and it looks great, would love to get a copy when you have finished programming and debugging.
I may have missed it in this post, what operating systems will the program run in?

jase
18-07-2013, 03:22 PM
Rodney, firstly great work. Am sure others realise the benefit of record keeping when it comes to producing consistent results and improving on past images. That said, I'm not fond of data entry. Will there be data import capabilities with the software. For example, will there be an option to parse logs from popular observatory automation and data collection programs such as CCDAutoPilot, ACP, CCDcommander ,etc? This would cut down the work load from a data entry perspective. The only issue I see with my suggested approach is that not all the subs may be used to produce the end result thus data input may become erroneous. Something to consider none the less. If there is a trial/evaluation made available, I would be interested in giving it a whirl. Keep up the good work.

rodroger
21-07-2013, 11:21 AM
Hi


It will run on Windows XP - Windows 8, 32bit or 64bit Operating systems.
Also a version for Mac and Linux, Also hope to compile versions for Pads such as IPAD but this will depend on the final size and disc space available for these. The more data that is saved , the larger it will get. The Blank Database is over 100MB, the program so far is about 100MB, so that is 200MB with out adding your data. I can see this getting quite large after a number of years of Data entry as it holds picture and Video data.

rodroger
21-07-2013, 11:52 AM
Hi



I have not thought of yet as to importing Data from other programs, but I will look at it, as long as I can get the program to read the exported files, I can not see a problem with this.
The program will let you have total images and used images as a parameter.
It will show you the total imaging sessions.
The Imaging Sessions used for the final image, and the percentage used.
The total frames taken.
Frames used for final image as well as its percentage.
I have automated the results from the users input of sessions logged, and total frames and frames used per session.

I have just finished coding the final photo processing pages I and am now going over the whole program, I am finding I have to add other field I think I need, such as the stacking method and software may not be the same as the alignment method and software. And example is with my own imaging at the moment.

I use a Meade DSI II Colour which will take images in B&W (Monochrome) and Colour which produces LRGB fits. I generally use my B&W as my Luminous and only use the RGB frames to create the colour frame. I stack all images in MaximDL in their appropriate sets(B&W, Red, Green, Blue). I then as a general rule use DDP and a mild deconvulation on the B&W and save as Tiff, I then save my RGB separately as Tiffs and import all three frames into Photoshop.
I adjust level of the three RGB frames so they are equal and combine them to a new image. I the save this as a Tiff. I then import the B&W Tiff and the RGB Tiff into MaximDL and align the RGB to the B&W and then save the RGB frame. I then import all frames, B&W and RGB back into to Photoshop where they are combined as a colour image. (of course I process the B&W a lot before hand and may use DDP on the combined RGB, as well as levels and curves)