HELP! I did it ! I got command line ppmcentre to work... but (there's always a but)

[Robert_T]

This reads like an elongated whinge, sorry, but I really need an outlet for my frustrations every time I play with PC's (apologies in advance).

Anyway, I finally managed to do something many of you probably wouldn't even regard as an issue... I got a command line program (Bird's ppmcentre) to actually work... finding the command line was the first challenge (hidden in the PC equivalent of the bottom of a locked filing cabinet in a disused lavatory with a sign outside saying "beware of the leopard"), then working out I need to have the program in the same directory as the command line (still can't workout how to change directory in the command line) and finally dawning on me that all those "switches" and "commands" have to be written down all together at the same time (another one prob obvious to many, but not to me) in a long string... I converted an avi to BMPS (another milestone for me that was far from obvious or intuitive... god I HATE computers) dumped it in the default directory for the command line, wrote out the commands that Mike uses and it bloody well worked, I now have 1200 BMPS of jupiter all nicely cropped with jupiter centered.


After such a monumental achievement I thought running it through registax would be a walk in the park.... well, I select the BMP's in registax and go open and registax smiles, clicks a few times and says nothing.. HELP... please don't let me come so far only to be foiled at the pearly gates

Helpful comments, general abuse, and even smug indulgence welcome . By the way how does one change directories etc in command line?

cheers

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Rob try selecting all the bmps in windows explorer and then drag and drop into the registax window

cd nameofdirectory

[asimov (John)]

I have yet to find the lavatory door with the sign on it yet...when I do, I have no doubt it will say 'OUT OF ORDER' lol

[Robert_T]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Rob try selecting all the bmps in windows explorer and then drag and drop into the registax window

cd nameofdirectory

Paul, you're a gem!!!... both worked!

It sort of figures to me that a program can do something apparently sophisticated like drag and drop between programs with ease, but when asked to simply open files from a specified location goes to lala land... did I mention that I really really HATE computers.

I've changed directories in command line, I've dragged and dropped BMPS from explorer to registax... but I've never been to me (or, as in this case,never had registax get past 95% through aligning.. is there a maximum number of BMP's it can handle

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

From memory Registax will choke on 5000 frames of Avi so I imagine it would be the same for bmps

[Robert_T]

dropped the BMP stack to 998 frames and that seemed to go through, then just the usual routine in registax and astra image 2 - result attached - a mediocre avi from a couple nights ago using the Mewlon 180.

cheers,

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Mediocre my rear end...That's a ripper Rob. I'm glad your going to astrofest, you can show me how to use ppmcentre.

[matt]

Many...many congrats Rob.

You've made a breakthrough that gives hope to the rest of us who are equally as PC illiterate.

Seriously. I wouldn't have a clue/hope how to get ppmcentre working.

Might be something for a tutorial in the Resources or How-To areas of IIS?????

[CoombellKid]

Lovely image of Jupiter there Rob

regards,CS

Rob

[asimov (John)]

Whats the chances of doing the same AVI like you normally do in registax & posting the resultant pic next to this one? Or should I simply ask the question; is using PPM centre an advantage?

[Robert_T]

thanks Paul, Matt, Rob (good to see you back on deck ),

Asi, I'm not sure yet I can make a valid comparison, have to processthe same avi in the standard way and see. I've posted another thread asking this very question that now I can use ppm centre, why would I want to. Mike's explained it's 3 things, the centring and cropping which makes registax run faster and align better, and a quality estimator so you can do a pre-dump of poor quality frames before pulling into registax. Guess these time savings have to be balanced against the added time going to BMPS etc. For B&W processing it looks like theres the added facility for filtering in ppm centre too.

Will let you know if I make any strong conclusions.

cheers,

[asimov (John)]

Thanks anyway Rob.

I can't even start ppmcentre up let alone type any info into it...been looking at it off & on for near on 12 mths...It's the only program I know of that simply tells me to bugga off 'cos your BRAIN DEAD ASIMOV!! I hate computers more than you, thats a guarantee...this ones on the verge of flyng out the door I'm so frustrated..

[iceman (Mike)]

Rob now that you've got ppmcentre working, you should be able to use Adam's RGBSplit program to split into R/G/B channels and process each of those separately.

Has Adam got back to you about the error you're getting with RGBSplit? I imagine you just need to download hte VB6 runtime libraries as mentioned in the RGBSplit thread..

Well done on overcoming the CMD prompt

[Robert_T]

Thanks Mike, I'm looking forward to taking Adam's RGB split routine for a spin. Unfortunately, I've downloaded the VB libraries and it still doesn't work (presuming I've put the library in the right spot, ran the downloaded exe file from my documents) - anyway still getting the same error message, even with the updated version that Adam's just posted.... not sure where to go from here

Originally Posted by iceman

Rob now that you've got ppmcentre working, you should be able to use Adam's RGBSplit program to split into R/G/B channels and process each of those separately.

Has Adam got back to you about the error you're getting with RGBSplit? I imagine you just need to download hte VB6 runtime libraries as mentioned in the RGBSplit thread..

Well done on overcoming the CMD prompt

[Hitchhiker]

Rob, I've PMed you - your problem is solvable!