PixInsight Forum (historical)
PixInsight => Tutorials and Processing Examples => Topic started by: Warhen on 2015 April 02 05:56:22
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Hi PI friends, With all signatures in place, and an intro and two chapters written, I think it's safe to announce- Please look for 'Inside PixInsight' from the Springer Press Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy series. The book is due March 31, 2017, but I am making good progress so far. Juan and Carlos have both graciously pledged their assistance in answering questions I will surely have. I will endeavor to make the work as accurate, but also as practical to apply as I can. Don't be surprised if I contact some of you advanced users for your input as well. Thanks to all of you for your interest and support!
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Woo Hoo!!!
Mark me down for a "pre-order" already!
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glad to see this is happening!
rob
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Thanks so much Rob and Chris! So far, the words are flowing- long road ahead though...
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My apologies for changing the topic but any idea when the Part Three disks will ship from your Astro Imaging Channel offer?
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They should be ready to ship now. I recently bought all three disks at one time. Part 3 was there in the package with 1 and 2.
One caveat. The "Autorun" file doesn't seem to work under Windows 7 Pro (64bit) on any of the disks. I tried everything I could think of but have been forced to manually open the MP4's. Therefore, any Camtasia functions like table of contents, etc. are not available. I even tried this on 2 different computers with the same results.
But overlooking the minor inconvenience, all of the videos run just fine. An excellent resource.
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Hi Chris and Charles, always contact the source first! :>) I'm surprised- are you sure you have Autorun settings enabled for DVDs Chris? If so, I would think there is a security setting blocking autorun.
Secondly, don't play the MP4, just open the html of the table of contents page and click the links to the tutorials you want to watch. They should play in your browser. If not, again- there is a security setting blocking normal operation.
Lastly, you could open the player.html instead of the mp4, this will at least let you take advantage of the extra features like chapters, closed captions, etc.
Thanks guys!
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Thanks Warren. I do have autorun enabled and it still doesn't work with these DVDs. Could it possibly be Norton Internet Security stopping it? I know I lose some of the features but running the MP4s directly is the only way to free myself from the internet, which is sometimes desirable or even a forced situation due to lack of a wifi source. I was hoping that by buying the disks rather than the web-based subscription I would be able to cut those HTML apron strings.
But, I'm still very pleased with the videos and do not regret the purchase of them at all.
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Progress Report- Thanks to all of you for your continuing support! I have one major chapter (Chapter 36) left to go on mosaic building. The book is progressing way ahead of schedule (March 2017 delivery deadline). When the mosaic chapter is complete, there will be another long read through all of the material again, and then screen shots, illustrations, and captioning will begin. Still a ways to go, but it is on the way! My thanks to Carlos Milovic, Dr. Ron Brecher, and Richard S. Wright Jr. for their invaluable help as technical proofreaders!!
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Looking forward to it Warren!
Regards,
David
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:D
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We're getting closer- http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319256801
The thirty-six chapter text is finished! I'm in touch with Juan, and am waiting on the fall update to 1.8.4 before beginning the screen shots. A couple of hundred illustrations, their text-overs, and captioning are required before submitting to Springer for editing. With invaluable technical editing by Carlos Milovic, Ron Brecher, and Richard Wright already complete, there should not be much work for them to do!
Thanks for your support!
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Just make sure we know where we can buy it once its out! :D
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Can't wait!!!!
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Thank you gents! One thing I did want to mention, there's a couple of words I disagreed with in the promo and have asked Springer to change. One is 'poorly' documented. While PI's documentation may not be complete, it is always excellently documented by Juan.
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Perhaps a netter word would be "completely" documented.
Larry
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Congrats for your job Warren, that book will be very helpful!
Saludos, Alejandro.
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Thank you gents! One thing I did want to mention, there's a couple of words I disagreed with in the promo and have asked Springer to change. One is 'poorly' documented. While PI's documentation may not be complete, it is always excellently documented by Juan.
Looks like they've changed "poorly" to "inadequately". I guess that's better :)
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Thank you gents! One thing I did want to mention, there's a couple of words I disagreed with in the promo and have asked Springer to change. One is 'poorly' documented. While PI's documentation may not be complete, it is always excellently documented by Juan.
Looks like they've changed "poorly" to "inadequately". I guess that's better :)
Hi Warren. Perhaps you could push them to "incompletey documented"
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I kinda like "documentation lag"
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"... poorly documented ..."
"... inadequately documented ..."
I've worked professionally in the printing and publishing industry for years, and this is the first time I see a book advertisement criticizing the book's main subject. Innovative!
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I throw my two cents about this topic.
- I am a little reserved about advertising of a "buying" product other than PI team.
Warhen, I'm glad for you if you write a book but the best is to avoid many advertising here. Your book is not finished. OK. Go back when it will be ready and ask PI team if you can do advertising here.
I have bought your video but as many books on astrophotography software it stays at the 1rst level of the possibilities of the functions. Many of them use standard settings where the most interesting is to go deeper in the choices of theses settings. It is a choice. No problem. But useless for PI users who want to go deeper in the full settings range of every important process.
For example, when doing StarAlignment with special distortion correction on large CCD and very special optics (Riccardi Honders for example), we have spent hours and hours to find the right settings to make a real correction. Some settings are far from the standard ones. New splines distortion image solver script is now a better result for this. We cannot write a book for this. But we are several users in France to use now this method. We will do a special event in November for Hi level PI users of AIP (our association)
I will not buy your book because PI moves constantly and some very usefull process are changing every year.
A good book is not to describe at a time (2015-2016) every process but the way to abord an image for processing. In 2017 or 2018, your book will be useless if you describe all function like your video. But I understand PI users need documentation. If a book can do the job, why not.
A good book on PI should explain the philosophy of PI. From pre-processing to final processing. For example doing a good chapter on all denoising possibilities, when, where, how... and explain the philosophy of denoising.
In my association, AIP, we are doing Pixinsight training. It is free. When I am doing the training I try to explain why I will do this process or this other one. Why this choice. And question are coming.
- Another thing, it is not because you will claim PI documentation is missing, useless or so, the things will be better. It takes a long time to do a good reference documentation. Juan tries to do the best documentation for each processes. I prefere he uses his time to do new stuff, process, scripts, bug correction for PI than spend his time to do a huge documentation. Every setting in all process have a small information (when mouse over) and it is a good start.
The best in this forum is users can share some settings, even simple, with examples. It is a good starting point. It is how I learned PI, and how I wrote my website (for french users first, as there are many PI website user in english)
So, in respect to the work of PI team (Juan, Carlos...), I ask you to avoid critics on PI documentation. One day it will come and we will not need a book for that !
Regards
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this is the first time I see a book advertisement criticizing the book's main subject.
There seems to be some misunderstanding going on here. They are talking about the lack of published books on Pixinsight - not Pixinsight itself.
"PixInsight has been inadequately documented in print--until now."
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"inadequately", while undoubtedly better than "poorly" (originally used in the same advertisement), is still pejorative, even along with the "in print" specifier. IMO, Instead of insisting in a negative fact, a much more constructive (and efficient) way to advertise this book could be simply "This book is a thorough documentation for PixInsight", or even "This is the most comprehensive book about PixInsight to date", just to put two easy examples. Just a reflection on common advertising methods, not something really important.
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a much more constructive (and efficient) way to advertise this book could be simply "This book is a thorough documentation for PixInsight", or even "This is the most comprehensive book about PixInsight to date", just to put two easy examples. Just a reflection on common advertising methods, not something really important.
Yes, I agree. Would also have avoided any misunderstandings.
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this is the first time I see a book advertisement criticizing the book's main subject.
There seems to be some misunderstanding going on here. They are talking about the lack of published books on Pixinsight - not Pixinsight itself.
"PixInsight has been inadequately documented in print--until now."
I think this is exactly the point in the advertisement. We all know that documentation exists within PI itself via mouseovers, etc. A feature I particularly like as it saves a lot of effort looking up the particular topic in another source. But a comprehensive resource as is being compiled by Warren also has a lot of value and I find it very desirable, especially if I'm undecided on what tool to use next or for a particular problem. Something the mouseovers can't do.
To each task we must use the proper tool: The print documentation for basic processing decisions, the mouseovers for detailed info on specific tasks within the chosen tools. I think they complement each other very well. I do plan on purchasing the book when it is available.
(Warren: Will signed copies be available to some of your good PI buddies here? hint-hint... http://pixinsight.com/forum/Smileys/default/grin.gif
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Hi everyone, Geez- I'm sorry I missed this thread. I've not checked in for quite some time. Juan, I agree. I got Springer to change the language once, and I'll be sure that it's tweaked again. Your suggestions are more in line with what we want to communicate.
Update: Nora at Springer has put in for a change of language in the book ad on November 24. Sorry that the wording was less than ideal, it should be changed fairly soon.
I'm in the process of illustrating the book now. Twenty-five of thirty-six chapters are complete with screen caps, captions, etc. This might be as hard as the actual writing was! Of course, rewriting is inevitable and continues throughout. My thanks to my technical proofreaders (Milovic, Brecher, Wright, Forman) and to the PTeam.
The manuscript will be delivered to Springer before year-end. I'd imagine Springer could have it ready by the middle of 2016. Thanks for all of your support!
Phillipe, of course PI is very dynamic and will continue to evolve. And, one glance over this forum demonstrates that a book can't be all things to all people, nor can it hope to document neither the depth of PI, nor the countless scenarios people encounter in image processing. Still, there was a call for a book and I took up the challenge, I believe with Juan's blessing. If nothing else, it will be an accurate description of image processing with the convenience of being in one place. It's much more in-depth than the video tutorials were, and I'm working very hard to make it the best it can be.
Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends, and thanks to all!
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How's the book progress Warren? Looking forward to getting a copy as soon as it's available.
Geoff
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How's the book progress Warren? Looking forward to getting a copy as soon as it's available.
Geoff
Me too! Waiting can be such a drag on one's well being. But I'd rather wait on a great book than jump into a merely good book just to satisfy my lack of patience. I'm trusting Warren to deliver the best he is possibly able to achieve.
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Hello my friends, Just a quick update on the Inside PixInsight book http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319256801?token=prtst0416p. My editor Nora Rawn at Springer said "...Your book is very clear and thorough—and remarkably typo-free which is always a treat! Your hard work is very clear and the result is a very usable guide that will surely serve as a wonderful resource... Again, thanks for all of your hard work—it’s a tremendous manuscript!" The manuscript is now with Springer's printer, SPI Global in India and I should see a proof in about 7 weeks. Patience, breathe deep...
Many thanks again to Dr. Ron Brecher (main technical reviewer), Carlos Milovic (technical reviewer), Dr. Stu Forman and Richard S. Wright Jr. (proofreaders) for their invaluable help, and to Maestro Juan and all of you for your support!
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Warren -
Do you think you'll be attending SCAE this year? It would be good to see you - and maybe get an autographed version if it's complete by then?
Regards,
Frank Kloer
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Not possible Frank, but we'll get you that autograph at some point.
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Hi friends, It was great presenting PI for you with Astrodoc Ron Brecher at CAPS in London, Ontario. Just a quick update on the Inside PixInsight book- The proof is in final review and must be returned to the printer by June 7. Publication is to follow in July! Thanks for all of your interest and support. More thank you's to follow upon publication!
http://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/productFlyer/productFlyer_978-3-319-25680-1.pdf?SGWID=0-0-1297-177750044-0
http://www.amazon.com/Inside-PixInsight-Patrick-Practical-Astronomy/dp/3319256807
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Warren
Is there much if any difference in the layout between the printed and the eBook versions? The eBook version would be so much easier to use on either a second screen or a tablet.
Thanks for all the hard work and the Springer page is bookmarked. :)
Mike
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Mike, I think the e version will be identical. And, while a hard copy is always nice- I agree. Due to the small physical size of the Springer/Moore series, figures will be on the small side, and lacking a spiral binding will make it hard to work directly from the softcover version. With a PDF, etc. version- you can enlarge it and move it around for optimal convenience!
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Hi all, as many of you know, 'Inside PixInsight' the book is scheduled to be published on 7-13-16. While the softcover version is available for pre-order from Amazon-
http://www.amazon.com/Inside-PixInsight-Patrick-Practical-Astronomy/dp/3319256807?ie=UTF8&keywords=inside%20pixinsight&qid=1465479168&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1
and Springer-
http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319256801,
Springer also offers an electronic version. If however, you'd prefer a personally inscribed physical softcover, you can pre-order a copy directly from us-
http://www.ip4ap.com/Inside-PixInsight
Thanks very much for your interest and support!
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I just pre-ordered on Amazon! Thank you for putting this together!
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I have a set of your videos Warren so I knew your book would be a great investment. I have preordered a copy on Amazon but they say it has not yet been released. Any updates on when it will be?
Thanks!
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according to the springer page linked above it looks like it got pushed out to august 2. the original release date might have been today, but i can't remember.
rob
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It's now been pushed out to 26 August, according to the Springer website.
Geoff
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argh!!
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Hi Jeff, Rob, et. al., i just checked Springer's page after seeing this- I couldn't find the date? A quick update from my POV- Springer's printer, SPi Global in India and I have been trading proofs for the last few weeks. My first review went back with over 750 comments, which were resolved down to 150, and as of last week, just 30. The outstanding issue at this point is the brightness level of several of the b+w figures. While the original proof faithfully matched mine, subsequent updates were either much too dark, or too light. Not good for a book on astro-imaging (think galaxy cores literally clipped)! Springer NYC got back involved, sending a firm email on Friday to SPi to get their act together. Fingers crossed, they'll nail it next round, and we can go to print! Just trying for the best it can be. Thank you very much for your interest!
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Hi Jeff, Rob, et. al., i just checked Springer's page after seeing this- I couldn't find the date?
Hi Warren
You need to go to the pull-down menu at "softcover" on the right of the screen.
I'm looking forward to the book. I've had my order in for quite a while.
Geoff
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Yes, Thanks Geoff I saw it today. Again, if they nail everything in the proof I should back get this week, they can release the ebook version and go to print!
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Quick update on Inside PixInsight by Springer. Last Saturday 8/13/2016, I gave the printer, SPi Global the thumbs up to begin the publication and printing process. It won't be too much longer now. I had a very tough time with them trying to get the brightness levels of the black and white figures correct. They now look good in both the online version and the print version. I'll update you as soon as I get a more specific timeline. Thanks for your patience!
http://www.ip4ap.com/books/inside-pixinsight-by-warren-keller (USA and Canada only)
http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319256801
(free shipping worldwide)
https://www.amazon.com/Inside-PixInsight-Patrick-Practical-Astronomy/dp/3319256807
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argh!!
Now 11 October. Is there an advance on "argh!!"?
Note added: I just received an email from the Book Depository, saying that my pre-ordered book is now available from the publisher and should be dispatched soon. They don't define "soon"
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Argh indeed Geoff, et al! Hello friends. As of today, I noted that Springer's website now lists October 11 as the new published date. However, their head of production stated to me "Dear Warren, I am sorry that your book had book had gone to the printer later than scheduled. It went to the printer on Sept. 9th. I noticed that the eBook is already posted on our SpringerLink website but possibly will not be available for purchasing until the printed book publishes. I do not believe that the publication due date of Oct. 11 is accurate. I expect it to publish the end of September at the latest (and pre-orders fulfilled by then), and the eBook should be available for purchasing by then, or possibly earlier. Best regards, Jeff"
As I'll be in China until November 1, those of you kind enough to have ordered an inscribed copy directly from us, won't receive it until after I return unless I receive them before I leave. So sorry for these delays on Springer's part! Those of you interested in the e version should have it available much sooner. :<( Soon, soon...
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E Book version is available! Softcover has moved from pre-order to order status!
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Just bought the E-book. Nice!
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is the printed book in color? and how about the ebook?
can anyone report how it feels/looks like on a Kindle?
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Thanks guys! The ebook and printed version are the same ChoJin- mostly b+w figures with a good amount of color too. Should look good on Kindle but let's wait to hear from a buyer- it was the figures of the print version that the setup contractor had so much trouble getting the brightness levels right.
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Hi Warren
I've got the ebook and the amount of planning and work that must have gone into it is most impressive. It's a very comprehensive coverage of all the essentials and nicely written. PI has needed something like this for quite some time.
Well done.
Geoff
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Thank you Geoff!!
Folks, Frank Kloer wrote me privately today "I purchased the E pub version of your Inside PixInsight book. I noticed that the hyperlinks to chapters within the book point to URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25682-5_22, which is the Springer website. I have Acrobat Pro that I use at work so I am going to correct them as I come across. If you'd like I can send you a copy when I get done." Frank, thanks for drawing my attention to this!
The reply from Springer's production head Jeff Taub says "Hi Warren, Thank you bringing this linking issue to our attention. The chapter links should be connected to the chapter inside the book instead on an external webpage. I will have this corrected. Best regards, Jeff."
This should be rectified soon- apologies! Springer has thrown me more than a few curve balls along the way!
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DSLR-based astro-imagers who've been kind enough to purchase my book, Inside PixInsight- Please be advised that there's a small but significant error on page 58 under the DSLR header. You do NOT need to load RAW files to the BPP script via the Add Custom button. Simply add RAWs using their specific file-type buttons (i.e. Add Lights, Add Darks). I very much regret this error. Springer will add a correction as an errata sometime in October.
I've been putting in a similar paragraph with each book I ship directly. Imperfect, but I'm a very conscientious person if nothing else! I stand by the integrity of >99% of the carefully researched and tested content. Thanks guys!
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Friends, the wonderful Springer company has struck again. Unbeknownst to me, they ceased adding extra materials to their extra materials page! And, since my Springer 'editor' quit before giving the manuscript a proper going over, this wasn't caught. Their head of production today felt that this was significant enough to halt the presses so the link could be updated to show- the extra materials are available via the link at the bottom of the book's page- http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319256801, right above 'Recommended for you.' What's recommended for me is two aspirin and a bourbon! :>)
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Warren, I got the Extras downloaded, but ffmpeg.exe does not open. There is a very brief dialog box that appears for less than a second and then nothing.
Larry
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ffmpeg.exe is a command-line program, so double-clicking it probably opens command.com, ffmpeg.exe displays it's help text (because there were no arguments given) and quits (because there were no arguments given), thus immediately closing the command.com instance.
it's used to make movies from the Blink process. there's a slot in the Blink to plug in where the executable is. obviously this only works on windows. for OSX you need to install ffmpeg from homebrew or macports, or build it from source.
rob
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Thanks Rob. I did not know what the file was for as I did not receive the book yet (Due today).
Larry
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Thanks for helping Larry out Rob! This isn't about trying to make you spend more of your hard-earned dollars- while inscribing a copy of the book this morning, it frustrated me that the quality of the figures, and their small physical size make them less illustrative of some key points than I intended. While the text is crafted very clearly, consider doing yourself a favor- also purchase the eBook. The electronic version's figures can be zoomed into, and are of higher bit-depth and dynamic range. Have a great day guys. http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319256801#
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I bought the book last week and I must say I am most impressed. I have learned loads of stuff from it already and that is just on the pre-processing.
The book is most comprehensive. Thank you Warren for all your hard work in making this book happen.
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In case any of you are still holding out and want a sense of what the book offers in some detail, attached please find a review I wrote for Astronomy magazine:
http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/astronomy/archive/2016/09/28/a-review-of-the-book-inside-pixinsight-by-warren-keller.aspx
Best,
Jim
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Jim, Thanks so much for doing that- much appreciated! I hope that there's an opportunity to do a revision one day, so that I can continue to make it better.
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Hey all! Good news for those waiting for my book 'Inside PixInsight' by Springer Nature. As of this morning, the printing has at last been taken off of hold! It took an absurd eight weeks to put two small corrections through, but it's done and the presses are rolling again. FYI, Amazon has ~800 copies of the ORIGINAL version available immediately. Orders for a NEW, inscribed version from me directly, or orders for either the NEW softcover or eBook from Springer and other sources will take a bit more time for posting, printing and shipping. The changes were not earthshaking, so you'd be OK with either version. Thank you!
http://www.ip4ap.com/books/inside-pixinsight-by-warren-keller
https://www.amazon.com/Inside-PixInsight-Patrick-Practical-Astronomy/dp/3319256807/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474475859&sr=1-1&keywords=inside+pixinsight
http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319256801
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Warren, for those of us with the first printing, is there somewhere we can go to view the corrections and make notes in our book?
Larry Phillips
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Hi Larry, Thank you. The issues are on page 57 and 58. The Springer Extras link on page 57 sites a page the publisher no longer uses, and s/b www.springer.com/us/book/9783319256801. The link in blue is above 'Recommended for you' near the page bottom.
Page 58 under DSLR read "Currently, DSLR RAW files ([CR2, NEF, etc.] both calibration and light frames) must be loaded via Add Custom! You may only need to specify Image Type for the script to recognize them." The new version reads "Currently, DSLR RAW files ([CR2, NEF, etc.] both calibration and light frames ) must be loaded by file type, using the corresponding buttons at the bottom of the dialog. Rather than clicking the generic Add Files button, light frames would only be recognized and properly loaded using the Add Lights button. This is because RAW files don't have any self-identifying information in a textual header as do the FITS and XISF formats. This can also be accomplished using the Add Custom feature. There, you should only need to specify Image Type for the script to recognize them."
Thanks for your support!
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Here ye, Here ye! I've published a document with amendments to the book 'Inside PixInsight.' If you've bought the book, thank you! This is my continuing effort to make the book as accurate and complete as possible. Please visit this link http://www.ip4ap.com/shop_2017 and click on the yellow 'amendments' link to download the PDF. The document's direct link is http://www.ip4ap.com/documents/Inside%20PixInsight.pdf. Look for an update of less significant points next month when I return home. Thanks for your time and attention, and faith in me!
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Thanks Warren for your continued attention to detail.
Larry Phillips
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You are most welcome Larry. I'm constantly learning myself. I strive for perfection, but alas, I am merely mortal.