Image Library Management

[glatiak]

While I have only recently gotten into astro imaging, I am noticing how quickly the project files and partially processed image files pile up. So after a fruitless web search for astro image management software on the web, I am just curious as to what strategies folks use to keep it all from becoming a mess (like my office and workshop...). How do people organize their directories and project files to keep it all straight over time? Any tools out there that are helpful? And is there any point where some of the intermediate files can be purged?

Thanks,

greg latiak

[Niall Saunders]

Hi Greg,

Unfortunately there is no single solution that will apply to every user, and not even a fixed solution that could be proposed for PI users in general (my own method has been carefully thought out, yet it still changes!!) Also, any method you choose to base your plans on has to be one that is compatible with your particular imager (or selection of imagers - one that suits an OSC my not suit a DSLR, and would certainly not be suitable for mono imagers).

So don't waste time and effort hunting the Web for your 'pot of gold at the end of your rainbow' Let us know what your detailed equipment setup is, and the types of objects you might be thinking of imaging, and someone may be prepared to guide you through the way 'they' do things.

One nugget of information that has worked for me is to buy plenty of HDD storage and to perform regular backups (I do this every hour), and I backup to several different physical devices, at several different physical locations, and I am always on the lookout for any storage bargains that are worth the money - but limit all my drives, RAIDed or otherwise, to 2TB because even that is a lot of storage to have to restore if the worst happens . . .

[glatiak]

Well, thanks. As a retired IT guy, I have always been a bit of a nut about backup and replication. I have a domain here that backs everything up nightly to some iscsi volumes. I think there is roughly 30tb of storage here, some of it mirrored. I have been using 4tb drives, run a gigabit network. Rebuilt a few over the years

What I have been doing is using DSP7 to log my observations -- any image data goes in a date format directory tree. I am learning to use PI and find it expanded my file clutter appreciably. I have a pair of OSC, one cooled. And a mono on order. Small observatory with a 6" RC, 61mm APO and a small Lunt Halpha. I also signed up for iTelescope. Have used Photoshop for a long time, much with scanned sheet film.

Objects I enjoy are nebula and close in galaxies, sun and moon. Planets -- not really. Started out trying to get a better image from my camera -- I always scanned my film in 16 bits. Discovered stacking and image stretching... Captured to 16 bit tiff, later FIT. I can build a reasonable image in a capture application -- Sharpcap or Mallincamsky. What I have done with a batch of images through PI are a ways off -- still wrestling with noise and weak/off colour. But I keep going back to it.

I think the date structure for the raw files works and provides continuity. Its the processing output, intermediate files and recognizing that now I can accumulate data over a number of sessions that I need to address. I was thinking of another tree -- maybe using the object name with subs for the active intermediate files and project(s) for the object. Why I was looking to see what was out there. Any suggestions you might have would be appreciated.

greg