Ability for Separate RGB Sample Boxes in AutomaticBackgroundExtractor

[twade]

I'm Red/Green colored-blind, and it is impossible for me to see the colored boxes in the generated "Draw Sample Boxes" image.  It would be nice if there was a check box to extract the separate RGB versions of the sample boxes.  This was possible in the command line version of the same tool (i.e. ABE).

Is there any documentation on this tool included in PixInsight Standard?

Thanks,

Wade

[Juan Conejero]

Hi Wade,

Try splitting the sample boxes image into separate R, G, B channels. Now it's very easy with the new Image > Extract menu actions, also available on the Image tool bar.

We should add an option on the ABE interface to generate separate sample box images. It will be available in the next version.

[Carlos Milovic]

Hi Wade

As Juan said, an alternative is to extract the RGB channels... but I think that a more simple solution is just to change the displayed channels (see the Display toolbar).

BTW, the value of the drawed sample box is equal to its inverted sample value. So, reading this value is a way to check how the parameters are working.

[twade]

Juan and Carlos,

I appreciate your quick responses and suggestions.  I look forward to the improved version.

Try splitting the sample boxes image into separate R, G, B channels.

I thought about doing this, but didn't know if the sample boxes would "separate" correctly into their respective channel.  Apparently, they do.

BTW, the value of the drawed sample box is equal to its inverted sample value. So, reading this value is a way to check how the parameters are working.

I'm not quite sure what you mean here.  I'll look more closely at the drawn sample boxes.  Is the value displayed or do you mouse-over the box and view the pixel value in PixInsight's status bar?  What trend indicates the parameters are being tweaked in the right direction?

I look forward to seeing the documentation on this tool so I have some idea as to what I'm doing.    

Thanks,

Wade

[Carlos Milovic]

Is the value displayed or do you mouse-over the box and view the pixel value in PixInsight's status bar? What trend indicates the parameters are being tweaked in the right direction?

Yes, you'll have to mouse over the drawed box (the boundaries) and read the bar. As I said, that value is the value that ABE uses internally, but inverted. The parameters that reign this behavior are the local adjustments. It should be pretty close to the median of the box, perhaps a bit darker, and should be a good measure of the sky brightness (I hope so ).


By the way, the sample boxes are calculated in a channel by channel basis. Extracting them, or viewing one by one with the display option are accurate ways to see what is happening.