Author Topic: Preprocess and stack while I sleep  (Read 5148 times)

Offline sharkmelley

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Preprocess and stack while I sleep
« on: 2012 March 16 13:25:39 »
Hi all,

Another question - I already have a whole week of experience with my trial version of PixInsight  :D

Once I've finished an imaging session I like to set off my processing as a batch job and then go to bed.  When I wake up in the morning I have a stacked image (this works well with both IRIS and with DSS).

Following Harry Page's excellent video tutorial, I thought all I needed to do was to put ImageCalibration, Debayer, StarAlignment and ImageIntegration into a ProcessContainer.  I then put my raw files into a ImageContainer and dragged its blue triangle onto the bottom bar of the ProcessContainer.  It began to do its processing but I got error messages like "ImageCalibration can only be executed in the global context".

Am I doing something wrong  :-[

Mark
Takahashi Epsilon 180ED
H-alpha modified Sony A7S
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/

Offline Josh Lake

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Re: Preprocess and stack while I sleep
« Reply #1 on: 2012 March 16 15:10:52 »
This may be your lucky week, that very tool is being developed by Juan right now in conjunction with a user script. The goal is to have a way to do batch calibration, alignment, and integration while still retaining the full control and flexibility that PixInsight is known for.

This thread may interest you until then: http://pixinsight.com/forum/index.php?topic=3654.0

Offline sharkmelley

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Re: Preprocess and stack while I sleep
« Reply #2 on: 2012 March 16 18:39:38 »

I've managed to put ImageCalibration, Debayer, StarAlignment and ImageIntegration into a script instead - using mainly the default settings but at least it's a start.  I can point it at my raw Canon CR2 files and the master calibration files then it runs through all the steps and produces a final sigma stacked image without further intervention.   

It'll keep me going until Juan's script is available.

I still find it puzzling that the ProcessContainer refuses to do the same thing.

Mark

Takahashi Epsilon 180ED
H-alpha modified Sony A7S
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/

Offline mmirot

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Re: Preprocess and stack while I sleep
« Reply #3 on: 2012 March 16 19:33:58 »
Mark,

Checkout new scripts and modules forum
very active thread under calibration and alignment script.

User input is encouraged. Timing for this could not be better.

Max

Offline marekc

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Re: Preprocess and stack while I sleep
« Reply #4 on: 2012 March 16 20:21:01 »
I'll add another vote for `being able to come home from an imaging session, and calibrate and stack while sleeping'. Oh man, that would be nice!

I suppose it would mean that we have to be extra-careful with data management, making sure the right files go in the right places while we're in the field.  And we might need to check and make sure we don't have any bad frames before heading for bed... unless the calibrate/stack module(s) can do some of this checking for us...

However it works out, I'll be very happy when this sort of workflow is available. Waking up to some nicely calibrated and stacked R, G, B, (or what have you) images would be *very* pleasant!

- Marek

Offline Nocturnal

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Re: Preprocess and stack while I sleep
« Reply #5 on: 2012 March 16 20:29:42 »
I don't know what giant stacks you guys process but ripping through 100 bias, 100 flats and say 30 lights doesn't take more than a few minutes with DSS on my i7 PC. This is with a 6MP color sensor. I haven't tried this on PI but I hope it isn't much slower.
Best,

    Sander
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QHY-8 for imaging, IMG0H mono for guiding, video cameras for occulations
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Offline sharkmelley

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Re: Preprocess and stack while I sleep
« Reply #6 on: 2012 March 17 00:40:44 »
Quote from: mmirot
Checkout new scripts and modules forum
very active thread under calibration and alignment script.
User input is encouraged. Timing for this could not be better.

Thanks - I'll do exactly that!
Takahashi Epsilon 180ED
H-alpha modified Sony A7S
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/