PixInsight 1.8.8-1 Released

[Juan Conejero]

Hi all,

I am glad to announce a new version of the PixInsight core application: 1.8.8-1. This version is now available as an automatic update to version 1.8.8 for FreeBSD, Linux, macOS and Windows.

Main Bug Fixes and Improvements

* Fixed a bug where a wrong warning message was shown when closing an image, after working on it in the Real-Time Preview interface with multiscale processing tools (MultiscaleLinearTransform and MultiscaleMedianTransform). Original bug report:

https://pixinsight.com/forum/index.php?topic=14181.msg85200#msg85200

* Fixed an object dereferencing bug that was causing a memory leak of 32 bytes per image. This bug has not been reported by users.

* Implemented several improvements to the Real-Time Preview interface, which is now faster and provides more robust previews with respect to the initial 1.8.8 version.

* Build numbers are now definitely deprecated and will no longer be used (although they are still available from JavaScript code for compatibility with existing scripts). Build numbers have been replaced by revision numbers, which are exclusive for each release (for example, this new 1.8.8-1 version).

* The application's main window title no longer shows version numbers. The title is from now on just "PixInsight".

Breaking Changes

New syntax of update repository information XML files. The deprecation of build numbers, along with several improvements implemented in this version, change the way update repositories must define their XML repository information files ('updates.xri' files) from now on. A complete description of these changes will be published, but to keep existing third-party repositories working right now, below is a description of an important change that should be implemented by third-party repositories in 'updates.xri' files to provide updates since version 1.8.8-1.

Until version 1.8.8-1 of PixInsight, the 'version' attribute of 'platform' XML elements can include optional build numbers as fourth elements of version specifications. Here is an example:

   <platform os="all" arch="noarch" version="1.8.8.1492:1.8.8.1493">

Since version 1.8.8-1, build numbers are no longer allowed and version specifications must always have three components separated by dots. To address a particular range of PixInsight core versions, you should specify a revision number in the third element of each version specification, separated by an hyphen character. Examples:

   <platform os="all" arch="noarch" version="1.8.8-1:1.8.8-3">
   <platform os="linux" arch="x64" version="1.8.8-1:1.8.8-1">

In practice, this means that if you want to differentiate between specific core versions released before and after 1.8.1-1, you'll have to build separate repositories to distribute your scripts and/or modules, and inform your users about the different repository URLs.

If you are not using build numbers to distribute your scripts or modules selectively, then you don't have to make changes for now. For example, the following platform XML element will continue working correctly in PixInsight 1.8.8-1:

   <platform os="all" arch="noarch" version="1.8.6:1.8.8">

Should you have any doubts or problems with these changes, please don't hesitate to ask here.

__________

Thank you for your attention.

[astroedo]

I've just downloaded the latest update (the one with te new WBPP and MureDenoise).

The new flag "use metadata" in MureDenoise seems not to work properly: the script doesn't load the image number and the Variance Scale, even if I select and deselect the checkbox.

Am I doing something wrong?

[mschuster]

I've just downloaded the latest update (the one with te new WBPP and MureDenoise).

The new flag "use metadata" in MureDenoise seems not to work properly: the script doesn't load the image number and the Variance Scale, even if I select and deselect the checkbox.

Am I doing something wrong?

With the box checked, and if the image has metadata, the script should load combination count but not variance scale. The script uses a difference method and no longer needs to load/modify variance scale.

With the box checked, if you select a different view, combination count should load immediately if the image has metadata.

Please post the image to dropbox and I will take a look.

Thanks,
Mike

[Greg Schwimer]

I have 1.8.8 installed on Linux Mint 19.1, freshly downloaded from the repository. When I attempt to install updates I am given a message:

"This version cannot be downloaded as an update."

I attempt to re-download and install and I get the same result.

Any ideas?

EDIT- RESOLVED

Seems that the repositories were stuck pointing at 1.8.7 even after the upgrade. I fixed this by renaming .PixInsight/PixInsight.conf and restarting PI. After restarting and updating I renamed it back and the repositories seemed to be updated properly.

[astroedo]

Omissis

With the box checked, and if the image has metadata, the script should load combination count but not variance scale. The script uses a difference method and no longer needs to load/modify variance scale.

With the box checked, if you select a different view, combination count should load immediately if the image has metadata.

Please post the image to dropbox and I will take a look.

Thanks,
Mike

Hi Mike thank you for reply.

I don't know how, but this morning it's working... maybe yesterday evening I was quite sleepy... 

So the variance scale is no more needed if I understand well: should I set it at 1?

Thank you!

Edoardo

[Juan Conejero]

Hi Greg,

EDIT- RESOLVED

Seems that the repositories were stuck pointing at 1.8.7 even after the upgrade. I fixed this by renaming .PixInsight/PixInsight.conf and restarting PI. After restarting and updating I renamed it back and the repositories seemed to be updated properly.

By deleting the PixInsight.conf file you have forced a complete reset of application settings. This can also be done by running PixInsight from a command line as follows:

PixInsight --uninstall

Anyway, you can do the following to reset update repositories:

- From the main menu, select Resources > Updates > Manage Repositories.

- On the Manage Update Repositories dialog, click the Default button.

- Click OK

This will reset update repositories to their default URLs for the running version of PixInsight.

[mschuster]

Hi Mike thank you for reply.

I don't know how, but this morning it's working... maybe yesterday evening I was quite sleepy... 

So the variance scale is no more needed if I understand well: should I set it at 1?

Thank you!

Edoardo

Hi Edoardo, thank you, I am glad it is working. Yes, with the 'use image metadata' box checked, start with variance scale set to 1. You can adjust it from there if needed.

Mike

[mmirot]

Strange one.
 The windows for individual images disappear as they are moved. When you let go of the mouse they reappear.

I closed and re opened and the problem is gone. Windows 10.