Bringing CCDStack Files into PI

[cardiofuse]

I had a tough time with this while understanding how PI handles FITS images.  Sometimes (due to large blooms unrepairable with HDR composition and short exposures) I need to debloom in CCDStack while saving the image as a 32 bit floating point format.  I noticed that when I calibrated (especially Ha images) with my PI masters (bias, darks and flats) that the resulting image was severely degraded and grainy.  So here is my workaround to get these images to scale properly when bringing them into PI.

-Inside of PI, open the Format Explorer and double click the FITS format
-Change the Floating Point Out Of Range Policy to:  "Ask on out-of-range read values"
-Open the CCDStack file you wish and answer the question:  in the Upper Range field change from 1.0000 to 65,535 and hit OK
-Then Save As the file to an XISF with the option of:  32-bit IEEE 754 floating point format
-Now you can open this new file (replace the old one if you wish) in PI and all should be well again

I hope this helps anyone and I really invite other work arounds and comments and corrections to this technique. 

Rick
cardiofuse observatory

[llpastro]

If you have the latest version of CCDS (version 2.91) and save the image as 16 bit unsigned integer fit, there should be no incompatibility problem.

Larry

[cardiofuse]

I did notice last night that, after imaging with Maxim DL, I can open the saved files, debloom and replace and they will open natively in PI.  This may be the simplest solution.  (for those using Maxim go grab).