PixInsight 1.7.0 codename Starbuck released

[Juan Conejero]

Hi everybody,

We are proud to announce that a new version of PixInsight is now available for all supported platforms: 1.7.0 for FreeBSD, Linux, Mac OS X and Windows.

PixInsight 1.7.0 Starbuck is an important milestone in the history of PixInsight development. This release introduces the new project functionality in PixInsight, new Convolution and FourierTransform tools, a new JavaScript engine with just-in-time compilation, new process output properties for flexible script development, a new format hints system that allows ad-hoc control of file formats, a renewed look and feel on all platforms, and hundreds of performance improvements and bug fixes.

A PixInsight project allows you to take a snapshot of the whole PixInsight platform and save it as a special file in XML format, along with a data folder where all images, previews and related data are stored with their processing histories and associated states. A project can also include all workspaces, icons, text files and the current states of all process interfaces, among other objects. We uploaded a movie to PixInsight's YouTube channel where you can see an example of PixInsight projects in action:

http://www.youtube.com/user/PixInsight#p/u/0/3U8jw3Zjcyw

When you load a project everything returns to the exact state it had when you saved it, and you can continue your work at the point you left it, just as if you had not exited PixInsight or turned off your computer. Projects are going to change the way we work and enjoy image processing with PixInsight definitely.

PixInsight 1.7.0 also integrates Mozilla's SpiderMonkey JavaScript engine version 1.8.5, the same engine used by Firefox 4. It includes an improved JavaScript interpreter and two just-in-time compilers to achieve up to 4x faster execution of scripts in PixInsight, compared to version 1.6.9.

There are much more improvements in PixInsight 1.7.0. This version comes with two new tools: Convolution and the FourierTransform/InverseFourierTransform pair. The Convolution tool allows you to define Gaussian filters (with customizable sigma, kurtosis, aspect ratio and rotation angle), arbitrary kernel and separable filters with a powerful filter library manager, and apply images as convolution filters.

FourierTransform and InverseFourierTransform allow you to perform discrete Fourier transforms and manipulate the transform components directly (either as the power spectrum -magnitude and phase- or as the real and imaginary components). Then you can apply the inverse transform from the modified components. An extremely interesting image analysis and processing tool in the frequency domain, conceived by PTeam member Carlos Milovic.

I am aware of the fact that all of these new tools, features and improvements require thorough descriptions with examples. We'll provide them, once we get a bit of rest after the final sprint before release. We'll post detailed release information to the Release Information board on this forum during the incoming days.

Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement. We work for you and for the development of astrophotography. We hope all of you like and enjoy this new version.

[Catanonia]

The "Check for Updates" inside PI isn't picking this new update up ?

Windows 7 x64   PI V1.6

[Juan Conejero]

Hi,

This new version requires a full download from our software distribution site. It cannot be retrieved through the update system.

If you are a Windows user, remember that you should uninstall the current version (Start > All Programs > PixInsight Platform > Uninstall) before installing 1.7.0.

[Catanonia]

Hi,

This new version requires a full download from our software distribution site. It cannot be retrieved through the update system.

If you are a Windows user, remember that you should uninstall the current version (Start > All Programs > PixInsight Platform > Uninstall) before installing 1.7.0.

Sweet All working fine now, thanks for the hard work and the update

[Gary]

Very impressed so far looks very nice loads up and runs a lot faster on fedora 14 64bit. My usual work flows ran like a charm
Thanks for all the hard work guys much appreciated.

[pfile]

by the way, in the past you and vincent had spoken of new dark scaling algorithms in imageCalibration and also the multiscale integration techniques. are these features in 1.7?

[jmtanous]

Muchas gracias! La funcionalidad de guardar proyectos completos es lo mejor que le ha podido pasar a PI!!!

¡Saludos y enhorabuena!

José

[papaf]

Thanks Juan for your continued efforts on this amazing program!
Gonna try the new release soon!

Fabio

[h0ughy]

thats great - do we still need to download the libraries or are they included?  I can only see the main programme?

[Juan Conejero]

Hi Rob,

by the way, in the past you and vincent had spoken of new dark scaling algorithms in imageCalibration and also the multiscale integration techniques. are these features in 1.7?

Not yet. Multiscale integration will be implemented as a script, not as a tool. We have everything we need for this script so it's a matter of putting all the pieces together. MultiscaleIntegration (MSI) should be released within the next weeks.

Multipoint dark frame optimization is more difficult. Actually, it is much simpler than MSI but we have serious doubts about the algorithm's performance, so we need much more testing and refining work. But definitely we want to release it during the 1.7 cycle.

[Redshift]

Exciting stuff this. I've tried the 64 bit version on my Mac running snow leopard. My initial findings: I can now move an image from workspace to workspace without the cursor snagging. The Wacom tablet function's much better and I've had a dabble with a project.

Now to learn how to use the projects facility.

Regards
Dave

PS I'll clarify what I mean about the Wacom tablet, I'm using a Intuos 3 Graphics tablet. It has four function buttons, only the zoom/scroll 'button' appears to work. This is zooming the image in and out. The other 3, appear to have no function. The improvement is with the cursor on the image I can now use the tablet to scroll around the image when I'm working at a large size. Prior to this release that didn't work.

[pfile]

Hi Rob,

by the way, in the past you and vincent had spoken of new dark scaling algorithms in imageCalibration and also the multiscale integration techniques. are these features in 1.7?

Not yet. Multiscale integration will be implemented as a script, not as a tool. We have everything we need for this script so it's a matter of putting all the pieces together. MultiscaleIntegration (MSI) should be released within the next weeks.

Multipoint dark frame optimization is more difficult. Actually, it is much simpler than MSI but we have serious doubts about the algorithm's performance, so we need much more testing and refining work. But definitely we want to release it during the 1.7 cycle.

okay, thanks. i will look forward to that. if you want some canon master darks and lights to test your algorithms i have plenty

[sleshin]

Thanks Juan and team for all the hard work getting 1.7 out. Missing in 1.7 are the documentation write ups for some of the processes like
Curves and Histo Transformation that were available in 1.6. Did I miss getting the documentation downloaded or will it be added as an update?

Steve

[gvanhau]

Gracias por el gran esfuerzo. Ya probaremos las capacidades de trabajar con proyectos.

Thanks  for you great effort. I will soon try the new proyect capabilities.

[jtalbot]

Congratulations Juan.  Saving your work as a project is a significant improvement to the functionality of PixInsight.  Wonderful...

Jon Talbot