Master Flats not applied in Batch Preprocessing

[jmorris1]

As a newcomer, I'm trying to go back to some of my old data and reprocess.  When I processed these with MaxIm 5...., to reduce file size, I saved my calibration files as FITS  Master Bias, Master Darks, and Master Flats.  The original light frames were saved as individual FITS files.  When I try to process these now with the BatchPreprocessing script, the Master Flats are not used but the Master Darks and Bias seem to be used.

Is this the dreaded FITS Incompatibilities issue?

[tloebl]

I (as a newbie) am having the same issue with fits files. The master darks and bias frames are being processed by the script but not the  master flat. I tried adding : IMAGETYP = 'flat' paramater to the header, but no luck ...

Tom

[Alejandro Tombolini]

Dificult to say what is going wrong, but I suggest you redo your Masters with BPP and I think it will work. Saludos, Alejandro

[jmorris1]

 Alejandro -- Thanks for your suggestions but unfortunately, in the past, when I "finished" processing a target, in order to save disk space, I would delete the individual calibration frames and keep the masters; therefore, I can not go back now and create master flats in PI. 

For others that may comment on this thread, I know it's small but if you count up to the seventh line from the bottom of the "history" it shows "Imagecalibration.masterFlat.calibrate.false" .  This line for the bias and dark read at the end "true".

[Alejandro Tombolini]

Oops! that is a good reason for not redoing your masterflat.
open your master flat and check if PI opens it correctly. If so you can use Image Calibration tool for calibration of the images. If the Master Flat is not calibeated check "Calibrate" in the tool.
After calibration use Image Registration and Image Integration tools.
Hope it works
Saludos, Alejandro

[tloebl]

I had a very helpful person analyze my issue for me and it turns out  that the FITS header is case sensitive. One of the entries in my master flat header was FILTER= 'clear' but the required syntax is FILTER='Clear' with a capital 'C', after which I stopped getting the master flat error. I have not found a description of the required FITS header syntax for PI.

Tom

[jmorris1]

Alejandro -- Tried you suggestions and the master flats do open in PI and master flats are already calibrated in that they are bias subtracted and integrated.
Tom -- The FITS header does have the filter names starting with a capital letter.

I have a work-around where I calibrate (master dark and master flat subtract) the individual L,R,G,and B frames and then stack in MaxIm.  I can at least take those into PI and get started.

[chemstock1]

I have a similar issue with the batch processor. It is creating the Flat file but doesn't appear to be applying the correction to the calibrated frame.  I had thought it may be due to the pixel rejection algorithm but the batch processor stalls when I select "no rejection"
When I create the master with the "integration" process, the batch processor does not recognize these as masters.

I can create the calibration frames and combine them in Maxim so I know the issue is not poor data.  I do prefer the PI registered process since I think the pixel rejection algorithms produce a superior frame.

As a side note - the batch processor creates an integrated light but does not save it.   I need to go back an reintegrate for each filter.

Chris Hemstock

[Juan Conejero]

I had a very helpful person analyze my issue for me and it turns out  that the FITS header is case sensitive. One of the entries in my master flat header was FILTER= 'clear' but the required syntax is FILTER='Clear' with a capital 'C', after which I stopped getting the master flat error. I have not found a description of the required FITS header syntax for PI.

There is no "syntax" for filter names. However, filter names are interpreted as case-sensitive, so "Clear" and "clear" are taken as two different filters. What does not make any sense IMO is this mix of filter names in the same data set. Have all of the images been acquired with the same software? Are you using master frames created by the BPP script?

[Juan Conejero]

As a side note - the batch processor creates an integrated light but does not save it.   I need to go back an reintegrate for each filter.

The BPP script writes integrated "master light" images.

However, the BPP script should never be used for integration of production images. The integrated image is just a convenience preview that should be discarded. Image integration should be done manually to fine tune rejection and SNR maximization parameters..