EZ Processing Suite

[darkarchon]

Hello everyone,

I have been coding in the past few weeks on a set of scripts which I have dubbed the EZ Processing Suite. Although it doesn't do only processing and the script collection is still small I still want to share it with you guys.

It's still early days and heavy under development and constantly improving. Just a few minutes ago I ported all the scripts I had to my new EZ Common Runtime 2.0 - so yeah expect things to not work 100% smoothly or break. Some scripts will require StarNet++ either running in PI or a mask generated by StarNet++ from the application.

Ok long story short, let me tell you what the EZ Processing Suite contains.

EZ Common Runtime 2.0

This is the base I have coded all scripts on. All scripts feature similar features (where applicable):

• How-to use button with prerequisites and steps to apply the script effectively
• Able to run on previews with multiple tabs to apply the results
• Results can be applied to the whole image afterwards
• Extensive console output of the current state and processes happening
• Settings are stored throughout multiple sessions after applying them
• Previews in the script respect original STF or if none applied, compute their own
• Works on RGB and Luminance images
• Possible to change target image and previews within the scripts

EZ Denoise

A script based on Jon Ristas' TGVDenoise + MultiscaleMedianTransform method. Works best in linear image state.

Main features:

• Generate Masks and Processes for TGV Denoise
• Evaluate the whole denoise process on previews and compare against the original
• Adjust mask settings freely to find the settings that work for you
• Does the whole denoising process for you

Screenshot with example result:

EZ Decon

A script based on OkeWoke's (a friend of mine) deconvolution method by running deconvolution without deringing and replacing the stars with an extensive star mask afterwards. Uses StarNet++.

Main Features:

• Automatically generate fitting star masks with StarNet++
• Quickly edit star masks and compare how well they cover the image
• Automatically generate PSF for your image
• Adjust necessary deconvolution options at will with semi-sane defaults
• Evaluate the whole deconvolution chain over previews and compare against the original

Screenshot with star mask window and controls visible:

Screenshot with example result:

EZ Soft Stretch

A script that will use the HistogramTransformation to stretch an image to a non-linear state with automatic black point detection and reliable median calculation based off my own methods of stretching images to non-linear.

Main features:

• Adjust target median and stretch aggressiveness with easy to use sliders
• Get a live computed preview and information about your result, what you see is what you get
• Using linear regression to calculate blackpoint based on summed histogram

Screenshot with example result:

EZ Star Reduction

Utilizing StarNet++ this will generate a reliable contours mask which then uses MorphologicalTransformation to reduce star sizes reliably. Easy to use and good, not too strong results.

Main features:

• Generates and adjusts a proper star mask for you
• Simple controls that don't need much tweaking
• Reduces stars effectively

Screenshot of the UI:

Example result before/after

EZ Live Stack

Not really a processing addon, but it does exactly what it says. It will monitor a folder for incoming files and stack them together, giving you a good preview of what the nights' result will be.

Main features:

• Can be started in the middle of any image run and will integrate everything
• Allows the use of master calibration files for a better stack preview
• Can export the live stack and load it in later if you want to continue with the live stacking session without restacking previously stacked files
• This also works multi-night since it persists throughout saves
• Will perform rudimentary basic rejection (as good as you can get I guess)

Screenshot with example stack:

And that is it so far. More is to come, more features for each script too as I know myself. If you have any ideas let me know.

If you made it this far you might be interested in actually getting it, the repo URL is https://darkarchon.internet-box.ch:8443/

Thanks for reading and have clear skies!

 

[darkarchon]

Update:

EZ Common Runtime 2.1:
- add generic doPixelMath
- Bugfix selecting empty main view locking up scripts

EZ Decon 0.12:
- adjust star mask with adding custom ellipses (thanks for Herbert Bornemanns GAME script)
- ellipses can be added to star mask and removed from star mask to fine tune the auto generated result

 

[darkarchon]

The repository has permanently moved to https://darkarchon.internet-box.ch:8443/
PixInsight does not handle redirects well (errors out with 301) so the repository needs to be re-added.

Update:

EZ Star Reduction 0.6:
- Added Adam Blocks Star De-Emphasis Method

 

[blinky]

Just installed it and trying out the deconvolve process....

 

[freed]

DeNoise and Star Reduction works very well. I had less success with Deconv. Great contribution putting these together.

 

[darkarchon]

DeNoise and Star Reduction works very well. I had less success with Deconv. Great contribution putting these together.

Hi freed, if deconvolve doesn't work properly for you try adjusting the wavelet layers down. If it increases noise too much you might need to up it again. It's possible that deconvolution doesn't do much for that particular image at all.

 

[freed]

I think you are right with the frame I had in mind. Thanks

 

[freed]

Quick question on Live stack. Does it stack frames from one filter type only or anything in the folder ?

 

[darkarchon]

Live stack stupidly watches a single folder for everything that comes in at the moment. It does not regard filters. You would need to separate your filters to folders. Might add it in a future update.

 

[freed]

Got it. Thanks. Yes, it would be easier, if it could be made filter specific.

 

[darkarchon]

Update:

EZ Common 2.3
- Fix color image display in the previewcontrol (should now be stretched properly)
- Fix sync view of views in previewcontrols that had sync disabled
- Various internal improvements

EZ Decon 0.12
- Added Background Protection checkbox
- Added Background Mask generation
- Will now allow to blend original images' background into the decon processed image which should allow you to decrease wavelets

 

[pfile]

i just looked at the decon script but could only find a subexposure when looking for a linear file, so the results are not proper. however, it does work great.

the only thing i can say at this point, and it is trivial, is that "convolute" and "deconvolute" should be "convolve" and "deconvolve". in the help and in the starmask edit pane.

rob

 

[darkarchon]

Thanks for the heads-up, fix is pushed.

 

[darkarchon]

Update:

EZ Decon 0.13HF1:
- rename convolute and deconvolute to convolve and deconvolve

EZ Denoise 1.11HF1:
- simplify and fix using background reference for edge detection

EZ Live Stack 0.6:
- bugfix loading in stacks of previous nights
- will now respect filter if filter is present in file fits or xisf header when scanning for files

 

[mrkite47]

Hi EZP guru,

Your suite looks great on all enthusiastic video demos I saw! However, I have a crash in EZ Decon on my Mac, after getting and installing the Starnet++ module StarNet_PI_OSX from sourceforge. Here is attached the trace.
One more thing: Starnet++ seems inactive to create the mask, likely because of missing GPU support. I made it from the StarMask process.

Thanks for any help,
Clear skies,
JB

 

[darkarchon]

Hmm yeah I heard of a few crashes of decon during window resize operations, I'll check it out, might be related.

 

[darkarchon]

Update:

EZ Live Stack 0.7 deployed
- can now stack multiple different stacks in parallel
- can do simple RGB stacks for mono data (with R/G/B or Narrowband channels)
- can run SCNR Green on RGB stack
- each stack can now separately choose whether to ignore filters in metadata or not
- icons in tab for current stack status
- various usability improvements

 

[freed]

This very cool. Any possibility of adding data on FWHM and eccentricity ?

 

[darkarchon]

What would be the use case on a live stack?

 

[pfile]

the live stack thing is great - lots of clubs are trying to do virtual star parties and it would be great to do this from within PI.