2026-10-09 APP 2.0.0-beta48 has been released !
This is mainly a bug fix release for the reported bugs in beta47. In addition it has a significant User Interface performance improvement noticable when you need to process 1000s of images in APP.
2026-10-03 APP 2.0.0-beta47 has been released !
This is a very big release... many code optimizations/rewrites, many parts of APP are much faster and more precise, especially star analysis and registration are much faster ! Big mosaics will go much faster 🙂
And we introduce a new preview filter, which includes the new Adaptive Deep Sky Stretch and a General Levels Stretch, this has been long over due. The old preview filter (the panel on the right side to stretch and preview your data) has not been updated for a couple of years and it is a critical part of any APP session.
Adaptive Deep Sky Stretch or ADSS is a much more intuitive stretch algorithm. It is also color preserving (which is a great new addition in itself ! ) which means that the highlights are no longer bleached, color is maintained from the linear data while stretching. You can simply stretch your data using the sky background level and signal width sliders which work much easier and more intuitive. You no longer need to fiddle with the old complicated sliders with zoom buttons. All the zoom buttons for the sliders are made redundant. And you can enter slider values in the slider value fields yourself. I will make a youtube video in the coming days to explain and fully introduce ADSS. Once the video is ready, it will be highlighted on the forum.
RGB Combine upgrade !. The RGB Combine Tool has been rewritten mostly. The tool is faster and easier to use and most importantly, the Luminance slider to inject a luminance channel or channels into the RGB composite is now working correctly. It no longer bleaches the RGB colors. Combined with the new ADSS preview, you will get much better and easier great composites with great color! I will also explain this in a new youtube video.
UPDATE 2017-09-01: since APP version 1.050, the windows version is signed with an EV or Extended Validation code signing certificate. This is the best certificate available for code signing so APP should now be instantly trusted by Windows and security software. So this issue is solved now 😉
UPDATE 2017-07-07: I have requested an EV code signing certificate to solve the problems with Norton Security/Anitvirus and Windows 8 and higher to install and start APP. Once I receive the certificate after external security checks, these problems should be solved due to signing of the application with a trusted certificate.
And please read:
https://www.astropixelprocessor.com/community/license/license-sticky/
Kind regards,
Mabula
Hi Mabula,
Has there been any progress with regard to installation of APP on Windows 10 systems running with Norton - you mention above a need to obtain a signing certificate?
I've just downloaded APP for Win 64, intending to do a trial, but application installation is failing despite my asking Norton to trust the application.
In Task Manager I see a process AstroPixelProcessor-1.054.tmp showing as status 'not responding'.
I guess I am going to have to be patient!
Regards
Mike
Hi Mike,
Yes this issue was solved more than 1 month ago, or at least it should have been. You are the first one reporting that Norton still complains ;-(.
Since APP version 1.050 the windows version of APP is signed by an EV trusted certificate and therefore should be instantly trusted by Windows and other security software. The application is totally safe and you should be able to install it.
I am running APP on Windows 10 professional with Bitdefender Internet Security without problems and Windows 10 does indicate it's a trusted application issued by Aries Productions.
"Deze digitale handtekening is in orde"
is dutch for
"this digital signature is approved"
(If Norton doesn't trust this, then something is not entirely right in Norton I feel ;-( )
The certificate that I use for security is issued by Global Sign and is an Extended Validation certificate. That means my company has been investigated, my finances were checked before this certificate was issued. GlobalSign issued the certificate after the background and security checks and my company information.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_Validation_Certificate
"
An Extended Validation Certificate (EV) is a certificate used for HTTPS websites and software that proves the legal entity controlling the website or software package. Obtaining an EV certificate requires verification of the requesting entity's identity by a certificate authority (CA).
Web browsers show the verified legal identity prominently in their user interface, either before, or instead of, the domain name. For software, the verified legal identity is displayed to the user by the operating system (e.g., Microsoft Windows) before proceeding with the installation.
EV certificates use the same encryption as organization validated certificates and domain validated certificates: the increase in security is due to the identity validation process, which is indicated within the certificate by the policy identifier.
The criteria for issuing EV certificates are defined by the Guidelines for Extended Validation, currently (as of January 7, 2017) at version 1.6.1. The guidelines are produced by the CA/Browser Forum, a voluntary organization whose members include leading CAs and vendors of Internet software, as well as representatives from the legal and audit professions.[1]"
To get your installation problem solved, it will be valuable to me if you can share the exact Norton version that you have installed on your Windows 10 system. Maybe I can contact Norton to verify why Norton is not following the global EV signing standards... these standards are created just for this purpose.
Kind regards,
Mabula
Hi Mabula,
To follow up my previous message I can report that APP did eventually install but the process was extremely slow.
In order to get the install started I had to instruct Norton to trust the downloaded file. Having done this I still thought the install was not progressing which was the point I sent my previous message. However I subsequent noticed that in fact the install was still running but extremely slowly. I can only assume that Norton was AV scanning each file individually as it was unpacked from the ZIP file, taking perhaps 10-15 seconds per file. With most installs the files are unpacked way too quickly to read the individual names but in this instance I could have written the names down in long-hand.
Anyway I am now creating some Calibration files.
Let me know if you would like further info.
Mike
Hi Mike,
Excellent, that's good to hear.
Yes, I agree, Norton probably was scanning each file and there are plenty... maybe Norton scans it thoroughly because it doesn't know the application yet, and then reports back to the lab as well. That should help other users with Norton installed. The process should speed-up then I guess in due time when Norton starts to trust the application, although GlobalSign is currently responsible for trust..
Anyway, I am glad you were able to install APP now. I will investigate with Norton myself to ask why this happens.
Thank you for your feedback,
Mabula
Hi! After installation I see this:
I downloaded w64 vers.
What should i do??
Hi Attila @hozee,
That will happen if you install APP in a location where your windows user does not have priviliges. Like installing in Program Files are any other operating system folder.
Best is to install it in your default user directory. The windows installer installs per user, not for all users on the computer.
You can also install it in c:/astropixelprocessor of course.
Mabula
