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.
Sometimes when I include my bias I get a completely black or completely white frame upon integration. Removing the bias and reintegrating renders and nice image. I think it happens mostly with hydrogen Alpha but RGB also but only sometimes. Have you any idea why this might happen?
@gregwrca, yes I do. It has to do with how data calibration works at the moment in APP. In APP 1.060 this shouldn't happen anymore 😉
Let me explain: in APP (versions lower than 1.060) if you load bias and dark frames of the same ISO/gain, then the darks will be subtracted by a masterbias created form the bias frames. If you calibrate lights then, you need to load both masterdark and masterbias for correct calibration.
But if you only create a masterdark by loading only darks (no bias/masterbias) then the bias signal and pedestal is not subtracted from the darks in creation of the masterdark.
In that case, if you later add a masterbias to the masterdark and try to calibrate your lights, you will be subtracting the bias signal and pedestal twice from your light frames. And that will explain the problem that you describe.
I understand this is a bit complicated and not very user friendly. So in APP 1.060 the new calibration engine should prevent problems like this 😉
Cheers,
Mabula
So skip bias for now? Will that work? Or should I load the master bias when I create my darks and flats Masters and leave it there for every step of the way
