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.
I like this feature as I like to add filter used and instrument to the FITS headers. But: then the tool creates a .meta second file, and that file is four times the size oif my bin 1 ASI294 FITS file. That is a problem .... Â
Can the be a way to just batch modify the header data for individual frames without duplicating (and blowing up the size of) the file (like ASTAP can?). That would be super handy!
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I will ask Mabula for this, I would've expected it to do that actually.
Dear @heylers,
First of all, what APP version are you using ?
With 2.0.0-beta22 the Batch Modify FITS metadata/CFA tool will also ask you how to save the file with the adjusted FITS header. If you save the data with a higher bit depth, the size will logically be bigger.
If you modify a 32bits mono fits file and tell the save dialog to save it as 32bits float FITS, the size is virtually identical to the original file. Same, if I save a 16bits CFA file to 16bits FITS, also the size is the same except for some bytes. The actual metadata/header is so small it has no bearing here.
To adjust the header directly in the original file is not done by purpose and by request by users in the past. It is always convenient to keep the original file with the original header intact for whatever reason. If the FITS header modification is correct, simply delete the old original fits file if you no longer need it.
Mabula
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I'm on beta22. I see it now, on save. My bad!
