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.
In 1.066 I have been trying to create a BPM but have noticed an error if you select "detect bad columns", process the appropriate images to get a BPM, then uncheck "detect bad column" and reprocess. A severe artefact hangs around as if its related to the previously bad column detection causing the values and BPM to be incorrect.
To recreate:
1. Process Darks, Flats and DarkFlats, selecting create Bad Pixel Map with "detect bad columns" unselected
2. View the BPM
3. Check "detect bad columns" and reprocess
4. View the BPM. For me, this isn't appropriate for my camera
5. Uncheck "detect bad columns" and reprocess
6. Data and image changes show the bad column data interfering
First image is Good/Expected
Second image shows that "detect bad columns" has an adverse affect so I uncheck it and reprocess
Third image should be exactly like the first one - same settings (detect bad columns unchecked) but it is wrong and the values are completely wrong too.
Hi @itarchitectkev,
Thank you for sharing this. I will test this myself using APP 1.068 to see if the issue still exists. I will report back on my findings.
Mabula
Hi @itarchitectkev,
I have tried to reproduce the issue that you described in APP 1.068. But it all works well I believe.
Perhaps the issue was resolved in the latest versions.
Can you test again and let me know if all is allright in APP 1.068 ?
4. View the BPM. For me, this isn't appropriate for my camera
I don't think your camera suffers from bad columns. Your camera has a rather new CMOS sensor 😉 . The bad columns are mostly only an issue with CCD technology.
Thanks in advance 😉
Mabula
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I can't recreate this on 1.068.
One minor point though - if the option is "*detect* bad columns", then in theory this option shouldn't make any difference if selected or not, but it does. It does affect the BPM. It therefore must be making some wrong decision during it's detection, else it shouldn't be called "detect". Perhaps, "mask bad columns" is more appropriate so it doesn't imply the processing is making a decision?
