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've been getting this warning for some time but seems to have no effect. But now that I've update to 1.075 and I'm processing directly from DNG files, I thought I would report it. Please see attached screen capture:Â
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The message is incorrect because all files are ISO 1600 so this message should not appear. Please see attached file showing file ISO:
Assuredly the lights are also ISO 1600
That's because you didn't use Darks I believe..
It doesn't have anything to do with the ISO really (as in those of the lights) it has to do with needing a bias, required to normalize the flats that needs to be of the same ISO as the lights. Looking at the files it does seem you successfully created a masterbias and masterflat, those were created in this same session? What is your workflow exactly, maybe that sheds some light on it.
My workflow is very simple now thanks to the DNG support! Thanks again for that!
I leave all settings in the default position and load light, flat and then bias frames - I have yet to do darks but will be trying that today.
Then simply click "Create masters and assign to lights" in tab 2.
Then after the MB is created I see that critical warning. I click OK and processing continues.
Then the MF is created and everything seems to be ok. Just that I'm getting the warning unnecessarily.
That indeed is strange, I'll tag Mabula @mabula-admin so he can have a look at it.
APP always issues a warning if flats are used without either bias or dark or both.
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Hi @astrogee, @maaxx & @vincent-mod,
APP always issues a warning if flats are used without either bias or dark or both.
Indeed, for proper flat-field calibration the flats need to be calibrated with either bias, darkflats or both.
It doesn't have anything to do with the ISO really (as in those of the lights) it has to do with needing a bias, required to normalize the flats that needs to be of the same ISO as the lights.
Now, this is not entirely correct. To properly created a masterbias to correct light frames. The flats need to be corrected with a masterbias that has the same iso/gain as the flats. If the lights have a different ISO/gain value compared to the flats, then you would need 2 masterbiases of the respective ISO/gain values. That is the correct way to calibrate data. Flats can have a different iso/gain value compared to the lights, that is no problem with the camera's these days. (If you have a VERY old camera that does not behave linearly, well then please use the same iso to prevent problems.)
Now since a Masterbias has been created that has the same pixel dimensions as the flats, the warning should not be there. Since APP issues a warning here, it seems that the flats and bias are not matched so I suspect the flat-field calibration is not working as it is supposed to be here.
@astrogee, can you upload a couple of bias and flats and lights (maybe 3-5 of each ?) so I can check what is happening and make sure it works correctly?
https://ariesprodstor.astropixelprocessor.com:7001/
login and password: appuser
Create a folder with your name and let me know once uploaded, then I will have a look as soon as possible.
Kind regards,
Mabula
Hi Mabula, Thanks for responding. I'm having trouble with the security on the link you gave me so I'll have to get back to you a little later. Maybe I should use an FTP client? Had one somewhere but can't find it right now :-s
I had this for my process I just did now. I have:
Lights (Gain=200, Exposure =300s, Temp -20C)
Darks (Gain=200, Exposure = 300s, Temp -20C)
Flats + DarkFlats of same exposure lengths.
No Bias
I got the warning up during Calibration. I cleared it. I processed again after thinking I missed something and then didn't get the error. I was doing multi-session + multi-filter. As far as I could see I checked all boxes yet APP complained.
Hi @astrogee, @maaxx & @vincent-mod,
APP always issues a warning if flats are used without either bias or dark or both.
Indeed, for proper flat-field calibration the flats need to be calibrated with either bias, darkflats or both.
It doesn't have anything to do with the ISO really (as in those of the lights) it has to do with needing a bias, required to normalize the flats that needs to be of the same ISO as the lights.
Now, this is not entirely correct. To properly created a masterbias to correct light frames. The flats need to be corrected with a masterbias that has the same iso/gain as the flats. If the lights have a different ISO/gain value compared to the flats, then you would need 2 masterbiases of the respective ISO/gain values. That is the correct way to calibrate data. Flats can have a different iso/gain value compared to the lights, that is no problem with the camera's these days. (If you have a VERY old camera that does not behave linearly, well then please use the same iso to prevent problems.)
Now since a Masterbias has been created that has the same pixel dimensions as the flats, the warning should not be there. Since APP issues a warning here, it seems that the flats and bias are not matched so I suspect the flat-field calibration is not working as it is supposed to be here.
@astrogee, can you upload a couple of bias and flats and lights (maybe 3-5 of each ?) so I can check what is happening and make sure it works correctly?
https://ariesprodstor.astropixelprocessor.com:7001/
login and password: appuser
Create a folder with your name and let me know once uploaded, then I will have a look as soon as possible.
Kind regards,
Mabula
Hi Mabula,
I'm having trouble uploading. I can't get proper access. Don't I need the home directory for appuser? I get this message:
Â
Dropbox File (Private or Invalid)Thank you, sorry for the delay, I've been away for a bit as I'm moving (yet again). The server doesn't have a certificate indeed, this seems to be fine for most browsers that only warn about it, but some might have issues. Mabula might look into getting a certificate, but just for sharing data it seems a bit unnecessary maybe.
I'll download the files and have a go myself.
So I tested the files and I first created the master frames which worked fine without warning. Integration completed as well without warning..
