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.
RFCs - Request for changes
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Topic starter
August 27, 2018 14:46
Hi,
I have been using APP for a little while now and while the workflow and processing are generally excellent I would like to request a few usability related features:
- Make better use of the screen by removing all the elements above the working directory button. Instead put them on a config dialog which is activated by a small button.
- Make the current directory button much smaller and line up with the config button.
- Add the notion of a project which remembers working dir, file lists, settings etc. These can then be loaded in one go rather than having to reload manually. Of course, if APP understands projects then there is no need for a working directory button, only new and load project buttons.
- Make the default location for the working directory (or project) the user’s pictures folder rather than documents. Remember the last location if available.
- Add the ability to use APP as an image viewer – at the moment I have to use another program (AA) to browse images and quickly view them to check if any are dud or not. This would require windows file associations to work so that clicking on a FITS file opens it in APP. It would also require drag and drop of multiple files.
regards, Richard
