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.
Is there a set of instructions for this version. Everything I can find omits mention of several new functions/buttons. Very frustrating.Â
There is an old maxim in Software Engineering that says: "you write the documentation FIRST then you code it ..."
@rcol A manual is under way. Is there a particular question that we can help you with meanwhile?
Please excuse my lasck of knowledge in tis area, but tying to use RGB combine, the following questions come to mind:
a) is there a different workflow for a duoband filter (like L-Enhance/L-Extreme) images alone, vs.Â
  a workflow for normal optical + narrowband filters. Which typically yields best results on approproiate targets?
b) "Choose a suitable composite formula for your data" ??? Is this standard terminology or applies only to APP?Â
   How do I know which one to choose? I can guess at it, but what is RGB 1 and RTB 2? THEN hso
C) SELECT ratios ?? WHAT ARE THE TOP 2?
I end up muddy brown images are are obviously bad
Any assistance on a simple workflow much appreciated
@rcol No need to apologize or ask to be excused. We're here to help as much as we can.
a) With a dual-band filter in tab 0 choose the Ha-OIII Color algorithm. As with normal RGB, leave everything to their default values, go straight to tab 6 and click integrate.
b) This is common terminology. In tab 9 in "combine RGB" you can choose for instance the HOO 1 or HOO 2 formula depending on what you want to achieve. Note that when you change formula you need to click the "new formula" button.
c) That very much depends on the target and on your data. This is (in a way) the fun part of astrophotography where you choose what you want and what you like.
Note that all options in all tabs give very extensive help in a popup when you hover the mouse cursor over it.
 "all options in all tabs give very extensive help in a popup" -- mostly true but not not always.
For example, there is a drop-down dialog box to the right of a [New Formula] button (that does not seem to fire - bug?) , can you provide some information like:
LRGB = Luminosity+Red+Green+Blue but what is the difference in between LRGB 1 & LRGB 2 & LRB 3
what is the difference in between RGB 1 & RGB 2
etc. why multiple levels om all selkections and how to use"?
what does the "DEFAULT" SELECTION DO"?
Any assistance greatly appreciated
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@rcol I should have been more careful in my description. The button does fire though that's only visible after loading data. Choosing a different formula will only display what that formula does after you have loaded data. For instance, selecting LRGB 1 and then loading L, R, G and B data will show sliders for how much or each filter will contribute to each color when the data are combined. LRGB 1, 2 and 3 will show different contributions for each filter. RGB 1 and 2 likewise but without using the L filter. The sliders can be manipulated manually to get different contributions. And that's why the "new formula" button exists. Once one of more sliders have been moved, selecting a different formula would undo that selection so the user needs to click that button before the new formula is applied.
You are right that no popups are shown. I'll notify Mabula of this.
