StarTools

I imaged the Eagle nebula last night (60 subs), and ran deep sky stacker to generate an autosave file. I can't open the autosave file using startools. I got the following message from Startools:

"Could not read file. Make sure image file is a FITS file, or uncompressed, IBM PC byte-order TIFF file or a PNG file."

I checked and the file is a TIF file, so I am not sure why it won't open. This is the first time I have used DSS on my new computer. Do I need to change a setting in DSS to get the autosave to be in a format startools can read? Should it be TIF or FITS, and how do I indicate that in DSS? Note- the subs I took were FITS format, but for some reason DSS created a TIF file.

Here is a google drive link to my autosave file. Can anyone assist?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15HnYvm ... sp=sharing

If I remember correctly the autosaved file is somewhat compressed and you have to use the save integer TIFF option. Have to admit that I haven't used DSS for quite a while so not really sure.

In case you have closed DSS in the meantime, you'll have to stack again...

Regards
Stefan

Select FITS files on the Intermediate Files tab of the Stacking Parameters dialog. This will produce an autosave.fits file which ST can ingest.

Stefan B wrote: ↑Thu Aug 25, 2022 12:45 pm If I remember correctly the autosaved file is somewhat compressed and you have to use the save integer TIFF option. Have to admit that I haven't used DSS for quite a while so not really sure.

In case you have closed DSS in the meantime, you'll have to stack again...

Regards
Stefan

Yes and no.

An autosave in TIFF will be 32-bit rational, zipped (deflated). ST cannot open a zipped TIFF. In the stacking settings, intermediate tab, there is an option for file type that applies to all interim and your final stack. If you select TIFF it will be as above. If you select FITS, your autosave will be a 32-bit rational FITS.

You do not have to stack again. DSS can of course open its own compressed TIFF. Use "open picture file." Then, choose "save picture to file." In the pop up window, you can then choose from several TIFF and FITS options. I recommend 32-bit. You can also then select "none" for zip/deflate if you still want TIFF for some reason.

Also, whenever doing a "save as" in DSS, you must select the option for "do not apply adjustments." If adjustments are applied, then the file will include whatever post-processing DSS used for the preview display based on the little histogram/controls to the bottom left. By default this is typically a mild STF, but it is still a stretch.

Thanks. In DSS, I chose "FITS files" on the Intermediate Files tab of the Stacking Parameters dialog. I was then able to re-stack and it saved it as a FITS file, which I was then able to open in Startools. I appreciate your help! (Mike- I re-stacked before I got your note about not having to re-stack... oh well).

BUT... after I processed it in startools, I tried to save the final (processed) image file, and could not. Here is the error message I got: "Unsupported file type. Startools saves 16-bit TIF or 8-bit JPEG or PNG files." Evidently my final processed image was a FITS file that could not be saved. So how do I get startools to save the file- do I need to convert it to 16-bit TIF, 8-bit JPEG or PNG somehow first? Note - I have used startools before (on my old computer) and I don't remember ever having to do any sort of file conversion before...

Hi John!

When the ST save window pops up, just change the file extension to TIFF. That's how you do it. ST doesn't have a separate selection menu for file type.

Odd though, for some reason I thought mine always defaulted to TIFF, and I almost always open from FITS stacks. Maybe it remembers something I did from way back?

Thanks... do you know of any way to make startools automatically save it as a TIF file? Or do I need to keep typing in the extension every time I save? When I used to use startools (with my other computer) it automatically saved it as TIF file I think... I don't ever remember having to type in an extension before.

You knew I was gonna ask...