StarTools

There are a number of special techniques described in the 'Module Use' posts in the User Notes forum.
These have been gathered from a number of different sources including many from this forum.

I thought it might be useful to have a table of these.
The links in the table take you to the related 'Module Use' post.

The techniques were written for different versions of StarTools and so you may need to adjust the procedure for the current version.
Also, some of the techniques have been superceded by StarTools enhancements.

If you know of any other techniques you think others would be interested in I'd be happy to include the link here.
Also, if you see any errors or updates needed in the techniques, please send me a PM.

Title	Issue	Subject	URL	Module	Original ST Version Used	Alternative Module
Image Composition
Doing initial linear processing of channels separately then combining in Compose	Composition	Combining Datasets	Link	Compose (1.5+)	v1.5	Layer
Combining images of different exposure lengths	Composition	Combining Datasets	Link	Layer (1.5+)	v1.3.200
Loading Narrow Band data using the Hubble Palette	Composition	Combining Channels	Link	Compose (1.5+)	v1.5
Simulate RGB image with SHO data	Composition	Combining Channels	Link	Compose (1.5+)	v1.5
Creating a Synthetic Luminance channel from Wide Band data	Composition	SynthL	Link	Compose (1.5+)
Creating a Synthetic Luminance channel from OSC/DSLR Wide Band data	Composition	SynthL	Link	Compose (1.5+)
Adding narrowband (e.g. Ha) to visual spectrum (OSC) data - by adding to colour (R).	Composition	Combining Channels	Link	Compose (1.5+)		NBAccent
Adding narrowband (e.g. Ha) to visual spectrum (OSC) data - by adding to luminance.	Composition	Combining Channels	Link	Compose (1.5+)		NBAccent
Creating Bi-Colour images with Ha and OIII using Steve Cannistras method	Composition	Combining Channels	Link	Compose (1.5+)	v1.5
Giving narrowband images RGB-colored stars.	Composition	Combining Channels	Link	Layer(1.5+)	v1.5
Adding narrowband (e.g. Ha) to visual spectrum data - by creating highlights using the Layer module.	Composition	Combining Channels	Link	Layer (1.5+)		NBAccent
Combining Luminance and RGB data using the Layer module	Composition	Combining Channels	Link	Layer (1.5+)		Compose
Creating a synthetic luminance frame	Composition	SynthL	Link	Layer (1.5+)
Creating a Starless Image using the Heal module	Composition		Link	Heal Module (1.5+)
Creating a Starless Image by using StarNet++ with StarTools on linear data	Composition		Link	Layer (v1.5+)
Creating Solar images with false colour	Composition	False Colour	Link	Color Module (1.6.373+)
Noise
Push Back noise using the Isolate preset with a mask.	Noise		Link	Super Structure (v1.7+)	1.3.5
Background Noise Reduction	Noise		Link	Flux (1.7+)
Star Profile
Masking out the effect of HDR module on stars	Star Profile		Link	HDR (v1.8)
Alternative way to Repair Stars with Halos:	Star Profile		Link	Shrink (1.7+)
Reduce bloom around bright stars	Star Profile		Link	Shrink (Magic) (1.7-)
Using the Heal module to process stars independently	Star Profile		Link	Heal Module (1.5+)
Improving the stellar profile	Star Profile		Link	Repair (1.5+)	1.3.5
Colour Imbalance
Colour Balancing data filtered by a Light Pollution Filter	Colour Imbalance	Colour Balance	Link	Color (1.5+)
Colour Balancing data collected using narrow band filters (e.g. Hubble Palette)	Colour Imbalance	Colour Balance	Link	Color (1.5+)
Adjusting Colour of Stars and other features separately	Colour Imbalance	Colour Balance	Link	Color (1.5+)
Removing purple stars in HST(SHO) images	Colour Imbalance		Link	Layer (1.5+)
General
Masking out the effect of a previous module		General	Link	Layer (1.5+)
Re-centering blue back onto stars	Chromatic Aberration	General	Link	Compose (1.5+)
Using the Heal module to remove satellite trails	Satellite		Link	Heal Module (1.5+)
To mimic the old HDR module (v1.7-) (including its processing times)	Reveal Detail		Link	HDR (v1.8)	1.8	HDR (v1.7-)
To mimic the 'Reveal DSO Core' preset of the old HDR module (v1.7-)	Reveal Detail		Link	HDR (v1.8)	1.8	HDR (v1.7-)

Hi Guy, thanks for the great table
please note when I put those tips together in the Inofficial manual, I also found some tricks pertaining mask module. Furthermore, from recent threads I put together and added "Simulating RGB image using narrowband data" , "Using StarNet++ with StarTools on linear data", "Mimicking HDR results of V1.7" and "Mimicking Reveal DSO Core preset of V1.7" to 'Special Techniques' (manual update still in progress, for your convenience I copied those in below)

Using StarNet++ with StarTools on linear data
The point of using this procedure is to obtain a star mask, using StarNet++'s star detection. All I/we know is that StarNet++ only works on (e.g. has been trained with) stretched, processed images. The source image in this case, is the "processed" image you would normally feed to StarNet++. E.g. this source image has been stretched to bring out all the stars so that StarNet++'s neural net can "see" them. StarNet++ only works with "finished" images. However, with the guide below, we can use StarNet++'s smarts to successfully process a linear dataset in StarTools. The crux of the method, is the creation of a perfect star mask, by having StarTools look at which pixels were modified by StarNet++.
Once that star mask has been extracted, StarTools' heal module should actually yield superior results in terms of removal, as the Heal module is agnostic when it comes to the replacement of stars. StarNet++'s neural net will be only as good as the stars it has been trained on when it comes to replacing them.:
1. Load the (stretched) StarNet input (e.g. with stars still in place) image in StarTools. Don't turn Tracking on.
2. Launch the Layer module.
3. Load the (stretched) StarNet output (e.g. with stars removed) image in the Layer module.
4. Set Layer Mode to "Difference". You could skip to step 9 here, but the following steps may be needed if the Starless image has been normalized.
5. Click Copy.
6. Click Paste Foreground.
7. Set Layer Mode to "Multiply Foreground Only".
8. Set Blend Amount to 500%.
9. Keep the result.

Mimicking HDR results of V1.7
To mimic the old module (including its processing times) reduce the Context Size parameter to to 25 or something between 30 and 45, depending on processing time available. This is a little more small-detail oriented, but you can back off the appearance of that effect by adjusting the controls.

Mimicking the Reveal core DSO preset:
reduce Context Size, and only set Shadow Detail Boost, while leaving all other parameters (e.g. Gamma Highlight, Gamma Shadow and Highlights Detail Boost) alone. One difference though compared to 1.7, is that even at max settings, the detail recovered in 1.8 is much more carefully placed in its surroundings, and does not look artificial, while also perfectly conforming to the noise levels of its surroundings (the latter extends also covers the interaction with the Gamma Highlight/Shadow parameter - consistency is maintained).

Simulating RGB image using narrowband data
Create a synthetic luminance frame from S+H+O (for your detail)

• import S, H and O as R, G and B
  Keep the result
  Save as luminance file
  Relaunch the Compose module.
  Create a red channel from (S+H),
  load S as red, green, or blue.
  Load H as green.
  Keep the result
  Save as red channel
  Relaunch the Compose module.
  Load the SHO synthetic luminance (which you created earlier) as L,
  load the new red channel (S+H) you created earlier as red,
  load O as green and blue.
  "Set Luminance, Color" to "L, RGB".
  Now process as normal.

clear skies,
jochen

Thanks Jochen, thats great!

How do you want me to link these to these techniques? Should I just refer to the above post or should I put them in the 'Special Techniques' section of the appropriate 'Module Use' post?

Guy

Hi Guy,
HDR and 'Reveal DSO Core' topics are pertaining to new 1.8 HDR module, Ivo's 'Starnet ++ ...' thing is a complex method which I added to Special techniques of Layer module, because this is key.
'Simulating RGB using narrowband data' is a special technique to the Compose module. Feel free to add those to the user notes and link to the table as needed
cheers,
jochen

The TIF output of Starnet++ V.2 cannot be read by ST. Is there a workaround?