Using a mask in Wipe does not mean it will get selectively processed (selective processing is something that is best avoided in general in AP).
Using a mask in Wipe tells Wipe where it may sample the image and where it may not;
StarTools' Wipe algorithm works exactly the other way around from other software (PI/Siril/APP).
In StarTools - if at all needed! - you can help Wipe by showing
where you are absolutely sure there is no background. To do so you create a mask that includes everything (e.g. made "green"), except for the areas that
you are certain there is no background for Wipe to sample.
This is an important improvement over other algorithms where
you have to guess where background is (which is almost always hard to see); almost always these algorithms are removing faint nebulosity or are not removing enough gradient, simply because you placed a sample box where it shouldn't have been, or haven't placed a box where it
should have been.
E.g. something like this would be appropriate;
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- StarTools_227.png (452.86 KiB) Viewed 4872 times
When reviewing the result in Wipe, keep in mind that the diagnostics stretch was designed to show your dataset in the worst possible light
on purpose. This way you can be sure you have caught all gradients to the best of your abilities. However, when it comes to actually stretching your image for real (e.g. aesthetic purposes), chances are you will want to settle for something much more conservative. E.g. something like this with a good RoI;
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- StarTools_228.png (319.68 KiB) Viewed 4872 times
With such a stretch, focused on (meant for) bringing out the actual detail, you will usually see that any remaining imperfections become hardly noticeable.
Hope this helps!
