A new version of CCDNavigator is available on our downloads page.

1. Added a feature to EZ-Guide manual positioning mode to import FITS image position information (Ra, Dec, Angle) for a target using PinPoint plate solves. This feature requires the full version of PinPoint.

2. Added camera parameters for download times and overhead per frame to improve session timing calculations. Overheads can be entered manually or imported from CCDAP4 logs for successfully completed sessions. This feature requires CCDAP4 version 4.12.2 or newer.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Steve...,

Hi Steve,

I appreciate you adding these features I had suggested! I was eager to try them out and I ran into a problem with the enhancement for the camera parameters.

Please see the attached file for documentation and the input file that caused the problem.

Thanks
Jonathan

For_Steve.zip (15 KB, 12 downloads)

Jonathan,

I failed to mention that the log must be generated with CCAP4 version 4.12.2 or newer. That's what caused the thrown error.

The error is due to a parsing problem which I'll fix shortly so it won't crash. But you still will need to use the latest CCDAP4 version.

Hi Steve,

Ahhh, that explains it! Next time I have a successful run, I'll try out that log!

Thanks,
Jonathan

Jonathan,

Until you get a good run, I suggest you enter your 1x1, 2x2, 3x3 download times manually in CCDNavigator. For the Overhead per Frame, you can estimate it as follows:

Figure the total time for a session from when CCDAP finished waiting for darkness until the last frame was downloaded. You can do this by subtracting the log times, figure it in seconds. Then count the number of 1x1, 2x2 and 3x3 light frames were downloaded (don't count frames used only for plate solves), multiply each by the down load time for that binning, and then subtract this time from the total time used. Then add up the total number of frames taken regardless of binning mode and divide by that. The result will be your Overhead per Frame which you can enter manually.

This will let you get the best session plan until you get a good run with the latest version.

Hi Steve

I finally got to try this out and it works great! I do have one more suggestion please!

When I tried out the FITS solve function (which also works great), I'm prompted to enter my image scale. It would be nice if what I entered is preserved from session to session, perhaps in the profile.

Thanks again and Happy New Year!
Jonathan

It is supposed to be preserved. Maybe I flubbed it up, I'll check tomorrow.

It does retain all the values in the plate solve setup window. But only if the solve works.

Are you sure they're not being saved? They're being saved here in my version/system.

They are only being saved within the same planning session. When I start up Navigator each day and do a plan, the Image Scale reverts back to 1.xx which is not mine (2.32).

By the way, Happy New Year!

Jonathan

Indeed you are correct.

The values are saved between runs of the plate solving window but when the program is restarted, they are back to old values. For this feature, I used the .NET "Settings" capability which has worked fine in other programs I've built. It's easier to use than the profile. But for some reason, it's not working. I'll move them to the profile and generate a new release.