Problem loading photos into Deep Sky Stacker

[fbecker65]

I cannot seem to get DSS to load my individual photos.

Is it because they were saved as PNG files?

Thank you

[admin]

Hi,

DSS should be fine loading PNG files (although I'm not sure if it will debayer RAW images saved in PNG format). Do the images load into other software OK? Do you have the latest version of DSS (newer versions available here : https://github.com/deepskystacker/DSS/releases)

cheers,

Robin

[fbecker65]

I downloaded the latest version yesterday before trying to input the photos

I have not loaded the photos into any other program

The photos take a place in the DSS queue at the bottom of the DSS screen, but when I try to stack or click onto an individual photos, I get the error message that the photo could not be downloaded or entered into DSS

[admin]

Hi,

it looks like Deep Sky Stacker will not load PNG images that have a bit depth of 16 bits. This is looks like a new bug in the latest version, as older versions of DSS (4.2.6 for instance) will load those files.

I will report the issue to the maintainers of DSS to see if they can fix it. The best bet for the moment is to convert the images to a different format - various tools can do that, but I would recommend PIPP and converting to FITS as some tools can open 16 bit PNG files but silently reduce them to 8 bit whedn they are opened. The original PIPP website has gone, but I archive download links on this post : viewtopic.php?p=38025

Robin

[admin]

Hi,

I have raised this issue with David who maintains DSS and he has a fix for the next update. Note that if you have RAW colour images saved in PNG format then DSS does not support debayering those to full colour (debayering only supported for FITS and TIFF in DSS). In that case you will need to use a program like PIPP to either convert the images to TIFF/FITS or to debayer them to full colour PNG.

cheers,

Robin

[fbecker65]

Thank you so much for taking the time to figure this out. Makes me feel better that I’m not a complete idiot.

I will try the fix.

I will now also save images as FIT files.