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Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2025 4:13 pm
by kaymann
Problems I am encountered during the occultation:
Automatically restore last used camera settings when opening a camera vs. Custom Default Profiles who wins on startup?
I deleted all my custom profiles as a result of using them were unpredictable when last used camera settings during SC startup is checked.
As the occultation progressed I ended up restarting SC and it defaulted to FITS instead of last used and my time-lapse turned into 5,000 FITS in spite of the fact I had AVI checked in the planetary live stack time-lap section. BTW I noticed that last used camera settings did not include last filter used... Manual Filter Wheel got changed without my intervention as well
I am sure all of this is my fault in spite of trying my hardest to check constantly for SER instead of FITS and filter selected. I will try the clicking Auto on Output Format. I will now leave Auto Output Format selected.
So I am trying to make this as fool proof as possible and failing so...
I think the idea is if I use Profiles, then use them and nothing else as this will stop any conflicts with last used. It will also help me to get the right filter in the "manual" filter wheel (I use a drawer) selected as each profile will include the proper filter selected.
So here are my questions/problems:
1) Any profile that is set to default results in a yellow bar warning: "One or more saved settings for this camera failed to load correctly. Check control values then re-save the profile to fix." This happens even though loading each profile manually produces no errors.
2) In SC which takes precedence a) _autosave (camera).ini, b) CustomProfile.ini, c) I assume automatically restore is saving changes to _autosave (camera).ini and therefore uses that file.
3) I created a Custom Profile for planetary using RAW8 and SER files - no matter how fast an exposure I choose to include in the profile it pops up an error telling me to change to RAW16 for my current settings.
4) Do you know of a way to turn 5000 FITS into a AVI?
Re: Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2025 7:01 pm
by Jean-Francois
Hello Kayman,
I can answer your last question ... you can use the software PIPP for generating an AVI (or SER) film from a sequence of FITS.
Or you can do the opposite ... in addition you can crop or modify other parameters.
Download ... here for example:
https://sites.google.com/site/astropipp/downloads
or
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P2xQKd ... sp=sharing
Regards,
Jean-Francois
Re: Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2025 8:04 pm
by turfpit
The PIPP website has gone. Try this archive of the website:
https://web.archive.org/web/20230531163 ... /downloads
Dave
Re: Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2025 8:08 pm
by kaymann
I got PIPP now thank you I will give it a go - thank you!!
Re: Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2025 2:02 pm
by admin
Hi,
yes, as suggested above, PIPP is the way to go (I had to do it with 10000 png files). The created SER file may come out as a monochrome one and therefore require you to manually set the bayer pattern when processing, but should otherwise be fine.
Loading of stored settings at camera startup goes as follows
1) If there is a default profile set for a camera then that is used
2) If no default profile and the option to autorestore is enabled *and* there is an _autosave_ file then the settings from the _autosave_ are loaded
3) Otherwise the camera defaults are used
There are a couple more things to be aware of though...
* If the loading of a default profile or an autosave causes an error that prevents the camera from working properly then SharpCap will disable the default profile/autosave - without that, if you managed to save some bad setting then it would be applied every time you tried to load the camera, meaning the camera would fail to work repeatedly. This can sometimes be fooled if the camera glitches during the load of saved settings...
* There is also a setting to always start cameras in 'auto' output format, where the format changes automatically between video and still files based on exposure - if that is set then it will override the default profile/autosave. The switchover point is about 2s exposure from memory
The warning about changing to 16 bit should only appear if you are in 8 bit and set exposures above 5s or so - mind you, it won't vanish straight away when the exposure is dropped to below 5s, so it may be a 'stale' warning in some way.
cheers,
Robin
Re: Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2025 2:58 pm
by kaymann
admin wrote: Fri Jan 17, 2025 2:02 pm
Hi,
yes, as suggested above, PIPP is the way to go (I had to do it with 10000 png files). The created SER file may come out as a monochrome one and therefore require you to manually set the bayer pattern when processing, but should otherwise be fine.
Loading of stored settings at camera startup goes as follows
1) If there is a default profile set for a camera then that is used
2) If no default profile and the option to autorestore is enabled *and* there is an _autosave_ file then the settings from the _autosave_ are loaded
3) Otherwise the camera defaults are used
There are a couple more things to be aware of though...
* If the loading of a default profile or an autosave causes an error that prevents the camera from working properly then SharpCap will disable the default profile/autosave - without that, if you managed to save some bad setting then it would be applied every time you tried to load the camera, meaning the camera would fail to work repeatedly. This can sometimes be fooled if the camera glitches during the load of saved settings...
I tried killing all profiles then set up each profile from scratch and workable settings and then tested each profile all work flawlessly. Then which ever of these profiles were chosen as default would result in the yellow warning even if default camera settings were turned into a profile and that profile was made default.
* There is also a setting to always start cameras in 'auto' output format, where the format changes automatically between video and still files based on exposure - if that is set then it will override the default profile/autosave. The switchover point is about 2s exposure from memory.
I have already clicked on that I can see that the profiles respect that decision.
The warning about changing to 16 bit should only appear if you are in 8 bit and set exposures above 5s or so - mind you, it won't vanish straight away when the exposure is dropped to below 5s, so it may be a 'stale' warning in some way.
Yes I agree I simply saying that is not the case. If a profile is selected with under 2 seconds I still get warning even if I take it to the fastest speed possible. This only occurs with profiles
cheers,
Robin
BTW - The profile manager allows you to make changes to profiles but does not allow you to save them. Some newer apps save changes simply by making them. SC profile manager has a close button but not a close and save. Early on I made the assumption the close button was a close and save. Suggestion either make the Close button a close and save or add a save button or do not allow editing in the profile manager. YMMV
Re: Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 2:30 pm
by admin
Hi,
Ok, so a couple of things to add...
1) The profile manager view of the content of the file is supposed to be read only, as there is no save functionality. I'd not noticed that it was editable, but will fix that. I would prefer read only as it discourages editing by hand - too easy to make a mistake and end up messing things up if you are not really sure what you are doing.
2) For the warning, the best thing is to inspect the log after loading the profile - that should record what value could not be restored. If you send me the log I can investigate.
cheers,
Robin
Re: Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:27 pm
by kaymann
admin wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2025 2:30 pm
Hi,
Ok, so a couple of things to add...
1) The profile manager view of the content of the file is supposed to be read only...
I agree that would be a good Idea
2) For the warning, the best thing is to inspect the log after loading the profile - that should record what value could not be restored. If you send me the log I can investigate.
The Log ending in 08:
Default set to RGB Ultra Profile and Error
Then Select RGB Ultra and no error[/color]
cheers,
Robin
Re: Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2025 2:32 pm
by kaymann
I have the answer as to why I get the warning when I load a SER (that contains a RAW8 when current setting is RAW16) Profile:
If I load a SER Profile while the current camera is in a mode that is taking longer than 10 seconds or so the SER Profile loads but the camera (in live view) is most likely still in the middle of a exposer that is not in the RAW8 range and SC say here is your warning. As soon as that last exposer gets killed/quits then SC sees everything is in the right exposer range and all is good and no more warning.
I have tested this with and without profiles and same results.
Now that I know why I am good to go!
Re: Defaults Profiles Etc.
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 11:40 am
by admin
Hi,
OK, thanks for reporting back - I will have a look to see if I can make that warning a little less 'keen' to display, so that it doesn't show in that particular situation.
cheers,
Robin