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CCD/CMOS Mode

 
Plan Editor can be opened from Camera tab by using the Edit button
 or by double click in the table for the current plan.
If a plan is loaded the editor will be initialized.
 
Related videos:
Plan Editor - 2, Plan Editor
 
There are seven different plan types that have different properties:
 
Type
Short prefix
Long Prefix
Dithering
Shutter
Note
Light
L_
Light_
Yes
Opened
 
Dark
D_
Dark_
No
Closed
 
Bias
B_
Bias_
No
Closed
If Advanced Bias/Flats is disabled uses the shortest supported exposure
Flat
F_
Flat_
No
Opened
Flat Box Controllers / Panels could be used during plan execution
Dark Flat
DF_
DarkFlat_
No
Closed
 
Frame/Focus
 
 
No
Opened
Doesn't store images on the disk
Mixed
L_, D_, _F, _DF or B_
Light_, Dark_, _Flat, _DarkFlat or Bias_
Yes for Lights
Opened or Closed
Allows creation of one plan that takes light, dark, flat, dark flat and bias frames. Requires mechanical shutter or filter wheel with covered position
 
What prefix type will be used is selected from Name Parts in Main Settings tab.
Shutter column shows how the shutter is controlled when there is mechanical shutter available.
 
 
CCD/CMOS Mode
 
1

Plan : Select / Create / Delete All

1. Plan : Select / Create / Delete All
 
Here you can select for editing one of the existing plans or create a new one.
 
To create a new plan select from the list one of the options:
 
  • Add New Light Frames Plan
  • Add New Dark Frames Plan
  • Add New Flat Frames Plan
  • Add New Bias Frames Plan
  • Add New Focusing / Framing Plan
  • Add New Dark Flats Plan
  • Add New Mixed Plan
     
    This will create the corresponding plan and will give possibility to edit it.
     
    If you want to delete all plans from a type you can use one of the options
     
  • Delete All Light Frames Plan
  • Delete All Dark Frames Plan
  • Delete All Flat Frames Plan
  • Delete All Bias Frames Plan
  • Delete All Focusing / Framing Plan
  • Delete All Dark Flats Plan
  • Delete All Mixed Frames Plan
     
Two confirmations are required in order to avoid mistakes. Even after them clicking on Cancel button will keep the plans.
 
 
2

Plan Name

2. Plan Name
 
Allows entering the name you want to use for the selected plan.
 
3

Delete Plan

3. Delete Plan
 
Deletes the currently selected plan.
 
4

Clone As

4. Clone As
 
Makes a copy of the current plan with possibility to change the type and loads the new one for editing. This is an easy way to create matching light and dark plans.
 
5

Plan list

5. Plan list
 
List of the defined exposures. Click on the line that you want to edit, move or delete. The parameters of the selected line are loaded in "Add / Edit Exposure" section.
 
The columns are:
  • Order
  • Exposure duration
  • Binning
  • Pause duration
  • Count of the exposures
  • Filter
     
6

Down

6. Down
 
Moves the selected line one position Down.
 
7

Up

7. Up
 
Moves the selected line one position Up.
 
8

Plan duration

8. Plan duration
 
Shows the expected plan duration. If the current plan is Light type it will show the total light duration that will be gathered.
 
9

Del

9. Del
 
Deletes the selected line from the plan.
 
10

Ringy Thingy

10. Ringy Thingy
 
Ringy Thingy is an innovative way to edit numeric values using only mouse or touch pad. See details and animation how to use it in the Application Interface notes.
 
11

Exposure

11. Exposure
 
Defines the duration for every exposure that will be executed by this plan line. Use a duration supported by your camera. The duration is in seconds or fraction of a second.
 
If the exposure duration is 0, the line will make just pause and/or will execute defined Script or Command.
 
12

Binning

12. Binning
 
Defines what binning to use for the exposures in this plan line. Use an binning supported by your camera. If you are not sure, make a connection to the camera and check the values available in the Bin list in Camera Tab.
 
Tips & Tricks: Most likely you are using symmetric binning - 1x1, 2x2, 3x3, so you can enter only 1, 2 or 3 in the Binning field. APT will fill automatically the other dimension.
 
13

Gain

13. Gain
 
Defines what gain to use for the exposures in this plan line. If there are no gain values defined per line will be used value per filter in Filter Wheel settings tab the value. If there is no gain value per filter then will be used the Gain value defined in the Camera Tab.
 
Note: The option Manage Gain should be enabled in CCD Settings
 
14

Offset/Blacklevel

14. Offset/Blacklevel
 
Defines the offset/blacklevel to be used for the exposure. Leaving empty will not change the offset/blacklevel, will use the one set in Settings in Camera Tab.
 
15

Pause

15. Pause
 
Defines the pause in seconds that have to be made between every exposure from this imaging plan line.
 
16

Count

16. Count
 
Defines how many images to take by this line of the imaging plan using the defined parameters.
 
17

Filter

17. Filter
 
The filter to use for this line of the imaging plan. Use the option "No Change" if you don't use Filter Wheel or don't want to change the filter.
 
In order to change filters a connection is required to the Filter Wheel during the plan execution.
 
If the filters are described in Filter Wheel settings tab or if there is active connection to a wheel then the list will show the filter names. In other case the list will contain only position numbers like "Filter 1", "Filter 2"...
 
18

Update current button

18. Update current button
 
Updates the selected line with the parameters set in "Add / Edit Exposure" section.
 
19

Add as new button

19. Add as new button
 
Adds a new plan line after the selected one using the parameters set in "Add / Edit Exposure" section.
 
20

Script or Command

20. Script or Command
 
Allows executing an internal APT command or external script / application. See the Scripts and Commands section.
 
21

Wait script end

21. Wait script end
 
When selected APT will wait the external script or application to finish before continuing the execution of the plan. For the internal commands APT always wait the execution to complete.
 
See the Scripts and Commands section.
 
22

No dithering

22. No dithering
 
If the current plan is Light Plan, allows to disable the Dithering for this plan only.
 
23

Vertical plan

23. Vertical plan
 
Allows controlling the plan execution order. When it is unchecked, APT will take all exposures for the first line and then will continue with the next line. When it is checked the execution order will be:
 
    Line1->Exposure1, Line2->Exposure1... LineN->Exposure1
    Line1->Exposure2, Line2->Exposure2... LineN->Exposure2
    Line1->Exposure3, Line2->Exposure3... LineN->Exposure3
…
    Line1->ExposureX, Line1->ExposureX... LineN->ExposureX
 
The vertical mode is useful if you want to make HDR eclipse images, or when filter wheel is used and you are not sure that weather will permit to gather all channels one after another.
 
24

Import/Export

24. Import/Export
 
Export allows to save one or more imaging plans in new file, while Import gives possibility to add saved plans in addition to the current set or overwrite all plans.