Automating PinPoint in MaxImDL

[FraserClarke]

Hi All,

A question for the MaxImDL experts out there. Is there a way to configure MaxIm to run PinPoint automatically on every image as it comes in? (presumably ignoring BIAS/DARK/FLAT images based on the header keywords). It's really fantastically useful to have the WCS header information added to the FITS header, but I don't want to have to do "Analyse->PinPoint Astrometry->Process" on every single file by hand...

From the docs, it seems like this might be possible by writing an additional script; but maybe someone has already solved this problem?

Many thanks in advance

[SteveP]

TD

I'm not aware of any instructions within Maxim to automate plate solving other than by writing a script. If you know how to write Maxim scripts, i'd be interested in testing it!

Alternatively, you could always use something like CCDCommander or CCAutopilot but they cost more money and I understand you'd need to upgrade to the full version of Pinpoint rather than the cut down version provided with Maxim

HTH

Steve

[FraserClarke]

Thanks Steve. I'll have a more detailed look into the scripting then. Will let you know if I make any useful progress.

[RyanParle]

TD

I'm not aware of any instructions within Maxim to automate plate solving other than by writing a script. If you know how to write Maxim scripts, i'd be interested in testing it!

Alternatively, you could always use something like CCDCommander or CCAutopilot but they cost more money and I understand you'd need to upgrade to the full version of Pinpoint rather than the cut down version provided with Maxim

HTH

Steve

With CCDC you can use either the Full or LE version of pinpoint.

I've just started messing around with it, good piece of software and at a reasonable price compared with the competition.

[steppenwolf]

What I do is calibrate my sub-frames and stack them in MaxinDL then run PinPoint - this adds the WCS data to the stacked FITS file for posterity rather nicely and all in one pass. If you want the WCS headers there for a different stacking method then, of course, that is another matter.

[skybadger]

TD

I have a selection of MAxim scripts I have culled from the web, all in one place. Might be useful. SkyBadger - scripting

If you use the scheduler to assemble your data, this allows an auto-resync via p[late solvge after every N images.

If you use ACP or CCDAP to run maxim, they can call maxim to resync via plate solve too, so no licence implications with pinpoint.

regards

Mike

[FraserClarke]

TD

I have a selection of MAxim scripts I have culled from the web, all in one place. Might be useful. SkyBadger - scripting

Many thanks Mike -- unfortunately the links don't seem to work??

Long term plan is to use ACP as overall control programme -- but don't have the budget for that yet.

[skybadger]

TD, You are right - sorry

Here's one way to view them : http://www.skybadger.net/scripting/indx.html

regs

Mike

[FraserClarke]

As an update -- it turns out MaxIm can do the automated plate solving by itself, though only apparently if you run in "AutoSave" mode (which I tend to).

Set the "Astrometric Resync" option in the AutoSave config window to solve-only, and the interval to 1, and it should run the plate solver on each image as it comes in. Slightly annoying that it sits and waits for the plate solve to finish (rather than running in the background), but it's only a few seconds more overhead.