Registax 32 bit FIT files- why don't they work in other programs?

Can anyone answer that question? I have tried opening the Registax 32 bit
FIT files in many other programs, but all I get is either total darkness or
a small bit of a picture that is unusable. The 16 bit TIFF files seem to
maintain compatability, but definitely not the 32 bit FIT. Anyone know why?
Apparently, I'm not alone as I understand and have read of others
experiencing the same results. This is a shame because the 32 bit files
would be so much better when used in the other programs.

Thanks for your thoughts,
Blaine

This is a shame because the 32 bit files
would be so much better

Hi:

The bottom line is that 32 bit FITS files are just not supported by much
software. The only packages I know of that work with these files offhand are
Astrovideo and FitsX.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

"Rod Mollise" wrote in message
...
This is a shame because the 32 bit files
would be so much better

Hi:

The bottom line is that 32 bit FITS files are just not supported by much
software. The only packages I know of that work with these files offhand
are
Astrovideo and FitsX.

Rod,

Are those programs put out by COAA? If so, I do have FitsX on the imaging
computer and it too won't show the 32 bit Registax FIT files properly. I
downloaded the FitsX demo the other night. That is, unless I am doing
something wrong- do you get the Registax 32 bit Fits to show up properly in
FitsX? If so, what steps are you using to allow this?

Thanks,
Blaine



Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Are those programs put out by COAA? If so, I do have FitsX on the imaging
computer and it too won't show the 32 bit Registax FIT files properly.

Hi:

I haven't tried this, but I figured it would work...it works with the 32 bit
files created by Astrovideo. I'll try to play around with this this weekend.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Rod,

I was just telling Chris. I tried the Registax file in Maxim and same
effect- the file is not usuable. Maxim does show the histogram though and
it appears to be cut off, like it's only reading 16 bits of it. Good luck
with FitsX. I wasn't able to do anything with that program either.

Blaine


"Rod Mollise" wrote in message
...

Are those programs put out by COAA? If so, I do have FitsX on the
imaging
computer and it too won't show the 32 bit Registax FIT files properly.

Hi:

I haven't tried this, but I figured it would work...it works with the 32
bit
files created by Astrovideo. I'll try to play around with this this
weekend.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 23:59:34 GMT, "Blaine Sanford"
wrote:

Can anyone answer that question? I have tried opening the Registax 32 bit
FIT files in many other programs, but all I get is either total darkness or
a small bit of a picture that is unusable. The 16 bit TIFF files seem to
maintain compatability, but definitely not the 32 bit FIT. Anyone know why?
Apparently, I'm not alone as I understand and have read of others
experiencing the same results. This is a shame because the 32 bit files
would be so much better when used in the other programs.

Lots of programs don't support 32-bit FITS. I know that Maxim does. Smart
programmers will use the free NASA fitsio library, and that will provide full
FITS support for 32-bit and floating point formats. Those are part of the FITS
standard, but since they are much less common, many people who spin their own
FITS interpreters skip implementing them. Try the FITS Liberator plugin for
Photoshop- it supports every legal FITS variant I've ever seen.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

"Chris L Peterson" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 23:59:34 GMT, "Blaine Sanford"

wrote:

Can anyone answer that question? I have tried opening the Registax 32
bit
FIT files in many other programs, but all I get is either total darkness
or
a small bit of a picture that is unusable. The 16 bit TIFF files seem to
maintain compatability, but definitely not the 32 bit FIT. Anyone know
why?
Apparently, I'm not alone as I understand and have read of others
experiencing the same results. This is a shame because the 32 bit files
would be so much better when used in the other programs.

Lots of programs don't support 32-bit FITS. I know that Maxim does.

Does it show the Registax 32 bit files properly?

Smart
programmers will use the free NASA fitsio library, and that will provide
full
FITS support for 32-bit and floating point formats. Those are part of the
FITS
standard, but since they are much less common, many people who spin their
own
FITS interpreters skip implementing them. Try the FITS Liberator plugin
for
Photoshop- it supports every legal FITS variant I've ever seen.

Yes, I've seen this plug-in but to me it seems to lean to 16 bit FIT only-
not sure if it would handle the 32 bit files or not. Do you know?

Blaine


_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 20:52:25 GMT, "Blaine Sanford"
wrote:

Lots of programs don't support 32-bit FITS. I know that Maxim does.

Does it show the Registax 32 bit files properly?

I don't know. I've only used Registax with color images, and there is no
standard at all for color FITS files. I didn't even know Registax could generate
32-bit output (the version I've got doesn't seem to have that feature, so I
can't test it). If you can post a 32-bit file somewhere that it can be
downloaded from, I'll be happy to see how Maxim handles it.


Yes, I've seen this plug-in but to me it seems to lean to 16 bit FIT only-
not sure if it would handle the 32 bit files or not. Do you know?

FITS Liberator definitely reads the 32-bit integer and IEEE floating point test
files I generated in Maxim. It converts that into 8-bit, 15-bit, or 16-bit data
inside Photoshop, depending on the Photoshop version and the options you have
selected.

I do a lot of processing inside Photoshop. I'm using FITS Liberator for all my
imports, and Eddie Trimarchi's FITS plugin for exporting FITS (but only 16-bit).

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

"Chris L Peterson" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 20:52:25 GMT, "Blaine Sanford"

wrote:

Lots of programs don't support 32-bit FITS. I know that Maxim does.

Does it show the Registax 32 bit files properly?

I don't know. I've only used Registax with color images, and there is no
standard at all for color FITS files. I didn't even know Registax could
generate
32-bit output (the version I've got doesn't seem to have that feature, so
I
can't test it).

Try to save from the "stacking" page as the wavelet page won't allow a 32
bit save. From the stacking page, you should end up with 32 bit red, green,
and blue components.

If you can post a 32-bit file somewhere that it can be
downloaded from, I'll be happy to see how Maxim handles it.

I will if you can't get it to work.


Yes, I've seen this plug-in but to me it seems to lean to 16 bit FIT
only-
not sure if it would handle the 32 bit files or not. Do you know?

FITS Liberator definitely reads the 32-bit integer and IEEE floating point
test
files I generated in Maxim. It converts that into 8-bit, 15-bit, or 16-bit
data
inside Photoshop, depending on the Photoshop version and the options you
have
selected.

I do a lot of processing inside Photoshop. I'm using FITS Liberator for
all my
imports, and Eddie Trimarchi's FITS plugin for exporting FITS (but only
16-bit).

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

I downloaded the demo of MaximDL today, which is fully functional for 30
days. I opened one of the 32 bit Reg. FITS and the same problems. When I
look at the historgram in Maxim, it looks like only part of the file is
there with the other part missing... my guess is that Maxim is reading only
in 16 bits, so the other 16 bits is being cut off. No amount of historgram
manipulation will make the image appear normal .

Blaine



"Chris L Peterson" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 20:52:25 GMT, "Blaine Sanford"

wrote:

Lots of programs don't support 32-bit FITS. I know that Maxim does.

Does it show the Registax 32 bit files properly?

I don't know. I've only used Registax with color images, and there is no
standard at all for color FITS files. I didn't even know Registax could
generate
32-bit output (the version I've got doesn't seem to have that feature, so
I
can't test it). If you can post a 32-bit file somewhere that it can be
downloaded from, I'll be happy to see how Maxim handles it.


Yes, I've seen this plug-in but to me it seems to lean to 16 bit FIT
only-
not sure if it would handle the 32 bit files or not. Do you know?

FITS Liberator definitely reads the 32-bit integer and IEEE floating point
test
files I generated in Maxim. It converts that into 8-bit, 15-bit, or 16-bit
data
inside Photoshop, depending on the Photoshop version and the options you
have
selected.

I do a lot of processing inside Photoshop. I'm using FITS Liberator for
all my
imports, and Eddie Trimarchi's FITS plugin for exporting FITS (but only
16-bit).

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com