ImageSolver failure

[Diane Miller]

I haven't used PI in almost a year (and am still a new user at a very basic level) and I know things are evolving -- but I have used ImageSolver in the past with no problems. I'm trying to use it now on an intermediate image in the comet processing workflow of Adam Block -- a stars-only image with the comet removed. I get an error in the process console that says no database files have been selected for Gaia DR3. (screenshots attached)
year or two ago and have used the process successfully several times in the past.

I opened the master light from a previously processed image from a year ago and I get the same error, so something has apparently changed.

I don't find any notes as to how I managed to download the Gaia information in the first place, so if I need to do it again I'll need some information how.

Thanks for any help!

 

[nico1038]

Hello Diane,

The Gaia databases are accessible in the software distribution section of the Pix site, here: https://pixinsight.com/dist/index.html
For ImageSolver you need the Gaia DR3 files (gdr3*.xpsd). They are sorted by magnitude so you can download any number from 1 to 16, depending on your usage.

Once downloaded, place them somewhere outside the Pixinsight application folder to prevent them from being deleted during an update.

Finally you need to configure them in the Gaia process preferences:

1)Open the Gaia Process
2)Open the Gaia preferences (the wrench icon)
3)For the Gaia DR3 Data release, select the gdr3files you have previously download
4)Click Ok and quit the Gaia process (you won't need this process anymore for solving purposes)

Here is how it should look:

 

[Diane Miller]

That did it -- I hope. My list (like you show above) showed something like 16 items. I had previously downloaded more dim stars than I would ever need, so this time I downloaded the small set. I couldn't see a way to select all of those items and only chose the top one:

gdr3sp-1.0.0-s-01.xpsd

I put it into a folder away from PI and the script now seems to work.

Many thanks!!

 

[fredvanner]

so this time I downloaded the small set. I couldn't see a way to select all of those items and only chose the top one:

gdr3sp-1.0.0-s-01.xpsd

Oh no!

You have downloaded the small set of DR3/SP - which is great for running SPCC but no use at all for running ImageSolver.
You need the DR3 database for image solver (as you noted, up to 16 files). These are configured separately (using the "data release" dropdown) in the Gaia process preferences.

 

[fredvanner]

BTW, when you load and configure the DR3/SP database, unlike the DR3 database you can't just pick your choice of files - you have to configure either the complete "small set" (four files) or the complete "full set" (twenty files).

 

[Diane Miller]

Thanks! -- trying again. Apparently I managed to download the wrong file(s).

 

[Diane Miller]

OK -- I thought I had done it right now and PlateSolver "appeared" to run on my image but then SPCC gives the error


*** Error: Invalid Gaia DR3/SP XPSD server execution: Couldn't retrieve a valid spectrum wavelength table.

Reading swap files...

8538.641 MiB/s

<* failed *>

 

[Diane Miller]

OK -- I managed to get the screen shown above with the 4 files (screenshot attached), and clicked OK. But when I run PlateSolver I get the errors shown. Do I need to restart PI??

 

[Diane Miller]

I restarted and get the same error. Here's the PlateSolver screen:

 

[cloudbait]

OK -- I managed to get the screen shown above with the 4 files (screenshot attached), and clicked OK. But when I run PlateSolver I get the errors shown. Do I need to restart PI??

You have the GDR3/SP files correctly assigned (which SPCC requires), but are you sure you have the GDR3 files assigned? That's what ImageSolver uses.

 

[Diane Miller]

Do I need to do another download for GDR3 files? Just needing to cookbook this....

 

[cloudbait]

Do I need to do another download for GDR3 files? Just needing to cookbook this....

You need to download enough GDR3 files to cover the magnitude range of stars in your images. Most people just download all 16, but for many cases just the first few (the brighter stars) will be enough. Then you need to use the Gaia process to assign those file paths to the GDR3 catalog (like you did with GDR3/SP, just a different catalog in the dropdown).

 

[Diane Miller]

That did it!! Huge thanks.

Who knew.....

 

[cloudbait]

Hi,
I have a similar problem but as it looks like the .....-05.xpsd file is corrupt? I assume that because the 5 first ones are opened, correct?
I downloaded today 20 files in total summing more > 60GB
Thanks Rainer

The download page has the SHA hashes for each. You can check your file against that. Or just download the suspect one again.