Image Utilities - Meade Autostar Software Manual

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7. Image Utilities

The Image Utilities dialog box can be displayed by moving the cursor over the desired area of the current
image and either clicking the left mouse button or by depressing the left mouse button, drawing a
rectangle, then releasing the button. Clicking on a point in the image will enable the Set Distance Ref.
function, drawing a rectangle enables the Rescale Size and Crop Image functions. If the three RGB
buffers are loaded, the RGB Auto Alignment and RGB Gray Balance functions will also be available
after the rectangle is drawn.
The Set Distance Ref. function allows you to measure distances, in pixels, from one point in the image to
another. The image Coordinates display must be active to use this function.
Choosing this command, removes the dialog box, then draws a line from the distance reference point to
the current cursor position. As the cursor is moved, the current coordinates and the distance values will
be continuously updated. Clicking the left mouse button, turns-off the distance measuring feature.
The Rescale Size command scales the image to approximately fill the current image window with the data
contained within the previously drawn rectangle. This command affects only the display of the image, not
the actual data.
The Crop Image command removes the data outside of the rectangle, preserving only the data on the
inside. This command allows you to remove extraneous data from around the important part of your
image. Since this command physically changes the size of the image, any existing data contained in the
buffers is destroyed.
See the RGB Merge command for a description of the RGB Auto Alignment and the RGB Gray
Balance functions.
The Set Log File command allows you to name a text file where information about the image can be
written. Several operations including, List Pixel Values, Draw Profiles, Image Statitics, Determine
Magnitude, and Group Photometry can write information to the Log file. This information can then be
used in spread sheets or by other analysis tools. When you click on this button the following dialog
appears:
Here you can specify where to write the log file. If the file already exists, you will be prompted to indicate
whether you wish to append data to the existing file, or to erase it and start again.
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