Contents - Index

Templates

Templates are a convenient way to enter a number of series settings that are frequently used.  There are two default templates provided for Shuffle and Staircase, as described in the Light Frames topic. For example, here is the series settings for M65:



This is essentially a Staircase template.  We can change this to a Shuffle plan by right-clicking and select Load Template



After selecting the Shuffle template, the series for M65 now looks like this:



You can also define your own templates by setting up a series as you like and right-clicking and select Save Template As. You can review the existing template names by using the pulldown and then type in the pulldown box to enter the name for your new template. Template names not have spaces.  If the template name already exists, you will be asked if you want to overwrite the existing template.  (The template name you type over will not be deleted or renamed.)

Finally, you can right-click and select Delete Template to delete any template you wish.


Examples

You can use templates on calibration frames as well.  Assume you have a rotator and need both dawn and dusk flats.  Since the flats need to be taken in least to most transmissive order at dusk and the opposite order at dawn, entering these each time can be streamlined by setting up templates.  Here are my flats templates:



By selecting SkyE, the series are all populated and all I have to enter is the Rotation Angle.  I can do this by simply entering the desired Rotation Angle in the first series and using the ditto button.  Thus in three clicks, I have defined my dusk flats:



I can set up similar templates for artificial flats, as taken with a FlatMan for example.  Here I selected FlatManW for my dawn flats:



My FlatMan brightness levels are already entered and again, all I need to do is enter the Rotation Angle and hit the ditto button.

Templates can be a powerful aid in automated imaging.  I have templates for Galaxy exposures, Cluster exposures and NarrowBand exposures.  There is no limit to the number of templates you can enter.