APT 4.81+

[Yoddha]

Hello Friends,

It is time to share some features that are ready so you can use them in your imaging sessions

As usual place for downloading is - https://astrophotography.app/betaversion.php

Here is the list:

APT 4.81
- Added DB Synchronization for multiple PCs setups (see the notes)
- Added check objects coordinates with Shift+Click on Camera Tab->Object name will load the coordinates from Cartes Du Ciel in Gear->GoTo
- Added check objects coordinates for GoTo++ in SessionCraft (needs Cartes Du Ciel, soo will be ready for Stellarium) - see the notes
- Added Reset GNS button in Tools tab to rest the alarms in GNS without need of restarting APT or GNS app
- AltairAstro 2026.05.31 SDK

APT 4.82
- Added Tools->Integration Calc for easy finding how many hours data you have, or how many subs to take for desired integration
- Added check objects coordinates logic to support Stellarium too
- Added the planetarium in the Edit Script window for the command GoTo++
- Added scroll bar on Summary and Gear tabs - move the mouse to the right border to make it visible
- Added scrolling with mouse wheel in Summary and Gear tabs
- Added Hold Click on the buttons for tablet use, shows dialog box to select if you want Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click
- Added dragging with left button click for easier operation on tablet
- Added check box to control ZWO LED in Camera Tab->Settings (enabled when the model supports it)
- Added 300 samples for guiding data in Graphs and RMS to be calculated for up to 1200 samples for the exposure Quality
- Added logic to try keeping the APT settings and TemporaryStorage folder not in the cloud to prevent problems
- Added SVBony SDK 1.13.5

- Fixed rare case when plan images were marked with frame prefix "Single_"
- Fixed missing sounds on switching to remote desktop to real desktop and back

When you are using multiple computers it was hard to sync the DB. The only way before was to copy the APT.db file from computer to computer. Now it is easy. In the remote PC, enable the option DataCraft->Settings->Synchronize DB. On the "server" (the PC that collects all the images) set the APT Settings->Main->Images Path to the same folder where the remotes are transferring the images. During the images transfer the remote will deliver also DB information. On every APT start on the "server" that DB information will be added in the database

We have added deeper integration with Cartes Du Ciel (Stellarium integration is in progress) which will be in help for observations of asteroids, comments, planets and other objects with variable coordinates. In SessionCraft->Session Control->Add there is a new check box "Read from CdC" when enabled the entered object name will be searched in CdC and if found the coordinates will be used for GoTo++. You can use "Find in CdC" to be sure that the object is correctly found. If that trigger will be executed multiple times the coordinates will be updated on every iteration.

You can use Shift+Click on Camera Tab->Object name will also make a search in CdC and the coordinates will be loaded in Gear Tab for a GoTo.

[philhilo]

Excellent and thank you Ivo and Maria. The GNS update will hopefully get GNS working again, hasn't worked for me for a while. The Altair reference is hopefully going to be a camera driver fix? Will download later and see I guess

[Yoddha]

Hi Phil,

Many thanks! We hope that the latest driver provided by AltairAstro will be in help

[chris_g]

Hello Friends,

It is time to share some features that are ready so you can use them in your imaging sessions

As usual place for downloading is - https://astrophotography.app/betaversion.php

Here is the list:

APT 4.81
- Added DB Synchronization for multiple PCs setups (see the notes)
- Added check objects coordinates with Shift+Click on Camera Tab->Object name will load the coordinates from Cartes Du Ciel in Gear->GoTo
- Added check objects coordinates for GoTo++ in SessionCraft (needs Cartes Du Ciel, soo will be ready for Stellarium) - see the notes
- Added Reset GNS button in Tools tab to rest the alarms in GNS without need of restarting APT or GNS app
- AltairAstro 2026.05.31 SDK

When you are using multiple computers it was hard to sync the DB. The only way before was to copy the APT.db file from computer to computer. Now it is easy. In the remote PC, enable the option DataCraft->Settings->Synchronize DB. On the "server" (the PC that collects all the images) set the APT Settings->Main->Images Path to the same folder where the remotes are transferring the images. During the images transfer the remote will deliver also DB information. On every APT start on the "server" that DB information will be added in the database

We have added deeper integration with Cartes Du Ciel (Stellarium integration is in progress) which will be in help for observations of asteroids, comments, planets and other objects with variable coordinates. In SessionCraft->Session Control->Add there is a new check box "Read from CdC" when enabled the entered object name will be searched in CdC and if found the coordinates will be used for GoTo++. You can use "Find in CdC" to be sure that the object is correctly found. If that trigger will be executed multiple times the coordinates will be updated on every iteration.

You can use Shift+Click on Camera Tab->Object name will also make a search in CdC and the coordinates will be loaded in Gear Tab for a GoTo.

Hi Ivo,

Talking about DB synchronization, so each PC maintains it's own database and the master PC updates it's database on what it receives. I was sharing one file via a UNC path so at least I wasn't copying files from one machine to the next. With this update, I'll be able to run multiple mounts simultaneously and through the night simply restart the main imaging server PC to see the latest updates. Instead of having to restart the server, could you have it detect updates as a back end process or provide a button or keyboard shortcut to implement the update routines?

This is a feature I look foreword to testing out as I have three mounts setup but again not sure when I will return to the field, only knowing that I will eventually. My dark sky site has slowly been improving over the years, it's now classified as Bortle 3. The Astro Shop is lonely there.

I look foreword to seeing what new features you and Maria implement next.

Clear Skies,
Chris

[Yoddha]

Hi Chris,

Many thanks for your suggestion! It will be quite handy to have a button to force the import

The shared DB can do the job if both computers are running in same time, but for a session way from the server it gets annoying to copy the DB back and forth.

You are lucky! This is the first time I'm hearing about improving sky!

[minusman]

Hi Ivo. Last night, all the Lightframes were named “Single” in the filename. Even though APT correctly created a ‘Lights’ subfolder in the object folder and the frame type is listed as “Light” in the FITS header. I created a test image today, but it doesn't show any abnormalities. Very strange.
I'll attach the log.

Best regards.

[Yoddha]

Hi Henry,

This is curious. We will investigate when are back from the vacation.

[minusman]

I hope you all have a wonderful vacation.

[fmeiresonne]

Hi Ivo,

I had some issues with APT 4,80. I could not get my flat frames on my pc. The first one arrived, all the rest failed. APT mentionened' there is an error. I changed cables , power supply. Nothing worked. Then switching back to APT 4,70,1 did not produce any error and worked. This was on my desktop pc, Ryzen 9 5900x, windows 10, with a Touptek OSC imx571 cam. Any ideas? Not that it is a big issue though.

[Yoddha]

Hi Johan,

Could you upload the log file?

[lmclouth]

Hi Ivo,

I haven't tried 4.81 yet because I didn't see in the release notes if the meridian flip problem I reported had been fixed.
https://aptforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=49269#p49269

Can you tell me if it has been found and fixed?

Thanks,

Lamar

[Yoddha]

Hi Lamar,

We made some research but did not find anything obvious. Next week will make a new round.

[Yoddha]

Hello Friends,

Let release what we have in order to be ready for the New Moon Here is the preview version 4.82.

If you are tired of converting seconds, minutes and hours you will like the Integration Calc. Also there are other useful additions in the new version

APT 4.82
- Added Tools->Integration Calc for easy finding how many hours data you have, or how many subs to take for desired integration
- Added check objects coordinates logic to support Stellarium too
- Added the planetarium in the Edit Script window for the command GoTo++
- Added scroll bar on Summary and Gear tabs - move the mouse to the right border to make it visible
- Added scrolling with mouse wheel in Summary and Gear tabs
- Added Hold Click on the buttons for tablet use, shows dialog box to select if you want Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click
- Added dragging with left button click for easier operation on tablet
- Added check box to control ZWO LED in Camera Tab->Settings (enabled when the model supports it)
- Added 300 samples for guiding data in Graphs and RMS to be calculated for up to 1200 samples for the exposure Quality
- Added logic to try keeping the APT settings and TemporaryStorage folder not in the cloud to prevent problems
- Added SVBony SDK 1.13.5

- Fixed rare case when plan images were marked with frame prefix "Single_"
- Fixed missing sounds on switching to remote desktop to real desktop and back

[chris_g]

Hi Ivo,

I've tried installing 4.82 on a new machine I have to get the simulator up and running on it, however it kept crashing right after opening. I loaded 4.8 and it did not crash, I then tried 4.81 and it did not crash either, so I loaded 4.82 again and it and it hran fine for a couple of session, then crashed again. I started it back up to test Sky Sim camera and it crashed again.

Logs attached

Clear Skies,
Chris

[chris_g]

Hi Ivo,

A quick update, I reinstalled 4.8 and was working with the sky sim software with no crashes

Clear Skies,
Chris

[Yoddha]

Hi Chris,

We are on the road back from Athens to Sofia visiting interesting places. Sometimes the reason APT to crash during the startup is that it could try to connect TemperHum sensor. We have to check deeper why it is happening. You can select "No additional sensor" in Settings->T & Sky.

When we are back will check the log carefully.

[chris_g]

Hi Chris,

We are on the road back from Athens to Sofia visiting interesting places. Sometimes the reason APT to crash during the startup is that it could try to connect TemperHum sensor. We have to check deeper why it is happening. You can select "No additional sensor" in Settings->T & Sky.

When we are back will check the log carefully.

Hi Ivo,

Hope you enjoyed the trip, never been to Greece though my sister vacationed there once back in the 90s. I love the food if I can actually find authentic Hellenic cooking.

I tried setting no additional sensors as suggested but 4.82 still crashes. It's definitely equipment related, holding down shift bypassing equipment connection and 4.82 didn't crash. I connected everything one at a time, and still no crash. I've brought it up several times now and manually connected everything with no crashing. Perhaps the rapid sequence of connecting all the equipment is causing it to crash with equipment connected on boot. When APT is announcing the equipment connections, it's random as to which one it crashes on. It even waited once until all equipment was connected then crashed.

I've uploaded the simulation profile that works if I connect everything one at a time after holding down the shift key

Clear Skies,
Chris

[Yoddha]

Hi Chris,

This is first thing tomorrow morning

Many thanks! It was combination of business trip and trip going there and back visiting places near and not so near the route We had in Athens whole week two years ago, so didn't spend time in the town. One of the most immersive things was the museum in Vergina build to show the findings of the untouched tomb of Philip II, the father of Alexader the Great The business part was productive too

[Marssy]

Hi Chris,

We found that the issue comes from the Observing Conditions auto-connect when OpenWeatherMap is selected. The OpenWeatherMap driver does not return a valid RainRate value, which was causing the crash during startup.
We have added a workaround and the fix will be included in the next version.

Thanks for helping us track this down!