New acquisition details form available for testing - Forums

Topic starter

Admin

IOTD Staff

Exemplary contributor

Feb 15, 2023

Dear members of the AstroBin Beta Testers group,

thank you so much for helping me with early feedback on new features!

I've just released the initial version of the new acquisition details form, and I would be very grateful if you had a look and used it for a little bit and gave me some feedback.

I'm looking for feedback in case you find bugs, or you don't understand how to use some aspects of it.

Please provide any incremental improvement suggestions you might have, but do not ask me to redesign the entire thing

You can use your new form on any of your new or existing images.

Please note that the new form only supports filters in the new equipment database, so if you have unmigrated filters, you will not be able to use them in the new form (this would only apply if you go and edit an old image).

I am not including any instructions at this point because I prefer to see if you "get" the new form without them (as even if I wrote instructions, 90% of regular users wouldn't read them).

Thank you!
Salvatore

Helpful Respectful Engaging Supportive

Miguel G.

Feb 15, 2023

hi Salvatore,

Thanks for your effort! This is an huge improvement!

I've just edited one of my existing files and faced this error on "additional properties"

I cannot set negative values.

Regards

Andre Vilhena

Feb 15, 2023

Hi @Salvatore Iovene,

Just had a look and seem much better than previously - it makes easier to fill, especially when you have several sessions. The only thing I would have is Bortle scale also included in the main interface (I know one can open it in a different window), as quite often (at least for me) I shoot in different Bortle scales. Besides, it is something really relevant to understand what can be achieved.
Other than that, much cleaner and easier to fill.

Cheers,
André

Concise

Dominik Weinbrenner

Feb 15, 2023 · Edited: Feb 15, 2023

Miguel G.:
I cannot set negative values.

I ran into the same issue.

Also, it seems the bortle scale value set using the old prompt is not imported into the new view.

Salvatore Iovene

Topic starter

Admin

IOTD Staff

Exemplary contributor

Feb 15, 2023

Hi guys,

thanks for the quick feedback.

The fix for the sensor cooling and the Bortle scale property are now implemented and will be available in about half an hour after deployment.

Andre Vilhena:
The only thing I would have is Bortle scale also included in the main interface (I know one can open it in a different window), as quite often (at least for me) I shoot in different Bortle scales.

Unfortunately there's only so many fields that can fit in a horizontal form before things are too crammed and difficult to display on narrower windows, so I had to keep it very minimal.

I will soon work on adding presets, similar to the equipment presets!

Well Written Concise

Dominik Weinbrenner

Feb 15, 2023

Salvatore Iovene:
I will soon work on adding presets, similar to the equipment presets!

That sounds good!

A csv import function would be nice to have that populates all fields based on a defined structure in the database csv.
The mandatory link to the equipment database makes that more complicated though. Still, ignoring the filter field and filling it out after import could still save a lot of time on larger multi-session projects.

Well Written

Salvatore Iovene

Topic starter

Admin

IOTD Staff

Exemplary contributor

Feb 15, 2023

Dominik Weinbrenner:
A csv import function would be nice to have that populates all fields based on a defined structure in the database csv.

Yes this is also planned

One thing at a time!

Joakim Fjeldli

Feb 15, 2023 · Edited: Feb 15, 2023

Seems to be missing a "save"-button? If I click add session and enter it, then leave the window, my browser asks me if I'm sure I want to leave it, as the data is not saved.

Dominik Weinbrenner

Feb 15, 2023

Salvatore Iovene:
Dominik Weinbrenner:
A csv import function would be nice to have that populates all fields based on a defined structure in the database csv.

Yes this is also planned One thing at a time!

Oh, I'll wait patiently for this! Awesome!

Salvatore Iovene

Topic starter

Admin

IOTD Staff

Exemplary contributor

Feb 15, 2023

Joakim Fjeldli:
Seems to be missing a "save"-button? If I click add session and enter it, then leave the window, my browser asks me if I'm sure I want to leave it, as the data is not saved.

The save button is at the bottom as before. Is your screenshot cut?

Well Written

Joakim Fjeldli

Feb 15, 2023

Salvatore Iovene:
Joakim Fjeldli:
Seems to be missing a "save"-button? If I click add session and enter it, then leave the window, my browser asks me if I'm sure I want to leave it, as the data is not saved.

The save button is at the bottom as before. Is your screenshot cut?

Ill check again, maybe I just didnt see it! Thanks.

Arny

Feb 15, 2023

I experienced a server crash message and could not save the acquisition, so only basic information and gear got saved, but image was to be found in my profile in staging status.

Trying again I was successful 4 hours later.

User experience wise
- I had a hard time fetching the ok button on some of the popup pages on an iPad
- would be great if I could set defaults for flats, darks, bias and cooling, as I run on identical standard

Bit overall great improvement, Salvatore!

Francesco Meschia

Feb 15, 2023

“Date” used not to be mandatory, it appears it is now. Is that intended?

Salvatore Iovene

Topic starter

Admin

IOTD Staff

Exemplary contributor

Feb 15, 2023

Francesco Meschia:
“Date” used not to be mandatory, it appears it is now. Is that intended?

No, that was not intended and a patch is incoming, thanks for noticing!

Well Written Respectful

Linwood Ferguson

Feb 15, 2023

Any chance of it dynamically expending and adding more columns if you have room? Many people have quite wide monitors now. This is mine. Looks rather constrained in the middle.

I'm also really interested in a CSV import, honestly to me this new form is worse than the old since the new one makes me (unless I'm mistaken) repeatedly hit the three dots if I want to fill in more info. Admittedly what it shows are the most critical. So if this is all most people enter, it is better, more concise. But if you want ANY other info, say bortle (if you move around), it's a real pain. But that also brings up....

If more info is filled in (as it is for me), some sort of icon or indicator or color change would be helpful to indicate you need to look "behind" this screen for more info. Otherwise in editing (obviously not in data entry the first time) you do not even know you had info there.

Salvatore Iovene

Topic starter

Admin

IOTD Staff

Exemplary contributor

Feb 15, 2023

Hi Linwood

Linwood Ferguson:
Any chance of it dynamically expending and adding more columns if you have room? Many people have quite wide monitors now. This is mine. Looks rather constrained in the middle.

Small chance of that, unfortunately. The UI framework that AstroBin uses has some pre-defined widths depending on the browser width, and that's the maximum one (which I recently increased). Allowing a larger width would mess up with the layout of other pages too much, and doing it just for this page would be difficult and confusing.

Linwood Ferguson:
I'm also really interested in a CSV import, honestly to me this new form is worse than the old since the new one makes me (unless I'm mistaken) repeatedly hit the three dots if I want to fill in more info.

And the other one makes you scroll forever even if you're unlikely to fill in all fields. We can't have our cake and eat it too, but if you click on the duplicate button, it will also copy the data hidden behind the "More data" button.

Linwood Ferguson:
If more info is filled in (as it is for me), some sort of icon or indicator or color change would be helpful to indicate you need to look "behind" this screen for more info. Otherwise in editing (obviously not in data entry the first time) you do not even know you had info there.

This is a good idea, thanks! Will do!

Helpful Supportive

Linwood Ferguson

Feb 15, 2023

Salvatore Iovene:
And the other one makes you scroll forever even if you're unlikely to fill in all fields. We can't have our cake and eat it too, but if you click on the duplicate button, it will also copy the data hidden behind the "More data" button.

Actually knowing that takes care of most of the issue, as I would guess the vast majority of items "behind" would be duplicated, and where not easy enough to go into the exception.

But... CSV upload. Solves many problems at once, and you'll suddenly see a LOT of people writing powershell or bash or whatever scripts.

Maybe make an exception to the "About Astrobin" to encourage people to share such in a forum post somewhere.

Alex Ranous

Feb 16, 2023

I tried editing the acquisition details for my most recent image. For some reason, the filter information was missing. It had a line in the form for each entry, but under the filter, there was no filter and had the "Select ..." value. All the other information, date, number, duration etc were correct, just missing the name of the filter. When I tried other of my images, the filter info was displayed correctly. This image was posted a few days ago, so perhaps it was input during some transition period. The image in question is https://www.astrobin.com/2rn97k/E/

Helpful Concise

Salvatore Iovene

Topic starter

Admin

IOTD Staff

Exemplary contributor

Feb 16, 2023

Hi Alex,

the reason seems to be that your image features acquisitions with filters from the old equipment database, which the new acquisition form does not understand.

While I recommend you migrate them (https://app.astrobin.com/equipment/migration-tool/filter) I think the easiest way for me to deal with this is to still show the old acquisition form for such images.

Moving forward with new images, you wouldn't be able to find old database filters in the new form, so this would be a non-issue.

Well Written Helpful Insightful Respectful Concise Supportive

Manuel Peitsch

Feb 16, 2023

Dear Salvatore,
I just used the new form, and am really thankful for the work you put into this. Works like a charm and makes everything so much easier.
All the best
Manuel

Well Written Respectful Supportive

HR_Maurer

IOTD Staff

Feb 16, 2023

Hi,
thanks to unclear skies, i didn't have the opportunity to test yet. But i would appreciate the possibility to set up filters in groups. Since i own quite some. One set in a filter wheel, another set in drawers, a third one for fast apertures in 2" mounts, some CLS, NIR or blur filters… I imagined to first choose the filter group, and later pick single filters from that group. Instead of scrolling through all of the mess for every single choice.

CS Horst

Kevin Dixon

IOTD Staff

Feb 17, 2023 · Edited: Feb 17, 2023

Good Morning Salvatore,

I just uploaded an image of the Jellyfish Nebula which gave me the opportunity to use the new acquisition details form. Simply put, I love it. It is very easy to understand and use and gives the imager complete freedom to document the acquisition dates, filters used and acquisition times. A great improvement. Well done!

Clear skies,
Kevin

Well Written Respectful Supportive

Dominik Weinbrenner

Feb 17, 2023 · Edited: Feb 17, 2023

I have used the new form for two images now and can safely say it is very efficient, the copy function being the match winner here.

Vitali

Feb 17, 2023

The new form is very convenient and is a big improvement. It is easy to add multiple acquisition dates (which I never did with the old form because I usually have many imaging sessions

). Best regards, Vitali

Mau_Bard

Feb 17, 2023

Ciao Salvatore, used today for the first time, and I found it easy to use. Much easier than before to input multiple recording dates!