Databases for linux

[Pat Browne]

Hi,

I have just installed the version for linux. Here are some questions:

Where can I get the database for photometry?

How can I set up astap to find my databases ?
I have set up a symlink for the H18 inside of /opt/astap but I see no way to change astap from auto:
Here is a screenshot:

Thanks very much in advance!
Pat
Rimouski Québec

[han.k]

Hello Pat,

I'm not sure if a sim link will work. Anyhow for photometry you should install V17 database. This database contains the calculated Johnson-V magnitude. Then just select in V17 instead of AUTO. The H18 is then redundant and can be removed.

The location is the same as the program. This is normally:

/opt/astap

But you can use any directory as long the executable and database files are at the same location

But there is one exception. You could astap in:

/usr/share/astap/

and the databases in

/usr/share/astap/data/

Easiest is just to use the debian packages and let the package install it at /opt/astap

Han

[Pat Browne]

Hi Han,

Everything is working beautifully now!

Here's what I discovered.
1. Using the .deb installer, the databases are not installed.
2. I downloaded the zip files for v17 and h18 and placed them on a large memory card
3. astap is installed in /opt/astap and consumes < 16Mb
4. I created symlinks directly to the db files on the memory card so that they appear to live in /opt/astap.
(I experimented with creating a subdirectory /opt/astap/data but the program did not appear to look in there)
5. Now the Stack/Alignment method displays H18 and V18 in the drop-down and I am able to select V17.
6. I also placed the IAU comet files in /opt/astap and can annotate for comets.

The result: a solved image of our friend C/2017K2 with the annotation of the closest variables available should I wish to collect data for them

UN GROS MERCI!!!!

Pat

[han.k]

Hello Pat,

Good it works now for you.

1. I checked the V17 Debian pacakge here but it installs under Ubuntu. Maybe it is depending on the Linux system.
2. The subdirectory /data only works if the program is in /usr/.... and the databases are in /usr/share/astap/data/
   But the directory /opt/astap is the default one.

Clear skies, Han

[Pat Browne]

Hi Han,
Just for INFO,
For the default install situation, here's how I did the symlink from my SD card to the /opt/astap directory

---

cd /opt/astap
sudo ln -s /media/pat/6E16-84BC/astap/v17/* .

---

Similarly for the h18 database.

Question - should I keep both v17 and h18 or does v17 do the job ?

thanks
Pat

[han.k]

Hello Pat,

I haven't tried sim links. So it works. I normally work in Windows, so I don't test the Linux version so much.

The V17 is fine for photometry. The h18 will be faster for solving since it contains smaller sections. If your FOV is 0.5 degree or larger you could do everything with the V17 including solving. If the FOV is smaller you better keep the H18 for solving since it goes deeper down to magnitude 18.

Cheers, Han