Error Accessing File"

[Martin Curtis Jordan]

I am new to SourceForge, so my apologies if this is a bit rough. I have been a happy user of ASTAP for several years now, primarily for platesolving. Tonight, I upgraded to the latest version (2023.05.31). I also added some of the new star databases, and removed the older h17 and h18 databases. In testing out the new installation, I tried loading a single .CR2 file from my Canon T3i. ASTAP quickly returned the "Error Accessing File!" message. My earlier install had no issues reading .CR2 files. I moved the file to another directory, still no joy. I uninstalled and then reinstalled ASTAP and the new databases, still no joy. After much searching on the web, I could find no real help on this issue, hence my coming here. I'd appreciate any help or guidance that might be offered. Thanks in advance.

BTW - I am running ASTAP x64 on a Windows 11 system.

Update: a JPG file of the same CR2 raw file opens and solves. Am I mistaken that ASTAP can read RAW files?

[han.k]

I just checked the last version but it works here running Win10. There could be two reasons for this error:

1) The CR2 is damaged.
2) Win11 is interfering, especially with the included raw conversion program unprocessed_raw.exe.

Can Win11 display the CR2 image?
Can you attach the CR2 file or share it in an other way?
Is there a file "unprocessed_raw.exe" in c:\program files\astap

Han

[Martin Curtis Jordan]

Han - Thank you for the quick response! Win11 can display the inage using its native image viewer (the Photos app, I believe), a well as thumbnails. I will check on my PC for the "unprocessed_raw.exe" file and let you know if it is present. I will also upload the images I've tried opening.

[Martin Curtis Jordan]

Han - Attached is (or should be) the offending CR2 file. Its pretty awful as light frames go, but I was in the process of attempting to set backfocus on a new scope, and I just wanted to see how the stars looked, not to stack. The file opens quite quickly and easily in Microsoft Photos, which can save it as a JPEG. ASTAP does read, open, and plate solve the JPEG created from the CR2. I have also checked for the "unprocessed_raw.exe" file. It is in my C:\Program Files\astap folder. I presume that astap calls it as required, and no batch preproessing is required. I also noticed, when checking the file properties of "unprocessed_raw" that it is set for Win 8 compatibility. Are there specfic compatibility settings we should use? Take a look at the attached and let me know how you would like to proceed.

[Martin Curtis Jordan]

Han - I think I figured it out. I think. I started looking for any configuration parameters that dealt with RAW files, or could be RAW files. In the Stack Menu -> Stack Method there are quite a few parameters to set or accept. Upon a close inspection, I found that there was a "Raw Conversion" setting that was blank. I changed it to "LibRaw (full active area)" and ASTAP now loads my test .CR2 file and plate solves it. I will check this with a few more .CR2 files tomorrow just to make sure. Since I do not (yet) use ASTAP for Stacking, I have never looked in these tabs. As a user not super-familiar with all of ASTAP, I would have thought that it would have loaded .CR2 RAW files without having to make such an adjustment deep in the program's configuration menu. Is there a reason you have RAW file recognition turned off by default? Let me know if you think this may have been my problem. Kind regards - Martin