Control Editor

Stacker Unlimited Jobs are controlled by directives that define all of the actions and parameters necessary for Job Processing. Jobs controls can be created, edited, saved to and retrieved from XML files, for which there is a variety of tools available. Stacker Unlimited contains two Job control editors: Quick Jobs and Forms. Jobs controls can also be manipulated by external XML or simple text editors such as Notepad. Quick Jobs use an abbreviated user interface to quickly and easily construct or manipulate common jobs. Forms provide complete access to all directives. Quick Job and Forms may be used in concert to for example create a Job in Quick Job then customize it in Forms. Both editors use Profiles.

XML issues

Job scripts use standard XML. In addition to the Stacker Unlimited editors, Jobs can be edited in external text editors or XML editors such as Windows’ Notepad, MS Word, and XML Notepad.

An XML schema named “JobSchema.xsd” is included in the directory where the program “Stacker Unlimited.exe” is installed. This schema may be useful for some external XML editors.

Profiles

Profiles store information about image sources, such as cameras. A profile contains critical information about the image source, such as [Input Image Type]. Profiles simplify the process of creating new Jobs.

When creating a new Job, Stacker Unlimited looks for existing profiles and if only one is found then it is automatically loaded. If more than one profile is present then the user must chose from a list. If no profiles are found then the user is directed to create a new profile. Profiles can be created, edited or removed via the Quick Job Utility Manage Profiles.

Quick Jobs

Click(New Job) to open the Select Task form:

· Stack Images

· Create Calibration Master

· Utilities

· New Job Form

Utilities:

· Manage Profiles

· Calibrate / Register Set of Images

· Merge Stack(s) from other Job (only active when current Job has been created or loaded)

· Expand Color Job to use less memory (only active for current Job with RGB output)

Forms

Forms present all directives in a logical hierarchical interface consisting of a series of self-updating inter-linked forms. A form is opened by clicking a hyperlink in its parent form. There are three basic types of forms: single, array and list. The main Job form is an example of a single form. Stack Directives is an array type, which means that its parent form (Job) contains an indefinite number of stack directives. Image Files is a list.

Single Form

The root Job form is an example of a single form.

Array Forms

The Stack form is an example of an array form. A job may contain any number of stacks. The array forms toolbar (at top of form) contains controls for navigating the array, as well as adding and deleting members.

Toolbar Button
	These controls edit and navigate an array. Controls only appear when relevant.
	Prior. Move to the previous record. Double-click to move the first record
	Record Number (go to). Displays current record number. Type in a valid number to go to that record.
	Next. Move to the next record. Double-click to move the last record
	Synchronize following images to these settings. Applies most or all of the current record’s directives to all following records. e.g. to duplicate a Stack within a job: add a new stack; goto the prior stack and Synch.
	Add New. Add a new record at the end of the array
	Remove this. Delete the current record
	Clear all. Delete all records and close form

Image Data Grid

Select Image Files from the Stack form to open the File List data grid. If there are currently no image files then a file selection dialog will open.

Add new image files

Use the “new record” row (at the bottom of the list) to add new image files. Clicking the FileName cell will open a file selection dialog. Select one or more files. Note that files from different directories can be selected by repeated use of the “new record” row.

Delete image files

Select one or more rows then press the <del> key.

Select files for procedure

Use the record selector column (far left column) or drag the mouse over several rows. Use the standard Windows methods of <shift> / click to select contiguous ranges or <ctrl> / click to select discontinuous rows.

Change AssignToColor or PreProcess Group for all selected image files

Select one or more rows then click on the AssignToColor or PreProcess Group column is a selected row. A pop-up menu will present choices that will be applied to all selected rows.

Sort file list

The data grid can be sorted by any of the columns by clicking the column header. Clicking again will reverse the sort.

Move an image file to the top of the file list

Right-click on a row then select “Move this file to top of list” from the popup menu. The first image file is the default reference for registration and normalization. Thus it may be useful to place a particular image first

Show full paths

Right-click on any row then select “Show Path and File” from the popup menu.

Show file names only

Right-click on any row then select “Show File Name Only” from the popup menu.

View image

Right-click on desired image file cell then select “View Image” from the popup menu. This will open a viewer in the same way as if opened via the “Open” button in the main form.

PreProcess Groups

PreProcess directives (dark subtraction, etc.) can be created, edited and accessed via PreProcess Group forms. Group numbers are automatically assigned in the order created and may be considered to be arbitrary. (The actual XML file does not save or use groups, instead individual PreProcessing directives are associated with each input image file.) Changes to a PreProcess form are applied to all files associated with that form number.

File Issues

Jobs use the “.suj” file name extension. It is also permissible to use the “.xml” extension. Job files may be edited in external text or XML editors such as Windows’ Notepad and XML Notepad.

Jobs can be stored in any directory. It is convenient to place all source image files for a particular session or object in a directory along with associated Job(s).

DSLR raw files must be located on a writable disk drive. Reading a DSLR raw file invokes Adobe Digital Negative converter to create a temporary file in the same directory and with the same file name, except that the conversion file uses the “.dng” extension. The conversion file is processed then immediately deleted (thus there is usually only one conversion file present on the disk at any given time and no conversion files are present after the Job has run).