Maintenance Release of AstroDMx Capture and how to install and run on macOS and Windows

Nicola has released version 0.84.9 as a maintenance release of AstroDMx Capture on Windows, macOS and Linux, including the Raspberry Pi OS.

The latest version of AstroDMx Capture can be downloaded here:

 https://www.astrodmx-capture.org.uk

This release addresses some issues that have come to light since the last release and increases the stability of the system overall.

The AstroDMx Capture project has now grown to 56,670 lines of code plus 9,594 lines of internal documentation that enables the programmer to understand what exactly the code is doing if it is revisited in the future. This is a total of 66,264 lines. This is a minimum because some of the lines of code span several physical lines.

To get a feel for how much this actually is: If a book contained 50 lines per page, then it would require two volumes, each of at least 663 pages to contain the whole of AstroDMx Capture. This is a considerable amount and requires a commensurate effort to maintain and advance the software.

We have noticed that some people are unsure about how to install AstroDMx Capture in macOS or Windows. Both operating system place obstacles in the way of software that has not been downloaded from their respective stores, or has not had expensive and recurrent certification. These obstacles go away when sufficient numbers of downloads of a given piece of software have been made.

In both operating systems it is only necessary to give permission for the software to run. In both operating systems, these obstacles are put there to protect a user from inadvertently running a program that they had downloaded from a source that they don't trust. 

macOS

When the install file has been downloaded to the desktop it should be double clicked and a window will appear the the AstroDMx Capture icon in it. Then a separate window of Finder should be opened and the AstroDMx Capture icon should be dragged over into the Applications folder at the left of Finder.

Then, if you try to run the software this will appear.

Simply open System Preferences

And then select Security and Privacy

Click on Cancel in the small window with the Exclamation mark in a yellow triangle.

Then click on Open Anyway in the Security a Privacy window.

Another small window with a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark will appear.

Click on Open in this window.

You will then be able to run AstroDMx Capture

Windows 10

AstroDMx Capure for Windows is now downloaded as an MSI file, and similar to macOS, Windows places obstacles to make you think about what you are installing and intending to run.

When you double click on the MSI installer file a Window appears.

Just click on More info.

Just Click on Run anyway and your program will install and be able to run.

We hope that you enjoy using AstroDMx Capture on your operating system of choice.

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A recent result:

The Flame nebula captured by AstroDMx Capture for macOS

Screenshot

The Flame nebula

Stack of 20 x 30s exposures

The camera used was the full spectrum version of the SVBONY SV305 camera and a Skywatcher Explorer 130 PDS 130mm, f/5 Newtonian mounted on a Celestron AVX mount.