File naming and Flats strategy - how do you do yours?

Sequence Generator
1

I just wondered how people approach naming flats within SGP?

Do you have them as events in the target, or do you create a 2nd target for them, or even a separate sequence?

I have recently switched to having them as a 2nd target in my sequence as it is then easy to reset that target (completed flag or progress) from night to night.

The ‘downside’ is that I have a new target folder to go and manage, but by cunningly adding the word ‘Flats’ to the target name, it’s obvious!!

The only slight ‘thing’ I have is that the file names are set at the sequence level, not the target level - and I don’t necessarily want/need the exposure time in the file name of the flat. I’m almost tempted to submit a feature request for file naming at a target level, but thought I’d ask what others do first… Things I love about SGP is that there are things: a) I don’t yet know, b) hadn’t thought of, and c) other people probably had a similar scenario!

Cheers
Daz

2

Since I have my equipment permanently set up in an observatory I never take
flats as part of a light sequence. As long as I don’t change the camera
orientation or equipment I can use the same flats for a couple months until
I change something. So I create a separate sequence for flats and name the
target “Flats” with the identifying scope (“Flats_SV152_F8”). I don’t
really care about the name or what is included in the naming, but if you
create a separate flats sequence then you can change the naming tokens to
whatever you want, including eliminating the exposure time. Then when you
want to take new flats just use the same sequence and reset the progress.

1 Like
3

Thanks Joel - yes, I have a permanent set up too, and hadn’t actually considered the no-flats option!

But the more I think about it, the more I think a separate sequence will be the way to go!