Creating an Image Catalog


The Catalog command generates a table, or "catalog", of image properties such as size, type, exposure time, etc. The results are listed in a Report Window which includes standard tools for working with tabulated results. The results may be saved to a text file, copied to the Windows clipboard, or printed. See Working with Report Windows for a description of the built-in functionality.

Quantities Tabulated by the Catalog Command

Column

Definition

#

Sequential number in table

File Name

The File name without path

Object

OBJECT keyword (name of the target)

Type

IMAGETYP keyword (bias, dark, etc.)

Exp

EXPTIME keyword (exposure time, in seconds)

Filter

FILTER keyword (filter used for the image)

Time

TIME-OBS keyword (UT at beginning of exposure)

Date

DATE-OBS keyword (UT Date at beginning of exposure)

RA

RA keyword (Right Ascension)

Dec

DEC keyword (Declination)

Cols

NAXIS1 keyword (image columns)

Rows

NAXIS2 keyword (image rows)

File Path

The full file path

The Catalog Report

When you execute this command, Mira opens an Open type dialog named Open to Catalog from which you choose images. The results are tabulated in a Report Window named Image Catalog, like that shown below. In this example, note that some cells or entire columns are left blank because the images do not contain the pertinent information. Some image formats, such as JPEG or BMP, do not provide much more than the number of columns and rows and a file name.

 

tip

If you run this command multiple times, new information is always appended to the existing Image Catalog window. To begin with an empty table, delete its contents using the View > Clear command from the Report Window menu, or simply delete the window using its [X] button.

Procedure

  1. If an image is displayed, click on its window to load its menu bar. The Catalog command is in the File menu.

  2. Click File > Catalog to open the Open to Catalog dialog.

  3. Use standard mouse and keyboard methods to select the files you wish to open. See Selecting Files from the Open Dialog.

  4. Click [Open] to load the images into the catalog. The catalog is tabulated in a window like that shown above.

Related Topics

Image Information, FITS Header, Opening and Saving Files