PinPoint Test Failure in PAM

I recently downloaded PolarAlignMax to give it a try.

When I go to do a Plate Solve it fails (step 2 in the process). On the Plate Solve Tab there is a button to test the path to the catalogue. I have entered a valid path to the GSC 1.1 catalogue which I use with PinPoint (recently updated it to version 5.1), so I know it is a valid database...when I use the Catelogue Checker in PinPoint I get the following message:

Catalog check of Guide Star Catalog 1.1 (compressed)
Selected root folder is C:\ProgramData\StarCatalogues\GSC11
SUCCESS - Catalog looks good!


However, when I test the path in PolarAlignMax I get the following message: "Test Failed (see log)". In the log I get the following:

22:28:29 ** PinPoint test **
22:28:29 Catalog: GSC-1.1
22:28:29 Path: C:\ProgramData\StarCatalogues\GSC11
22:28:29 Position: RA 00:00:00.0 Dec 00° 00' 00.0"
22:28:29 Field search = 2.0 x 2.0 (degrees)
22:28:29 PinPoint test failed
22:28:29 PinPoint.Plate error: The plate's exposure start time is required for catalog proper motion calculation. Check the attached image. (-2147220357)

There was a post about this but it was not clear what the resolution was/is.

Thanks in advance,
Dean

Hi Dean,

The problem is not with the path to the catalog. In order for PinPoint to solve any image, the FITS header of that image has to include the exposure start time. That would typically be the DATE-OBS item.

When I do your test with my PAM (version 2.0.46), my test passes:

15:04:34
15:04:34 ** PinPoint test **
15:04:34 Catalog: GSC-1.1
15:04:34 Path: C:\Catalogs\GSC-11
15:04:34 Position: RA 00:00:00.0 Dec 00° 00' 00.0"
15:04:34 Field search = 1.0 x 1.0 (degrees) <-- MINE IS 1 x 1 not 2 x 2
15:04:34 PinPoint test passed with 185 stars found

If you just set up your reference catalog in the PAM block on the Plate Solve tab, and click on Test Path (not Expose & Solve), is that how this error occurs?

Dean,

There was also an update to the PAM version, dated 6/21/2008. You may have this already, but here it is just in case. This contains an updated .exe file plus a new FITS file (with a DATE-OBS included).

Thanks!

That appears to have resolved the problem.

Cheers,
Dean

Dick, thanks so much for helping Dean!!!