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