General Tab

ALS Preferences General Tab Documentation
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The most critical ALS settings are presented in the General tab.

Overview

This tab is divided into 3 sections:

ALS preferences window with the General tab selected, displaying Scanner, Memory use, Core, Profile, Language, Network and Data settings.

The General tab in ALS preferences

Scanner

Scan folder

Defines the path of the folder monitored by ALS to detect subs recorded by your acquisition system.

Scanner settings showing the Scan folder... button and the configured path /home/astrogeek/astroshots.

Scan folder preferences

  • 🖱️ click Scan folder... to configure the scan folder
  • The configured path is displayed to the right of the button

ℹ️ Default: ∅

Memory use

Defines ALS’s behavior regarding the amount of memory it leaves to other applications.

Memory use settings with a slider ranging from Greedy to Scared and set to Unfair.

Memory use preferences

The names associated with these slider steps are as vague as memory management can be.

We advise you to experiment with an open and joyful mind…

⚙️ Or consult the Scanner module’s detailed documentation

ℹ️ Default: Unfair

Core

Profile

ALS offers two different operating modes, called profiles.

Profiles optimize ALS’s behavior for specific uses:

Profile Scanner Responsiveness Processing Priority Sigma Clipping
Electronically Assisted Astronomy High Calibration + stacking OFF
Astrophoto Session Monitoring Normal Image processing ON

Electronically Assisted Astronomy keeps detection, calibration, and stacking responsive so new subs can be integrated quickly during a live observing session.

Astrophoto Session Monitoring gives more priority to image processing, which is commonly used between low-paced incoming subs. It also enables sigma clipping in mean stacking mode to remove transient bright artifacts such as satellite trails.

  • 🖱️ Select the profile matching the activity you want ALS to support.

⚙️ You will find details on how profiles impact the Scanner in the detailed documentation.

ℹ️ Default: Electronically Assisted Astronomy

Core settings showing the Electronically Assisted Astronomy and Astrophoto Session Monitoring profiles and the interface language selection.

Profile and language preferences

Language

Defines the language of the ALS user interface.

  • 🖱️ The following choices are available:

    • System: ALS follows the system language
    • French
    • English
    • Russian

ℹ️ Default: System

Network

Send usage statistics on startup

It is very useful for us to know which versions of ALS are being used and on which platform.

We would be very grateful if you allow ALS to send us usage statistics, but we also understand that you may be reluctant to enable such a feature.

Please note that:

  • ALS will only send the following information at each startup:
    • ALS version.
    • Machine architecture.
    • Operating system type.
  • We do not seek to identify or geolocate the source of this information.
Click here to see how you can verify these claims yourself

ALS and our tracking tools are opensource software, their source code is publicly available.

  • 🖱️ Check Send usage statistics on startup to enable the collection of ALS usage data.

ℹ️ Default: OFF

Check for updates on startup

ALS can check if a new version is available at each startup.

If a new version is available, a message will be displayed below the Modules group on the Main controls panel.

  • 🖱️ Check Check for updates on startup to enable the new version check.

ℹ️ Default: OFF

TODO

Network and Data preferences

Data

Detailed logs

Manages the level of detail in the messages written to the log file.

The log file is named als.log. It is located in your home folder:

/home/astrogeek/als.log

C:\Users\astrogeek\als.log

/Users/astrogeek/als.log

  • 🖱️ Check Detailed logs to enable detailed message logging.

Detailed logs can slow down the application. Use this option when you need to analyze a malfunction or plan to report an issue and provide us with as much information as possible.

Detailed logs include:

  • application startup configuration
  • your system’s characteristics
  • application-specific metrics
  • communications between all modules
  • detailed processing steps

ℹ️ Default: OFF

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