Database format

[Tony Rodda]

Hi guys, a little advice required please…

Does AIP4WIN MMT directly produce a format friendly to the BAAVSS database (for upload)?

I’ve just found the PhotomCap utility to auto-download AAVSO photometry data associated with their charts into a ready made format for AIP4WIN MMT.

(If you haven’t seen it, it simply downloads all the Variable and Comp star data, direct from their web page, into text file for use by MMT.  So manually typing all the Comp star values, etc is avoided).

But, it doesn’t appear to output a BAA format in the same form as the BAA spreadsheet.

Or, can I get an MMT output to use with the spreadsheet?

Just tinkering!

Regards

Tony

[Andy Wilson]

Hi Tony,

AIP4Win MMT does not produce files in the BAA VSS format. It is on my list of things to do to amend the VSS Photometry spreadsheet to read the MMT files, but that is likely to be at least a few months away. (Anyone could create a spreadsheet or other application to do the conversion but I suspect it will wait be me to produce something.)

Another one of the items on my to do list is to investigate building compatibility in to the VSS Database website for loading the AAVSO data format. The main issue here is the last time I reviewed the AAVSO format it did not provide all of the data we store in the BAA VSS database. However, we may just accept that we do not get all of the data.

I’ve not had a chance to look at the MMT format recently, so perhaps you could email me a copy? That will give me an idea of how much work the development will be.

Thanks,

Andy Wilson (BAA VSS Database Secretary)

[Tony Rodda]

Will do Andy.  I’ll run multiple format reports for the same data (easy to do) and will post tomorrow.

Rgds

T

[Graham Winstanley]

I have been trying to get started with photometry and have found that AIP4WIN does not seem to be available any more. The book that it is supplied with is no longer on the Willman Bell website. I have been trying Muniwin which produces files for AAVSO and has an option for the BAA version but when accessed it says “yet to be developed”. Regards, Graham Winstanley

[Gary Poyner]

Graham,

It’s available on Amazon – but pricey!

Gary

[Andy Wilson]

Hi Graham,

You could also try emailing William-Bell to see if you can get hold of the book and software, or maybe just the software if they have run out of the books.

http://willbell.com/contact.htm

The other thing to watch out for is if you find a copy to make sure it is version 2. William-Bell used to offer an upgrade from v1 to v2, but I’m not sure if that is still available.

Andy

[Tony Rodda]

Andy,

Attached is a composite file containing several outputs (for the recent RX And data).  The different types are obvious by their headers.

I’ve saved it as a Word docx file in order to upload it but it’s actually output as a txt file.

If you’re at the Spectro workshop I’ll have the software on my laptop and can walk you through if needed.

{Otherwise a web-share session?).

Let me know if you have any questions.

Regards

Tony

[Andy Wilson]

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the file. I’ll be at the spectroscopy workshop, so hopefully there will be a chance to discuss photometry file formats.

I’m unlikely to have the time to work on this until next year. I’m studying at weekends and have several meetings to attend in the run up to Christmas. Once my schedule has calmed down, then that will be the ideal time to look at the format in more detail and make the changes. Having sample files to work with will be a big help, as I’m not currently setup to do my own photometry.

Cheers,

Andy

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