Vstar Self Generated File

Hi Michael,

Are you attempting to create a file from the AAVSO report format or some other way? Loading data from a file into VStar is covered in the VStar User's Manual (https://www.aavso.org/vstar) starting on page 10. If that doesn't help, please attach a sample from your self-generated file to a new post and we may be able to help you figure out why it isn't working.

To change the title of your plot, you can right-click anywhere on the plot then select "Properties..."

-Sara

Hi Mike

Yep, as Sara said: feel free to post the file or a few lines of the file here.

Are you referring to the 5th field of this (AAVSO download) format?

  https://www.aavso.org/format-data-file

Another suitable format would be that used by the AAVSO upload format file plugin:

  https://www.aavso.org/vstar-plugin-library#uploadfileformat

David

here is what some of file looks like

245678...julian date,9.0,,,Johnson V....I get message that Johnson V is invalid observer code? instructions say position 5 is for filter.  I have real simple light curve to generate with about 15 points with V mag and some TG DSLR magnitudes...want to be able to differentiate on light curve(dif color etc)

also would like to show the calander date as well as JD

David, could not figure out how to add the plug in for other format

Mike

Hi Mike

To get a light curve with the built-in simple format, you can just start with:

JD,mag

if you like.

David

David

Can you please help...Have read Vstar instructions but cannot get it to recognize observations as Johnson V or Tri-Color Green.  VStar seems to read everything to right of magnitude as magnitude.

with tab seperating . I have got it to read JD and magnitude only

Have put comas , space and tab between fields...what field is it looking at to see the Band??

Hi Mike

Feel free to either attach the file (or at least the first line or two) here or send it to me via my contact page.

David

David

So let me be sure  I understand..if I import data from AAVSO web site...I can differentiate and see different band observations....V, Tri-Color etc, but if I have a self generated file...I cannot see(differentiate)...which observations were done with which filter?

MIke

Hi Mike

Currently, if you use the simple format, yes.

However, if you use the AAVSO upload (https://www.aavso.org/vstar-plugin-library#uploadfileformat) or download formats (captures what's in AID) then you can include the filter.

What has been lost in the mists of time is that the so-called simple format arose in the context of the Citizen Sky project for a particular purpose.

What is needed is similar "simple" format that provides more flexibility that also addresses your desire to name the plot etc. There's also a need for a canonical representation for re-loading back into VStar given any combination of datasets having been loaded. I'm working on these issues.

See also:

• https://sourceforge.net/p/vstar/bugs-and-features/563
• https://sourceforge.net/p/vstar/bugs-and-features/557
• https://sourceforge.net/p/vstar/bugs-and-features/449
• https://sourceforge.net/p/vstar/bugs-and-features/396

In the meantime, I would suggest using the AAVSO upload format and the plugin mentioned above.

David