The Database Browser is accessible from DataCraft
The Database Browser or DB Browser for short, gives a way to search and navigate to your images by very flexible and powerful way. You can search not only by filenames, but via various data like filter name, focal length, used camera, exposure and etc. Once you locate the files you can open them it the Image Browser or navigate the the folder in Windows Explorer and use the files in processing software.
Special thanks to Chris Gifford for giving the idea to build a database with images data!
If you have used databases in the past you will find the interface pretty intuitive. If you have no experience so far, you will see that it is easy to use.
First, you need to select the column from the drop-down control that will be used as a search criteria. After that, you have to choose the conditions, and finally, you need to enter the search parameter. The combination of these three elements will call "sub-query".
The columns available for searching can be of three types:
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Text column: It can be used in conditions with the "=" (equal) and "!=" (not equal) operators. In this case, the parameter can contain "%", which acts as a wildcard and can be replaced by any string. The string in the parameter is not case-sensitive.
Examples:
This will return all records in the database where the value in the 'Object' column starts with "m4", i.e. m40 to m49:
This will return all records where the value in the 'Camera' column does not end with "CCD":
2. Date Time column: It can be used in conditions with all operators - "=" (equal), "!=" (not equal), "<=" (smaller or equal), ">=" (greater or equal) and "like" . The format for the date in the parameter has to be:
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yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss: In this case, the condition will be based on both date and time.
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yyyy-mm-dd: In this case, the condition will be based only on the date.
Example:
When "like" is used you can to use % to replace the date parts. Examples:
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2023-03% - will show all images taken in March 2023. Note the month should have leading zero.
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2023% - will show all images taken in 2023
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%-05-% - will show all images taken in May no matter the year
3. Number column: It can be used in conditions with all operators - "=" (equal), "!=" (not equal), "<=" (smaller or equal) and ">=" (greater or equal).
When the sub-query is ready, you have to add it in the sub-queryies grid by clicking the 'Add' button. You can update or delete the selected sub-query using the relevant buttons.
If you need to add more sub-queries, you have to use the radio buttons labeled 'Add' and 'Or'. If you choose 'Add' the result will contain the records that meet both sub-queries. If you choose 'Or' the result will contain the records that meet at least one of the sub-queries.
Examples:
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To retrieve all images taken with the 'G' or 'B' filter, you have to use the 'Or' option.
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To retrieve all images taken between the 20th and 30th of July, you have to use the 'And' option:
Part of the column names starts with the symbol '*', which allows you to search for unique values in this column. For example, if you want to see all unique cameras that you have used, the query will be:
If you add Object Name with Unique, the list will contain the unique object you have imaged.
Unique option can be combined with other criteria. If you select Object with "And" and "Unique" enabled to the search criteria above for the images between 20th and 30th of July will get result of all objects imaged in this period.
In the end, if you are good into SQL and want to play even more with the data you can install "SQLite DB Browser." In the Documents folder -> APT_Data you will find APT.db. Shift+Click on Search button allows copying the generated SQL query in the clipboard and to use it in "SQLite DB Browser" (https://sqlitebrowser.org/). If you need a query which can't be generated in APT, let us know and we will try to make interface about it.
 Search Criteria builder
In this area is used to define query which images you want to show. Take a look above for detailed explanation and examples.
In short you can define one more more columns in the database what values you look for and how to combine these sub-queries. When a Column + Condition + Parameter is selected, use Add to add the sub-queries in the list.
Update and Delete can be used to manage the list of the sub-queries.
You can save and reuse up to 3 searches. Use Shift+Click on the buttons 1, 2 or 3 to save the current search query and to give it a name which will show as tooltip help. After that clicking on the button will reload the parameters.
Note the last used query is remembered and will be reloaded it on DB Browser opening.
Tips & Tricks: Shift+Click on the Delete button clears the list of the sub-queries.
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 DB Tools
Opens a dialog box which provide way do to some actions related to database 
This first part - "Index FITS Files in DB" will scan the select folder and will index all FITS files which contain light frames. If the file is already index it will be skipped.
The second part - "Verify the DB Records" will check every record in the database and see if the image file still exists on the disk. If the file is deleted, the record will be removed from the database.
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 Search
Searches for all images which meet the defined search criteria.
Shift+Click on Search button will copy the generated SQL query in the clipboard. It is useful if are familiar with SQL.
Ctrl+Click on Search button will delete all the records which corresponds to the search criteria (two confirmations required). First use regular search to see and inspect the records that will be deleted. Keep in mind that there is no Undo.
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 Results
The grid shows the images which correspond to the search criteria. You can sort the lines clicking on the column header.
Single Click load all the stored information in the details section.
Double Click does the same as single click, but also navigates and highlights the selected image in the Img Browser.
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 Stats
Shows brief statistics how many images meet the search criteria and the combined exposure time.
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 Details
Details section contains all the gathered information (except the data available in the results grid), if there is generated thumbnail available for the image it will be displayed.
The Open Folder button navigates the folder which contains the selected image in Windows Explorer. It is handy for importing the images in a processing application.
The Go to Image button navigates the folder which contains the selected image in Img Browser.
The Show buttons shows the object/coordinates of the selected file in the connected Planetarium application
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 ExportThe two buttons allow exporting information about the filtered images. Export ILP File will create a ILP - "Images List to Process" file which to be used in procession application. Ask the developer teams of your processing application to add support for this format. It is easy to implement. You can find more information here.
Export Paths File will create a simple text file with the paths to the images
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