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Cannot import observing lists in SS7: error message occurs

Trying to import an observing list into SS7 Pro causes an error. It is impossible to import obesving lists!

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20 comments

  • 0
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    Keiron Smith

    Mark, 

    Please provide the following info:

    1. App and version
    2. OS version
    3. Device
    4. Please attach a sample observing list.

    Is this one list, all lists, from the online observatory, or lists you created?

    Thanks!

  • 0
    Avatar
    markusd112

    SkySafari 7 Pro 7.1.3 (1060)
    ipadOS 15.7
    ipad 9th gen.

    It happens with a self created list of my friend, that he has mailed to me, as well if I send him some of mine self created lists. My friend has exactly the same problem on his ipad trying to import my list.

    It is impossible to upload any example file to this forum, only pictures are allowed to upload.

    Here is a screenshot from my friend:

  • 0
    Avatar
    markusd112

    I have now used some cloud service to upload example observing list:

    https://magentacloud.de/s/Q3zPEqHRsCrFY8E

     

  • 0
    Avatar
    Keiron Smith

    Mark,

    Are the lists in question in use in any version of SkySafari at this time?

    How were the lists initially created?  Using SkySafari, or another app?

    Thanks!

  • 0
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    markusd112

    Yes, they are in use. They are created via Skysafari.

    Best regards,

    Markus

  • 0
    Avatar
    markusd112

    Here the informations of my friend with the same problem:

    SS7 Pro 7.1.3

    iphone 11

    ios 15.4.1

  • 0
    Avatar
    Keiron Smith

    When you visit LiveSky.com, can you share a direct link to the lists?  Please provide the link here.

    Thanks!

  • 0
    Avatar
    markusd112

    I have received the list from my friend via email… It is not available in my Livesky Account, because I am unable to import it to my local SS7pro…

    The other one that I have mailed to my friend and he was unable to import is this one:

    https://livesky.com/shared.html#/observing-list/whTquTqdW6

    Best regards,

    Markus

  • 0
    Avatar
    Keiron Smith

    The LiveSky.com direct link for sharing worked for me.  Please try that with your friend and let me know if that all works for both of you.

    Thanks!

  • 0
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    markusd112

    I have sent him my link. He has download it and tried to open it in SS7: same error message.

  • 0
    Avatar
    markusd112

    Here you can find some observing list, that is working to import:

    https://magentacloud.de/s/CFi9FXMyBRaHwHL

    So it seems to be some problem with the the two list files, not a general problem to import.

    Best regards

    Markus

  • 0
    Avatar
    Keiron Smith

    Markus, 

    Please test importing via LiveSky.com, not downloading the list to import via the app.

  • 0
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    markusd112

    Hi Keiron,

    the goal is to find and fix this bug in SS7, not to find a workaround, isn‘t it?

    Thanks,

    Markus

  • 0
    Avatar
    Keiron Smith

    Are we not working together?  

    You want the list imported, I'm showing you a way.

    It is not a "workaround" to use LiveSky to import shared lists as I am showing you - it is designed for this purpose.

    Did you try importing via LiveSky.com?

    If there is a bug importing lists that are shared via email/download then it will be fixed, of course.

    Thanks!

  • 0
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    markusd112

    I am not able to try this in „LiveSky.com“ because you need a payed premium abo of LiveSky to use „advanced editing“ features and import files via web gui.

    Sharing and importing directly in Skysafari without using web gui of livesky worked with previous versions.

  • 0
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    markusd112

    It seems that there was some change in the file structure. The first one in the screenshots doesn't work to import, the second one works to import in SkySafari. Maybe this could be the reason for the problem?

  • 0
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    Gsansoucie

    I’m having the same problem, clicking on a .skylist file on my iPad is giving me the same error in SkySafari 7 Pro trying to import.

    I’ve used this in the past with Sky Safari 5 just fine, your comment above about the difference between the skylist and csv formats made me think it was my csv file.  I used the skylist format and have the same problem.


    I’m actually working on this as a workaround to another bug I found and reported around creating lists within SkySafari 8 Pro.  I’d hoped to be able to create multiple lists, combine them in a text editor, and import the new file.

    Has any progress been made on this issue?

     

  • 0
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    Gsansoucie

    I spoke too soon.  I had two issues.

    The format was incorrect which I fixed based on your post.

    The actual file was inaccessible from my iCloud folder, I copied it local to my iPad and viola it works.

    So the error message itself is misleading at best.  However, I’m past this issue and have a suitable workaround to my other issue now,

     

  • 0
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    markusd112

    Hi Gsansoucie,

    could you please give us some hint, what is the formatting problem of the file and how you get it to work?

    For me I have already tried to copy it into the local folders of my ipad, but the error message occurs anyway.

    I hope that this bug in SS7pro will be fixed. I have had to enter all the objects manually again and create a new list, because the import failed.

    Best regards,

    Markus

  • 0
    Avatar
    Gsansoucie

    There are apparently two formats in use by Sky Safari:

    1) CSV - Looks to be for export only

    2) Skylist format (for lack of a better word).

    The key is to only work in the Skylist format.  Its a simple text file with a multiple line approach.   There is a simple header, followed by groups of lines for each object.

    This is the simple two line header I've seen in the files I've worked with for SS7:

    4SkySafariObservingListVersion=3.0
    SortedBy=Default Order

    Then you can have any reasonable number of objects following the header.

    Each object is bookended with tags:

    SkyObject=BeginObject

    <<Lines of details>>

    EndObject=SkyObject

     

    Make sure each object complies with said bookends.

    Each object is pretty simply described as well:

    SkyObject=BeginObject
    ObjectID=2,26331,18
    CatalogNumber=1 Peg
    CatalogNumber=HR 8173
    CatalogNumber=HD 203504
    CatalogNumber=SAO 107073
    CatalogNumber=BD +19 4691
    CatalogNumber=HIP 105502
    CatalogNumber=STFB 11
    CatalogNumber=ADS 14909
    DefaultIndex=1
    EndObject=SkyObject
     
    The ObjectID and the CatalogNumbers represent the actual object.  Since I am only manipulating lists created by SS7 Pro, I am making the assumption the ObjectID and CatalogNumbers are correct.
     
    I believe the DefaultIndex value is moot with this header line:
    SortedBy=Default Order
    Which is good news as I'm simply concatenating object lists here and don't want to have to reset the Index value for each concatenated list.
     
    The documentation for this format along with the error handling is limited to none.  I suspect that is on purpose.
     
    I am wondering if your problem of sharing lists between two instances of SS is around the ObjectID.  Perhaps you and your friend have different database contents and/or versions.  If that is the case the ObjectIDs may not line up here.  About 6 years ago I went through this with SS5 Pro and asked a number of questions out here around the format so that I could script this when creating lists from Excel/Numbers/Raw Text.  I got very limited to no answers and basically winged it.  This worked well in SS5 for me.  I'd much rather not do any of this but there is a bug in the observation list planning filter preventing me from creating a realistic single list.
     
    Hope this helps.

     

     

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