That would require a lot of covering and uncovering the telescope if done manually.
I would prefer doing all filters for flats, then converting the sequence to dark flats.

Then I just have to arrange light source once, and scope cover once.

If the Flat->Dark option was after the last flat job it could convert all flats to darks and then you would only have to turn off flat light and cover scope once (like doing it manually). eg option : (Copy all flat jobs to darkflat jobs). I guess the problem would be that the exopures of the flats are only known once the flats jobs are instigated (using the auto exposure option).

I take darks less often than flats and have to cover the scope manually so it is typically not a sequential workflow for me. I rather have a dark library and then take flats using the same camera settings. So a transfer option from a dark library entry to create a flat job with the same settings with a default number of exposures would be my 10c for such a workflow.

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Dark Flats are distinct from Darks.

Dark Flats are Dark Frames with the exposure setting set to the same as the filter matching Light Flats.

They are used as an alternative for Bias frames with cameras that have issues with Bias frames (e.g. all ZWO CMOS cameras).

A Full set of calibration frames would include:

Darks (same exposure length as the normal light frames)
Flats (set at exposure length to match a particular low ADU)
Bias _OR_ Dark Flats (Bias are dark frames with very low exposure times), but ZWO cameras don't manage Bias frames very well, so it is recommended that they use Dark Flats.

This thread is about making it easier to make Dark Flats once you have created a set of the Flats with the auto-ADU setting in kstars.

Flats taken using the auto setting are typically different exposures every time you do them (depends on the exact strength and position of the light source) so dark library is not useful here.
Also DarkFlats use same exposure as corresponding flats so typically only a few seconds and not long exposures like Darks for light frames.
You could then do your flats and then hit a button and redo all the jobs as DarkFlats.
If "Change Flat jobs to DarkFlat jobs" was an option then you don't have to use it.

Thanks for summing up the definitions. I have a CMOS camera and I was clear. The topic of the thread in my view started rather to include "dark flat" in the dropdown for exposure jobs.

I use a controlled artificial light source for flats. With this I used the function to find good exposure times in Stellarmate only once per filter/scope/camera setup. Since then I always use the same (rounded value) exposures time for flats and the corresponding (flat) darks.After this one off determination of the exposure time the workflow is then separated for (flat) darks (I use a library) and flats (every session). So I don’t take darks in every session. A bit lazy but works and saves time.

So if it is an option then you you are not forced use it. So what is the issue ?
As far as I know there is such an option in other software (eg NINA unless I am mistaken), so obviously
something that some people would use.

Hi Jasem. Creating DarkFlat directly after each Flat would be a pain as others have said. Something along the lines of:
If auto exposure flat is selected, then
If DarkFlat later selected in dropdown, add tick box to this to say "clone all previous flat jobs to match"

This would just automate the task of going through the completed flat jobs and editing them into darks (DarkFlats).

As I said somewhere else this is a nice to have rather than essential.
I think NINA has this (I don't use NINA so could be wrong), so someone must be using it.

Ok I'm just trying to find a way that's intuitive and not confusing to users. Say we add all the flats, then SOMEWHERE a button is there to create the dark flat from whatever flats in the list?

Hi Nick, my post was a reply to Giles but crossed in the timeline with yours. I have no issue aat all if this was addressed to me. My first post in this thread highlighted that for users of flat panels the option to build a job from a dark frame might be useful. So just the other way around in order. That for me doesn't exclude the other idea but only highlights that depending on the equipment used for taking flats there is not just one direction for creating jobs with settings based on existing images.So variable exposure times using the auto function in Stellarmate: Transfer settings from flat to a dark job
Fixed exposure times when using flat panels: Transfer settings from dark to new flat job

Yes. I think the problem is that if you use auto-exposure flats then exposure times are only available after the flats have been executed.
Whereas if you are not using auto exposure then you would need to just use the exposures as is. So I guess the logic would firstly require
that (1) Flat jobs already exist. (2) If auto flats where used then exposures would have to wait until flats had been done, (3) Auto Darkflat
has been selected. Maybe I'm making it sound too compiicated ?

Nick,

You have highlighted what I found, the exposure length would "randomly" change.
I decided to go back to setting fixed exposure lengths for my flats as I could then automate taking both flats and flat darks.

Paul