The Mask feature is an integral part of StarTools. Many modules use a mask to operate on specific pixels and parts of the image, leaving other parts intact.
Importantly, besides operating only on certain parts of the image, it allows the many modules in StarTools to perform much more sophisticated operations.
You may have noticed that when you launch a module that is able to apply a mask, the pixels that are set in the mask will flash three times in green. This is to remind you which parts of the image will be affected by the module and which are not. If you just loaded an image, all pixels in the whole image will be set in the mask, so every pixel will be processed by default. In this case, when you launch a module that is able to apply a mask, the whole image will flash in green three times.
Green coloured pixels in the mask are considered 'on'. That is to say, they will be altered/used by whatever processing is carried out by the module you chose. 'Off' pixels (shown in their original colour) will not be altered or used by the active module. Again, please note that, by default all pixels in the whole image are marked 'on' (they will all appear green).
For example, an 'on' pixel (green coloured) in the Sharp module will be sharpened, in the Wipe module it will be sampled for gradient modelling, in Synth it will be scanned for being part of a star, in Heal in will be removed and healed, in Layer it will be layered on top of the background image, etc.
To recap;
