2026-10-09 APP 2.0.0-beta48 has been released !
This is mainly a bug fix release for the reported bugs in beta47. In addition it has a significant User Interface performance improvement noticable when you need to process 1000s of images in APP.
2026-10-03 APP 2.0.0-beta47 has been released !
This is a very big release... many code optimizations/rewrites, many parts of APP are much faster and more precise, especially star analysis and registration are much faster ! Big mosaics will go much faster 🙂
And we introduce a new preview filter, which includes the new Adaptive Deep Sky Stretch and a General Levels Stretch, this has been long over due. The old preview filter (the panel on the right side to stretch and preview your data) has not been updated for a couple of years and it is a critical part of any APP session.
Adaptive Deep Sky Stretch or ADSS is a much more intuitive stretch algorithm. It is also color preserving (which is a great new addition in itself ! ) which means that the highlights are no longer bleached, color is maintained from the linear data while stretching. You can simply stretch your data using the sky background level and signal width sliders which work much easier and more intuitive. You no longer need to fiddle with the old complicated sliders with zoom buttons. All the zoom buttons for the sliders are made redundant. And you can enter slider values in the slider value fields yourself. I will make a youtube video in the coming days to explain and fully introduce ADSS. Once the video is ready, it will be highlighted on the forum.
RGB Combine upgrade !. The RGB Combine Tool has been rewritten mostly. The tool is faster and easier to use and most importantly, the Luminance slider to inject a luminance channel or channels into the RGB composite is now working correctly. It no longer bleaches the RGB colors. Combined with the new ADSS preview, you will get much better and easier great composites with great color! I will also explain this in a new youtube video.
I'm wondering how patches in the pipeline will affect intel users using APP? I sure hope my i7 machine doesn't take too much of a hit.
Huh?
Hi Szumi,
According to what I have read about, there is quite a bit uncertainty about how computers will be affected by the upcoming patches. It can be anywhere from 2 to 30% I believe which is major.
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/02/intel_cpu_design_flaw/
How APP will be affected is hard to tell at this point, from what I understand this influences the most basic operation of your computer, so the OS and all applications will be affected to a certain degree.
It's clear that this only affects computers with Intel processors. AMD users won't be affected, since it's a problem of Intel's design of their CPUs.
Hopefully, over time, this problem will be dealt with without serious performance hits...
Currently, I do not know if the most recent Intel CPUs are affected as well. Anybody knows?
Kind regards,
Mabula
Gulp. Are we talking about some kind of BIOS update to Windows? I've got an i7 Generation 7 and I'm wondering what you guys are talking about.
Hi Greg,
A couple of days ago, news came out that all Intel CPUs made in the last 10 years have 2 major security holes. Since these holes are burnt into the processor, it can only be fixed on the Operating System level, leading to a possible severe performance hit for all machines with an Intel CPU in them, made in the last 10 years or so.... How severe, that's the question. Intel downplays it for now it seems.
Check my link of the register 😉
Mabula
I see. There was an Windows update a couple days ago I installed so I guess I'm all packed up? It's been cloudy but I'll have to rerun some old Subs and see if it took a hit.
I see. There was an Windows update a couple days ago I installed so I guess I'm all packed up? It's been cloudy but I'll have to rerun some old Subs and see if it took a hit.
I would be interested if you can detect a difference.
Mr. Haverkamp, when you implement putting all the files that were used to create an image in the fits header can you also add processing time? It could be useful to benchmark changes.
I see. There was an Windows update a couple days ago I installed so I guess I'm all packed up? It's been cloudy but I'll have to rerun some old Subs and see if it took a hit.
No, I don't think so, I believe the patch or patches are scheduled to be released next tuesday... It would be interesting to test before and after with the exact same settings. And I think lots of people worldwide will be teting the performance hit on their machines with intel CPUs...
I see. There was an Windows update a couple days ago I installed so I guess I'm all packed up? It's been cloudy but I'll have to rerun some old Subs and see if it took a hit.
I would be interested if you can detect a difference.
Mr. Haverkamp, when you implement putting all the files that were used to create an image in the fits header can you also add processing time? It could be useful to benchmark changes.
Yes me too.
Szumi, I have added it to my worklist to include integration time in the fits header of an integration 😉 A list of all frame names included in the integration is not convenient to add to the fits header. I can include the number of frames off course. If you want to have a list of all frame names included, I think I will need to create a separate .txt file for this. Including 500 frame names in a fits header is not convenient and possible the fits specification doesn't allow for so much information in the header of a single Fits HDU, I will need to check that.
Mabula
The text file solution would be fine with me.
