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.
Having used the 1.083-beta2 for a while, I am finding one aspect frustrating and would suggest a change to the other.
First the change request, in the new file save dialog, would it be possible to have it either retain your last used settings for each file type, or perhaps at least change the default for Tiff? Currently you have to remember to change the bit depth every time as it defaults to 8 bit rather than the much more common (For a non lossy format) 16 bit.
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The other that I find more than a bit intrusive. I don't mind setting a work directory each time I open APP, or if I change targets, but I find the current setup where regardless of setting a working directory on starting the program, the file save directory changes to whatever directory you last opened a file out of, unless you change it again yourself. I found the previous method of setting a work directory and no matter where you open files from after that, saved files go to that set work directory a much cleaner process.
@the_bluester Thanks for your feedback. Both issues have been reported and Mabula is working on improving them. The save directory popup will be improved in 1.083 and saving/remembering preferences will be addressed in 1.085.
Thanks, I do find the file save dialog a nice step forward as like most users (Probably) I did often find myself getting ahead of the old dialog and accidentally clicking the save button where I was clicking to change a setting, defaulting to 16 bit when saving a tiff or having it retain your last used settings will be great.
As for the other, I cant comment on anyone else's workflow (For whom it might work well) but I have been saving files in all sorts of odd places for the last few weeks when I go fishing for calibration files and so on! So it is great to hear it is on the to-do list.
