StarTools

Hi all,

Throughout the macOS 11 beta I've been hoping for Apple to fix whatever made StarTools (and some other apps) glitch out on their latest OS. Sadly that did not come to pass.

The application would run fine, except that it would not display its output (unless you scaled its window). I was loathe to change the display output code, as it lets StarTools run on macOS versions going as far back as 10.5 - not everyone can afford a new mac every so often.

Today, through trial and error I fianlly found what was "wrong" (undocumented new screen redraw behavior). So, 1.7.444 beta, now up for download, should now support macOS 11 / Big Sur.

If you're not running Big Sur yet, I would hold off until it is more stable and mature (I found many issues, not just StarTools-related, as have others)

However, if you have already taken the plunge, I would love to know if StarTools is otherwise working as it should for you.

Tahnk you & wishing you all clear skies!

Ivo

Hi Ivo,

Good news on Big Sur and thanks for all your hard work.

Russ

long story short: Apple beta version is inferior to StarTools Alpha.
I remember times I did not have to admit such bitter facts in regards to MacOS, sorry.

No, unfortunately no-go on my 2020 MBP.

I would like to use ST on this device, as it is otherwise a very capable image processing machine.

Keen to test.

Nargun wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 3:38 am No, unfortunately no-go on my 2020 MBP.

I would like to use ST on this device, as it is otherwise a very capable image processing machine.

Keen to test.

That's odd... What happens when you launch it? No different to, say, the 1.6 version?

Opens to a white window and then immediately closes down.

I've set the -dr attributes using xattr per the guidance.

Let me know if there is anything I can do to assist diagnostically.

N

Nargun wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:47 am Opens to a white window and then immediately closes down.

Ok, that sounds like a GPU-issue (something going wrong while dynamically compiling the compute code). This is different behaviour from the 1.6 version, correct? (1.6 should stay open with - probably - a white window)
I will prepare a debug version for you and PM you with the download.
Thank you!

Thank you Ivo!

Such a great response - you're really on it!.

Yes, the original (earlier version) opened to an unresponsive white screen.

Worked quite well under Catalina tho.

Very much enjoying the software too, btw. I'm only just scratching the surface, but getting some great results.

N

Many thanks for helping me get to the bottom of this (I just PM'ed you) in response. I just uploaded 1.7.445 beta, which should hopefully fix the issue. I was actually able to replicate the problem on a Linux machine with similar Intel integrated graphics.

Nargun wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:39 am Very much enjoying the software too, btw. I'm only just scratching the surface, but getting some great results.

That's great to hear!

Hopefully Big Sur was the last big hurdle for 1.7, and I can now work on getting the documentation up to scratch for the 1.7 release.

Cheers Ivo

I can confirm that 1.7.445 beta opens normally now under macOS 11.0.1

Awesome work - I'll now give it a run and post any other issues that come up.

Brilliant!

N