This release enables use of the GPU for processing image enlargement. When the application is processing images, it would use the GPU only when it is in the foreground. If you switch to another application during an on-going enlargement process, it would revert back to CPU-only for processing.
Enabling the GPU should make the image enhancement process significantly faster, notably on machines having one or more discrete GPU. Examples include current middle and upper tier iMac and MacBook Pro.
Why only use the GPU when the application is active? It is a compromise for performance reasons – notably performance of other applications. Remember that the GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit – it is also used to drive the display. Our testing shows that when the GPU is used for image enhancement, it may cause the system’s graphical user interface to become unresponsive. Scrolling would stutter, window switching lags, or in some extreme cases the mouse pointer would jump between locations.
In conclusion if you’re need the enhancement result in a hurry, you should keep BiggerPicture in the foreground. However if you need your Mac to do other things, feel free to minimize or hide it and it will continue in the background without disturbing your work. When you’re done with those other work, be sure to switch back to BiggerPicture so that it can continue using the GPU to enhance your images.
As always, there are also stability improvements in this release. Thank you for sending in those crash logs.
BiggerPicture 1.1.9 requires macOS 10.13.2 “High Sierra” or later with an Intel processor.
Until next time.
