Hi all,
A second beta of FotoSketcher Studio 4.40 is now available, and this time both the Windows and macOS builds are ready together.
The focus of this release is quality rather than new features. Since Beta 1, the work has gone into making the program more stable, improving performance and fixing a good number of issues specific to macOS.
- Performance improvements
Script performance has been improved on both Windows and macOS, so running scripts should feel faster and more responsive.
- UI improvements
Further interface refinements have been made on both Windows and macOS.
- Bug fixes
- Fixed an issue on Windows where the taskbar would sometimes not appear.
- Fixed an issue on macOS where the light style would not apply correctly.
- Plus a number of other corrections and stability improvements across both platforms.
- Many macOS corrections
The macOS build has received a lot of attention in this beta, with numerous corrections aimed at bringing it in line with the Windows version and making it behave properly on Mac hardware.
A quick recap of what was new in 4.40 Beta 1
For anyone who did not follow the first beta, here is what version 4.40 introduced over 4.30:
- Light mode - a light theme alongside the existing dark one, switchable at any time.
- New Crosshatch effect - recreates the pen-and-ink technique of building up tone with overlapping sets of parallel lines.
- Settings remembered between sessions - both your interface language and your dark/light mode choice now persist, so FotoSketcher starts up the way you left it.
- Script Editor minimizes while a script runs - so you can watch the result build on the main image, with the editor returning when the script finishes.
- Embedded example scripts - a set of ready-made scripts included directly in the application to try, learn from, and adapt.
- Keyboard navigation in the menu (F10) - open the menu with F10 and move around and select items entirely from the keyboard.
- Save and overwrite safeguards - a prompt before exiting with unsaved changes, and a warning before a save would overwrite an existing file.
- Lots of UI improvements - a wide range of smaller interface refinements throughout the program.
You can download Beta 2 here:
For Windows: https://fotosketcher.com/beta/FotoSketcher_4.40_beta2.zip
For macOS (Intel or Apple CPUs): https://fotosketcher.com/beta/FotoSketcher_4.40_beta2_MacOS.zip
As always, any feedback is very welcome - bugs, oddities, or anything that does not feel right on your particular setup. Feedback from macOS users is especially useful this time, given how much has changed on that side. Please leave a comment below or send me an email at contact@fotosketcher.com.
Happy testing!
David
