v1.1.8 build 21 minor 3 min

MetaScope 1.1.8 (Build 21)

Deterministic paged browsing meets Snapshot Boost controls, scoped bookmark reliability, crisp HEIC previews, and refreshed template managers.

New

  • Deterministic paged browsing keeps Include Subfolders responsive with snapshot seeding, near-bottom resume gaps, and smarter timers.
  • Snapshot Boost and auto-resume gap sliders let you tune how much data loads up-front before scrolling.
  • Security-scoped bookmarks stay attached throughout deep scans, preview pipelines, and theme switches without breaking sessions.
  • HEIC/HEIF/HIF assets regain ImageIO quality while template manager previews refresh instantly with translucent highlights.

Improvements

  • Manual versus automatic resume split with timer back-off prevents resume loops when flick-scrolling massive folders.
  • Short filter auto-advance ensures a usable window even when filters return fewer than one page of files.
  • Remote folders pause rebuilds while iCloud downloads placeholders, showing a Download Required overlay instead of stalling grids.
  • Light/Dark appearance switches inherit the right accenting and keep your filesystem session intact.
  • Snapshot Boost size slider plus Near-Bottom Gap slider arrive in Advanced settings, with a paging diagnostics toggle for debug traces.
  • Template managers now share translucent selections, immediate preview refreshes, and predictable edit targeting.

Fixes

  • Scoped bookmarks are reopened before deep scans so Include Subfolders is reliable on NAS volumes, USB drives, and iCloud Drive.
  • Popouts and preview decoders hold scoped tokens throughout CGImage work, eliminating HEIC preview failures seen in 1.1.7.
  • Child paths resolve to their scoped parents when Finder hands off descendant URLs, preventing missing-bookmark errors.
  • Alerts, sheets, and paged controls inherit the correct light or dark appearance instead of mixing modes.
  • HEIC/HEIF/HIF thumbnails return to ImageIO for crisp rendering while QuickLook heavy-container gating is reserved for AVIF/JXL.

MetaScope 1.1.8 (Build 21)

November 2025 - Build 21

This release doubles down on deterministic paging for giant folders, adds granular Snapshot Boost controls, improves scoped-bookmark reliability, and restores full-quality HEIC handling alongside refreshed template manager workflows.

Highlights

  • Deterministic paged browsing for massive Include Subfolders runs (Documents, Downloads, archives).
  • Advanced controls for Snapshot Boost size plus a near-bottom auto-resume gap.
  • Manual versus automatic resume handling with timer back-off telemetry.
  • Security-scoped bookmark reliability fixes alongside appearance switching that preserves your current folder session.
  • HEIC/HEIF/HIF thumbnails restored to ImageIO quality; alerts respect light/dark mode.
  • IPTC + EXIF template managers update their previews instantly and share the same translucent selection highlight.

Paging & Performance

Smart Snapshot Boost

  • Snapshot seeding now loads a configurable number of items (default 1,500) instead of dumping every cached result, avoiding surprise jumps while keeping first paint fast.
  • Per-folder heuristics ensure windowEnd never overruns the snapshot buffer, so QA counters stay coherent.

Short Filter Auto-Advance

  • When filters leave fewer than one page visible, MetaScope runs forceAdvanceVisibleWindow automatically (up to twice) so you still get a usable grid without extra scrolling.
  • Debug builds emit FB_FilterShortForceAdvance signposts for trace clarity.

Manual vs. Auto Resume Split

  • Resume buttons still advance the window but set a short guard (2 s) before auto resume can fire again; you must scroll to re-arm, preventing resume loops.
  • Auto resume now honors a nearBottom gap (slider-controlled) so you can flick-scroll without hitting the absolute last tile.

Timed Back-Off Loop

  • Auto resume uses an exponential back-off (0.8 → 1.6 → 3.2 → 5.0 seconds); FB_TimerSkip/FB_TimerBackoff signposts explain every skip.
  • Highest-presented-index tracking adds precise visible ≤ windowEnd ≤ discovered counters for telemetry.

iCloud / Remote Guardrails

  • File-system monitor notifications pause when backlog hits zero while iCloud downloads placeholders, preventing rebuild thrash.
  • Remote-only items show a “Download Required” overlay rather than stalling grids during hydrate cycles.

Security & Appearance

Scoped Bookmark Reliability

  • Every deep scan opens the parent security-scoped bookmark before touching child files, so Include Subfolders behaves on iCloud Drive, NAS volumes, and USB drives without “Operation not permitted.”
  • Popouts and preview decoders now hold scoped tokens for the entire CGImage pipeline, eliminating intermittent HEIC preview errors.
  • Translating child URLs back to their scoped parents fixes cases where Finder hands MetaScope a descendant path without a matching bookmark.

Light/Dark Mode Parity

  • Alerts, sheets, and paged-browsing controls inherit the right appearance. Light mode no longer spawns dark alerts, and dark mode retains its accent tints.
  • Switching between Light, Dark, and Auto keeps your filesystem session intact; Include Subfolders stays enabled and you are not kicked back to “Open Folder.”

Advanced Settings Additions

  • Snapshot Boost Size Slider: pick 0-20K items (default 1,500; set 0 for a single page).
  • Auto-Resume Near-Bottom Gap Slider: choose how close to the bottom auto resume should fire (default 200 items; set 0 to require the final tile).
  • Enable Paging Diagnostics (Debug only): toggles extra signposts/counters for Instruments traces without exposing the option in release builds.

Template Managers

  • IPTC + EXIF template managers now share the same translucent selection highlight in light and dark appearances.
  • Editing a template refreshes the detail preview immediately, so new keywords or copyright text show up without reselection.
  • Primary “Edit Template” buttons plus overflow actions always target the current selection, making the workflow predictable.

Media Handling

  • HEIC/HEIF/HIF assets use ImageIO again, so thumbnails and popouts stay crisp even in dense HEIC folders.
  • QuickLook “heavy container” gating is now limited to AVIF/JXL, reducing placeholder churn.

For questions, feedback, or feature requests, contact support via the MetaScope Help menu or visit the Mac App Store listing to download the update.