VIPP 0.13.0a5¶
Release: GitHub alpha pre-release and PyPI package
Maturity: Alpha pre-release
VIPP 0.13.0a5 introduces the recommended Windows installer and branded desktop launchers. The managed installer is designed for people who do not want to manage Python environments or CUDA packages: it checks the computer, recommends CPU or a qualified NVIDIA CUDA 13 setup, shows the exact location and shortcut choices, and performs acceptance before activating the new copy.
Alpha software
Interfaces, workflow files, and parameters can change between releases. Validate representative data and retain the exact application, workflow, inputs, environment, implementation provenance, and batch artifacts used for consequential analysis.
Install or upgrade¶
Windows users should follow the installer-first instructions.
Download VIPP-Setup-0.13.0a5-Windows-x86_64-UNSIGNED.exe only from the
official release and compare its SHA-256 against the release sidecar before
choosing More info > Run anyway at the expected Unknown publisher
warning. Do not bypass an antivirus threat detection or disable security. Use
the manual route when policy or Smart App Control does not offer Run anyway.
Linux, macOS, and advanced users can install the exact alpha manually:
CPU supports CPython 3.12 and 3.13. The released CUDA route is native 64-bit Windows with CPython 3.12. macOS and Linux remain on CPU in this alpha.
Managed Windows setup¶
The setup application adds:
- an Automatic recommendation with visible CPU and NVIDIA GPU choices;
- a private managed VIPP environment, leaving unrelated folders and manually managed napari environments unchanged;
- transactional install, update, and repair with the previous working copy retained until its replacement passes acceptance;
- independent CPU and CUDA installations that can coexist and be removed separately from Windows Installed apps;
- Start Menu and optional Desktop shortcuts;
- branded Automatic, CPU, and Prefer-GPU launch profiles where applicable; and
- bounded network retries, explicit disk checks, retained diagnostics, ownership-safe rollback, and ownership-safe uninstall.
Python remains a separate prerequisite. Setup links to the official CPython
3.12.10 installer when a supported interpreter is missing. Only the NVIDIA
display driver is a machine-wide CUDA prerequisite; the standard route does
not need a separate CUDA Toolkit, Visual Studio, CMake, or nvcc.
Startup and napari integration¶
Installed GUI entry points show branded startup progress tied to real napari and VIPP milestones. Opening VIPP from an existing napari session shows a lightweight branded loading host while the full editor starts. Startup failures remain visible and retryable.
GPU and optional cuCIM¶
The compatible-device CUDA 13 policy from 0.13.0a4 remains in force. GPU names are provenance, not an allowlist; the exact driver, compute capability, Python, scientific-stack, provider, memory, workload, fallback, cleanup, and parity rules still apply. Auto may correctly choose CPU. Prefer GPU requests every eligible GPU implementation while visibly retaining CPU for ineligible work.
The standard CUDA installation works without cuCIM. The release includes a separate deterministic no-wheel cuCIM bundle. It builds the pinned cuCIM source locally and installs the resulting private wheel only after manifest, artifact, environment, and acceptance checks pass. VIPP does not host or redistribute a cuCIM wheel.
Workflow and batch compatibility¶
Workflow schema remains version 4 and batch config/manifest schema remains version 3. A valid schema-3 workflow loads as an explicit CPU request and becomes schema 4 only when reviewed and saved. Batch config version 1 loads as CPU; version 2 retains its saved compute request. Neither older batch version contains source-axis declarations until reviewed and saved as version 3.
Preserve the old environment and original files. Open duplicates in 0.13.0a5, recalculate on CPU, compare decisive intermediate and final results, then review Auto or Prefer GPU. Regenerate exported Python and saved batch runners because generated programs are version-locked.
Release verification¶
The release application commit is
067c89559072fbbb101e9d63b91514345e5896e6,
merged through release PR #16.
The immutable annotated
v0.13.0a5
tag resolves to that commit. The post-merge
CI run
passed package quality and the full CPython 3.12/3.13 test matrix on Windows,
Linux, and macOS.
The clean tagged artifacts passed Twine inspection and the Windows finalizer's fail-closed source, wheel, frozen-payload, byte-identity, signature, manifest, and checksum gates:
| Artifact | SHA-256 |
|---|---|
napari_vipp-0.13.0a5-py3-none-any.whl |
9e264a91d655643be35243c80165841c5c714cb760febc47bf35b8154cc6fade |
napari_vipp-0.13.0a5.tar.gz |
f282156940f47efa716ff03761a1409c3111684f9d306ae9da7d54bd6d946024 |
VIPP-Setup-0.13.0a5-Windows-x86_64-UNSIGNED.exe |
132839d31d6bbd61083b60151be204880d5fb2383fc44787021a0506c8085ad1 |
VIPP-Setup-0.13.0a5-Windows-x86_64-UNSIGNED-release.json |
87a7355578ffc2172e89259f4f31e89f4ceb243adb57ed6aba2f19a7f701f18c |
napari-vipp-cucim-installer-0.13.0a5-windows.zip |
e57194c66717bfd740810954f3b625ea991af82af8adf3f985329f53e90678ef |
The Windows executable is deliberately not Authenticode-signed. Native
Windows inspection returned NotSigned, with no signer or timestamp
certificate. Its release manifest binds it to the tagged commit and the exact
wheel above. The release filename without -UNSIGNED remains reserved for a
future valid, timestamped Authenticode build.
Final Windows acceptance used the exact tagged -UNSIGNED.exe and a clean
installer-owned CPU target. The release EXE reported its version, opened the
branded setup window, reviewed and hash-locked the package plan, installed the
private environment, passed package health, created both shortcuts, and opened
a responsive VIPP 0.13.0a5 main window. Rerunning the same EXE identified the
current version and completed a transactional Repair. The hash-bound
uninstaller refused to force-delete a temporarily locked DLL, preserved the
installation, gave a clear retry instruction, and then removed the managed
environment, ownership record, shortcuts, and Installed Apps entry after the
application was closed.
A locally built file does not carry a browser Mark-of-the-Web, so that acceptance run did not manufacture a SmartScreen screen. A browser-downloaded unsigned copy may show Windows protected your PC and Unknown publisher; the installation guide explains the safe More info → Run anyway route, checksum verification, managed-device limitations, and when to stop. It never asks users to disable Windows Security or antivirus protection.
Development validation additionally covered fresh managed CUDA installation, real Auto and Prefer-GPU execution with CPU parity and cleanup, optional cuCIM installation and execution, update/repair, and independent CPU/CUDA removal on the same Windows reference system. Development artifacts are not release files and are not published under release filenames.