Launch VIPP¶
New in 0.15.0a5 — one VIPP launcher
Open VIPP on either Windows or macOS. Managed installations start in Auto; choose CPU, Prefer GPU, or Custom inside the app when needed. A CPU-only installation still needs the optional GPU dependencies and a supported environment before it can use GPU compute.
Open the installed app on macOS¶
The macOS package creates ~/Applications/VIPP.app. Open your user
Applications folder and double-click VIPP; no terminal or separately
installed Python is required. The managed CPU-only environment remains under
~/Library/vipp.
First launch may take longer while napari loads. If the package has not been installed yet, follow Install VIPP on macOS, including checksum verification and the Open Anyway steps for this unsigned, unnotarized alpha.
Use the installed shortcut on Windows¶
The Windows installer creates one VIPP launcher in the Start menu and, if selected during setup, on the Desktop. CPU and CUDA installations use the same name; they do not create separate compute-mode shortcuts. See installation ownership when more than one managed installation exists.
During startup¶
New in 0.16.0a7 — initial source loading
The starter sample loads automatically, even when an interrupted workspace is available for recovery. Keep for later leaves that starter view usable. Opening an ordinary workflow loads its bound sources too; a saved manual selection without a result initially shows an available source without calculating that manual step. See open and recover workflows.
New in 0.16.0a6 — startup diagnostics
The splash is painted before the main application starts. Its elapsed timer and minimize/hide controls stay responsive while Windows creates the application process. On Windows, the initial branding and live clock also appear before system fonts finish preparing. The early splash uses sharp prepared lettering for the same version, live stage and elapsed time, with slightly larger grey text. The elapsed clock continues throughout. The status message uses scalable Inter Medium lettering throughout startup, including after the other labels switch to normal text rendering.
The startup log now records elapsed time, process CPU time and the time spent in each stage. After the interface opens, OME reader libraries warm up in the background so later file selection can reuse them. You can work while that happens. Selecting a file immediately can still require a wait for its library to finish loading. See slow startup for what to record when reporting a delay.
Startup shows the VIPP brand, real progress milestones, elapsed time, and retained diagnostics. The normal Auto launch has no Automatic label or compute-profile description on the splash. Compute controls and actual-run reporting remain inside VIPP.
In 0.15.0a3, the startup progress window has no native title bar. Drag its background to move it, or use the small minimize button at the top right while you work elsewhere. Other windows can cover it; minimizing or closing this progress window does not cancel startup. It closes automatically when VIPP is ready.
When automatic checking is enabled, each launch also starts a quiet update check. A previous session's check does not suppress it. Checking alone never downloads or opens an installer.
New or updated Windows installer shortcuts use the VIPP icon. Installed desktop
launches also use VIPP's running-app icon; macOS retains its branded VIPP.app.
Opening VIPP inside a separately launched napari session does not replace
napari's branding. Existing shortcuts need an updated installer to receive
these 0.15.0a3 changes.
Open the napari widget from a manual environment¶
Activate the environment used for installation and run:
In napari, choose:
The VIPP dock widget has a workflow tab bar and three main work regions:
| Region | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Workflow tabs | Keep several independent graphs, results, caches, histories, inspectors, paths, and Batch workspaces open. Switching tabs restores state without scientific recalculation. |
| Node library | Search or browse operations, then add them to the graph. |
| Graph canvas | Connect and arrange the visible analysis. |
| Inspector | Edit the selected node, calculate manual nodes, and inspect output metadata, images, histograms, or tables. |
The top toolbar opens examples and workflows, saves or exports the graph, starts batch processing, and exposes display/execution settings. Its CPU / Auto / Prefer GPU / Custom control is the authored compute request; new sessions default to Auto. After calculation, the toolbar summary and compact node badges show what actually ran. Auto uses exact compatible complete-pipeline timing history when both CPU and accelerated observations exist; without history it uses reviewed safe GPU defaults. Accelerated-only history makes the next global Auto run measure CPU once on the same execution surface. Auto never silently benchmarks multiple implementations. Use Prefer GPU when every reviewed eligible accelerator should run regardless of speed. Use a reviewed Custom choice or apply a Find fastest pipeline… proposal for per-node control and measurement.
VIPP's severity-aware message strip reports graph, workflow, and compute feedback. Napari's own bottom status bar reports viewer coordinates and layer information; the two surfaces have different owners and purposes.
Open a bundled example¶
Choose Open example… from the workflow actions menu.
The chooser opens a new workflow
tab, groups complete graph templates by task, and configures their Image
Source nodes to use matching bundled samples.
For a first visit choose:
This route does not require an external file or a layer opened through napari's sample menu.
Give the graph enough space¶
In 0.15.0a3, the workflow dock initially aims for two-thirds of the available window height. If napari's layer controls need more space, VIPP uses the maximum height those controls allow. Drag the divider between the viewer and workflow to adjust this balance; VIPP does not keep resetting it while you work.
For a long workflow, drag the VIPP Workflow dock title bar out of napari (or double-click the title bar) and maximize the floating window. Hide the node library after adding nodes and keep the inspector visible while tuning. Use graph zoom for overview; use napari layers for full-resolution image comparison.
New in 0.16.0a4 — Windows detached-window fix
Once VIPP is detached, double-click its title bar to maximize or restore it without a bounce back. Minimize VIPP when you want to keep the napari viewer visible, or minimize napari while keeping VIPP visible; restore either from its own taskbar window. See Restore a minimized floating window if VIPP seems to have disappeared. This remains one session. Redock VIPP to return to the embedded layout. Closing napari still closes the session. Native Linux/macOS behaviour remains unqualified.
Restore a minimized floating window on Windows¶
New in 0.16.0a5
Floating VIPP has its own taskbar entry. Restore the existing window through either the taskbar or its original napari viewer:
- Select VIPP's taskbar window to restore it.
- If it is still minimized, return to the same napari viewer and choose Plugins → VIPP Workflow (napari-vipp).
VIPP restores the same floating window, open workflow tabs, and calculated results. If it was maximized before minimizing, it returns maximized. Use the menu recovery while VIPP is minimized; a visible widget retains the menu's normal show/hide behaviour.
If VIPP is missing from the Plugins menu¶
Check that napari is running from the same environment into which VIPP was installed:
python -c "import sys; print(sys.executable)"
python -c "import napari_vipp; print(napari_vipp.__file__)"
If either command uses a different environment, close napari, activate the correct environment, and launch it again. See report a problem if the plugin is installed but still not discovered.
Maintainer launch scripts¶
Repository scripts such as scripts/launch_vipp_sample.py and
scripts/launch_vipp_intensity_workflow.py --list are for development,
screenshots, and repeatable review. End users should normally use
Open example… from the workflow actions menu
or Open inside VIPP.