Mid 2010 MBP Activates Discrete Graphics card with Growl

[GoogleCodeExporter]

What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. Launch gfxcardstatus to observe what apps cause Discrete to activate
2. Launch Growl
3. Observe discrete activating, and gfxcardstatus listing Growl as a dependency

What is the expected output?
Growl continues to only need the discrete graphics card

What do you see instead?
Growl activates the discrete graphics card

There are a number of other apps showing up in the dependancies list on Mid 
2010 MBP's as well that also should not need a discrete card to run.  This 
appears to be a change by Apple, whether intentional or unintentional.  Our 
present solution for this was the NSSupportsAutomaticGraphicsSwitching plist 
key.  It appears this may no longer be functional on Mid 2010 MBP's, although 
there may be other factors here as well.

As a workaround, users can use GfxCardStatus to force their computer into 
integrated only mode most of the time, and only activate the discrete card when 
they know it really is needed, such as when they are gaming or running design 
apps (whether drawing, cad, or video)

Original issue reported on code.google.com by dan...@growl.info on 18 Mar 2013 at 3:59

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I will be unable to test or confirm this, my older MBP is a pre automatic 
switching MBP, and my current is newer than the early 2011 discussed here: 
http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#qa/qa1734/_index.html, and therefore 
does not exhibit the issue

Original comment by dan...@growl.info on 18 Mar 2013 at 4:02

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I'm not able to switch to integreted graphic card. Take a look at the picture 
attached.

At the moment DropBox also has the problem.

Original comment by djtommin...@gmail.com on 21 Mar 2013 at 9:02

Attachments:

• [Ohne Titel.tiff](https://storage.googleapis.com/google-code-attachments/growl/issue-578/comment-2/Ohne Titel.tiff)

[GoogleCodeExporter]

you would have to quit Growl, switch to the integrated and then launch Growl.

Indications i have received so far is that this will not be fixed on Apple's 
side and is not fixable on our side due to several aspects of how growl is 
implemented.

Original comment by rarich...@gmail.com on 23 Mar 2013 at 12:19

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Due to the nature of Apple's responses I've seen on this so far, Im closing as 
wont fix.  Mind you, should Apple change their mind, or new information comes 
to light, we will be more than happy to reopen this.

And yes, as an addendum to using gfxcardstatus to switch, you have to quit all 
dependancies on the discrete card it lists - including Growl, drop to 
integrated only mode, then relaunch them.  

Original comment by dan...@growl.info on 23 Mar 2013 at 1:16

• Changed state: WontFix

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Dropbox release an Update of their Application. Now Dropbox works fine and 
don't switch to discrete graphics card anymore.

https://forums.dropbox.com/topic.php?id=98880

Original comment by djtommin...@gmail.com on 11 Apr 2013 at 12:24

[GoogleCodeExporter]

They likely do not use the same things we do. I'll ping our contacts there to 
double check.

Original comment by ch...@growl.info on 11 Apr 2013 at 2:44

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi everyone. Does that mean that Growl can't do anything about it? I know that 
Dropbox had the same issue and updated their app to not trigger the discrete 
card. It is just kind of a shame to pay for an app that I can't really use 
without it eating my battery..

Original comment by konrad.b...@gmail.com on 16 Apr 2013 at 7:39

[GoogleCodeExporter]

As far as we're aware we can't do anything about it Konrad. However, as 
mentioned earlier in the ticket you can use another application to work around 
it called gfxcardstatus.

Original comment by ch...@growl.info on 16 Apr 2013 at 1:37