Behold Version 1.2.4, 64-bit - Fri, 3 Jan 2020

I’ve released an update to Behold that includes a 64-bit executable that will run on 64-bit Windows computers.

If Behold 1.2.3 is running fine for you, there’s no reason to upgrade. There are no other changes in it.

The new installation program now contains both a 32-bit and 64-bit executable. The bit-level of your Windows computer will be detected, and the appropriate executable will be installed.

What does 64-bit give you that 32-bit doesn’t? Well, really it just can handle larger files. If Behold 1.2.3 runs out of memory because your GEDCOM is too big, then 64-bit Behold may not.  My tests using GEDCOMs created by Tamura Jones’ GedFan program indicate that on my computer which has 12 GB of RAM, 32-bit Behold can load up to fan value 19 (a half a million individuals) but 64-bit Behold can load up to fan value 22 (four million individuals).

The 64-bit version of Behold is actually a bit slower than the 32-bit version. On my computer I find it about 30% slower when comparing the loading speed of the same file. But I believe 64-bit is more stable and is less likely to crash than a 32-bit program because it really can’t run out of address space. 

And a bit of a teaser:  I’m starting to get back to working on Behold. Stay tuned.