I usually have long calculations (sometimes days) during which I export images to check the progress and validate results.

However when I minimize the notebook while it runs the images exported are not as they should be.

dat = RandomReal[{0, 1}, {100, 100}];
im = ArrayPlot[dat, PlotLegends -> Automatic];

Export["test1.jpg", im];
Print["Export - minimize notebook"];
Pause[5];
Export["test2.jpg", im];

The test2XX.jpg files are there, but cannot be seen since they have a height of 1px.

Gives the following images:

test1.jpg

test2.jpg

Export["test1G.jpg", Grid[{{im, im}, {im, im}}]];
Print["Export - minimize notebook"];
Pause[5];
Export["test2G.jpg", Grid[{{im, im}, {im, im}}]];

Gives the following images:

test1G.jpg

test2G.jpg

Export["test1GG.jpg", GraphicsGrid[{{im, im}, {im, im}}]];
Print["Export - minimize notebook"];
Pause[5];
Export["test2GG.jpg", GraphicsGrid[{{im, im}, {im, im}}]];

Gives the following images

test1GG.jpg

test2GG.jpg

So two things go wrong,

1. exporting in a minimized notebook produces images with a heigth of 1 px. I guess this is because the frontend renders everything that is exported and the canvas size while minimized does not exist and therefore the images are not exported properly
2. Using GraphicsGrid with the bar legend which is added with Insert does not produce a proper graphics grid. The images are cut on the sides.

Is there any workaround for this?