GIMP DISCUSSIONS

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Horus
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GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Horus »

Post any questions to do with using GIMP in this thread.


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Grandad
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Grandad »

Right Horus, if anyone is going to have problems it is me! :) :(
But here are a few questions and observations from my first run through:-
1) In the Zoom option, if you chose Fit Image to Window it will not obscure any necessary buttons.
2) If the Tools pallet has 4 or 5 columns of tools, the width of this panel can be reduced by left clicking and dragging the right edge of the Tools Box towards the left until there are just 2 columns which opens up more work space.
3) I am not getting the drop down menus Horus that you refer to when a tool is selected.
4) The 'Blue Banner' at the top might be other colours if the screen set has been set to a different configuration. (Only mention it because mine is grey)
5) How do you clear the work area if, after saving, you want to open another picture to work on. If I just open another picture it opens in another window beneath the original window.
:gg:
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Grandad
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Grandad »

I left it too late to edit but for item 5) I now find that you just click the top red 'close' cross....I thought that would close the program but it doesn't...only if you click it twice. :(

Still not getting the drop down menus though with the tools?
:gg:
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Kiya »

Same here with Grandad's question's 3, 4 & 5
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

FINALLY got the photo cropped and saved...........after I thought about it I changed your instructions to the required LLL format ;) ;) ;)

Go to TOOLS PALLET select the item that looks a bit like a craft knife, (green box)

look at the ASPECT RATIO (blue box) this is a way of setting up a different crop size.

make sure that the FIXED ASPECT RATIO has a tick in the box alongside,

When you are happy with the new size just hit your keyboard ENTER key and it will be cropped to the new size.

go to FILE and choose the SAVE AS option

*** Notice how the default file is the same name as your original …………………… BUT it has the file extension .xcf (blue box) after the file name and NOT .jpg. The reason for this is that we are saving a GIMP work in progress picture that may contain many layers all of which can be modified at any time that we decide to re-open the picture

If we saved it as a .jpg it would just become another basic picture with no way to change anything back again. So click the save button and notice how the name in the blue banner at the very top of your screen has changed to read .xcf after the name and not .jpg as it was when you first opened the picture.
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I've also noticed that this time when I came back to GIMP and opened the program I'm only getting one instruction box to open. When I initially opened the program I had three distinct boxes. The one on the left had tools and the one on the right had layers. They're now both gone and all I've got is the middle box..........I had to go to the toolbar along the top, open it and drop down to crop.......

Not sure at all where the other two boxes went and so far I haven't been able to restore them. Not sure if anybody else has had this happen.
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Bearded Brian »

Well I've done it - eventually
1) it took ages to find the photo - well I had to look at all the wonderful photos you hae all uploaded.
2) had trouble with the drop down menu but found it in the bottom left corner
3) can't do file - open, the screen appears and I selected the original jpg - all that happened was 'creating preview' went and had a bath but was still creating preview. Closed down everything except the computer still no joy, nor when I re-started the computer. Had to go to the desktop and right click the file to 'open with gimp' - edited it and saved as instructed. But again can't open it via gimp only via the desktop.
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Bearded Brian »

Control L will bring back the Layers toolbox for the other one go to 'Windows' on the top line and select 'New Toolbox' - I think this has everything the original had.

ok that seems ok but the drop down tools option has gone - found it again under Windows - dockable dialogs - tool options
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Horus »

OK folks there does seem to be a few surprise things happening that I have to admit are a bit confusing even to myself. I can answer some of your questions but I need to look at the program a bit more to suss it out. The way some of the toolbars disapear is a bit weird, but I'm sure it's solvable, even when I try deleting them I cannot get then back as I would like, so don't worry you are not on your own. As I said at first it will be a learning curve all round.

Ctrl + L will always bring the PALLETS window back again if it is closed.

Brian, your problem may be because you are using a tablet and not a PC, it seems like a lack of memory or processing power.

LLL, there is always more than one way to use these sort of programes so using the Main Menu is OK, but the others should work, I just need to figure out how to get them back again.


Grandad, it was only the FULLSCREEN option under VIEW that I was warning you all about, all the other options under VIEW > ZOOM are OK.
Not sure that you will have different coloured banners to the rest of us :?: were you looking at the top of 'unselected' pallets as they will only be grey coloured, the active one will show a blue top bar (or should do)
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Horus »

Just a quick update, it would seem that the way the various pallet menus set up is more complex than I first imagined. There are lots of variations and ways to set them up, so I will try to figure it all out and see if I can set a proceedure that will give us all the same pallets and tools without it being too complicated. By the way I have figured out that the 'Tab' key (the two opposite arrows key) will toggle all the toolbars visibility ON or OFF.
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I don't know if this is pertinent to GIMP but E4U has been HORRENDOUSLY SLOW lately - as in it takes sometimes 2 to 3 minutes (I'm timing it) to 'open' each stage of a thread. AND for the past couple of days I make a post, click submit. The screen will then go white and the little circle will twirl and twirl except it never brings the screen back with a confirmed enter. After I've waited a few minutes I end up having to close entirely out of E4U and sign in again BUT my post has been made and entered.

I'm also having to close out and continually re-sign in to be able to move from Board index area to Board index area. This has been going on for a week or so here. All other program I open are clicking right along so I'm getting the sense this could be specific to E4U..........

Anybody else having this difficulty? Experiencing this?
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Scottishtourist »

Dearie,dearie me!
What's GIMP?
Was that not the wee man William Shatner saw on airoplane wing in Twilight Zone?
Kinda new to all this technological stuff!
Now...can anyone give me advice on Canon 10 mega pixel??? digital camera?Do I really need memory card?
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Grandad »

Horus,Gimp is definitely changed from when I first tried it about 4 years ago before I purchased Paint Shop Pro. I remember it as being quite easy and straightforward to use.

The 'Tab' function that you mentioned just moves to the next tool in the tool box on my set up???

I am quite happy to play with it for a while, like you, to try to find the short cuts etc. For instance I was using an eliptical selection and couldn't find how to remove it. The program seems to lack the 'undo' tabs that PSP and Adobe has. I eventually found that the escape 'Esc' key did the trick.

I think we need to find all these shortcuts before we go much further. What do you think?
:gg:
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Grandad »

PS. I didn't download the 'Help' element originally but have just done so and intend to see what that has to say :)
:gg:
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Horus »

@ Grandad, yes I agree we need to get to grips with the basics a little bit more before proceeding, so anyone who wants to experiment should do so, however we will eventually need to agree on a set of defaults that are common to us all so as to avoid future confusion. This is not a set back, but rather as I predicted insomuch as we would learn and find things out as we went along, so we should expect this sort of stop start learning curve as we go along. I am fairly confident that I can get my head around the actual usage once I can figure out a few basic settings, unfortunately it is not as intuitive as most other programs that have a fixed set of tools and standard pallets, this seems a little over the top with numerous options. I could happily use what I see before me. but only because I can 'wing' my way around the program and eventually get what I want, however that will not help others if we cannot properly explain a method to them, so yes keep investigating and I will do the same. :up

@ Scottish Tourist, the answer to your question is "Yes you do" the reason is this: Your camera (you haven't given us the model) will have what is called a 'built in memory'. Without getting too technical it is very small and I would guess that at 10 Mega Pix it will probably only hold about 10 to 20 pictures before filling up. Virtually ALL cameras need an additional memory card in order to store hundreds of pictures at a time, if you are not sure what you need give us the camera details and we can point you in the right direction.
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Kiya »

I seem to be having the same problems as Grandad :? I certainly do miss a " undo button " but while messing around yest with Gimp clicking on different parts of the screen did a " undo " :urm:
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Scottishtourist »

Thank-you Horus.
It's Canon Power Shot A800.
My first ever digital camera!! I've been dragged kicking and screaming into technological age!
Sorry for being so thick about these things,but the instructions instil terror in me!
Wasn't expensive,so hoping it'll be easy to use.
I'm probably better asking for advice here than asking the shop assistant in Argos!lol!!!
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Grandad
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Grandad »

Horus wrote:@ Grandad, This is not a set back, but rather as I predicted insomuch as we would learn and find things out as we went along, so we should expect this sort of stop start learning curve as we go along. I am fairly confident that I can get my head around the actual usage once I can figure out a few basic settings, unfortunately it is not as intuitive as most other programs that have a fixed set of tools and standard pallets, this seems a little over the top with numerous options.
Agreed H. and we know you will 'get your head round it', that's why you are unanimously elected 'teacher'. :)

I have looked at part of the manual and the program is very powerful and comprehensive but at this stage we don't and won't need its full capabilities. I just focussed on things I felt that I needed now and here are a few useful shortcuts:

You can unclutter your tool box and remove tools you may not need immediately by going to Edit>Preferences>Tool Box. Any tool with an eye to its left means it is open. Click on the eye and it will be removed from the current Tools palette. The reverse procedure will open any that you find you need.

The drop down Tool Box menus that I was not getting can be activated by going to Windows>Dockable Dialogs>Tool Options. This will open the Tool options menu when you select a tool. Only problem I have not yet resolved is that the option menu opens UNDERNEATH the Tool Box panel and I have to move that panel to 'find' the options....

The program maintains a history of changes and you can undo changes by pressing Ctrl-z together. Each time you press these keys the program will go back another change.

You can do the reverse and re-instate changes by pressing Ctrl-y once or more times to get back to where you want to.

These are the first few that I needed to learn.....Onwards and upwards :)
:gg:
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Horus »

Nice going Grandad, I had figured out a few of the things you have mentioned, but some parts that should work are not doing what I expect, maybe I am looking at them the wrong way, I just need to get my head around it a bit more. I have been a bit short for time just lately, but hopefully will get more chance to experiment later today.
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Re: GIMP DISCUSSIONS

Post by Grandad »

I have just done the Clone tutorial Horus and as you have said, it is far from intuitive. My biggest hang up at the moment is the tools options palette that always disappears when I select another tool, and the palettes take up so much screen space there is little left to work in. And I have a 22" screen??? I am beginning to dislike it.....sorry :(
:gg:
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