Problem with (more-or-less) Gimp V2.6.7
Ian Jackson
the belief that this was somewhat more user-friendly).
[Source: http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html]
All went OK, but when I run it, all I get is the Toolbox screen (with a
row of tool icons near the top). There is no menu bar (with the usual
'File', 'Edit', 'Image' buttons, nor is there any obvious way of opening
or adding it.
[Note that I've also installed Gimp from other sites, but get the same
problem.]
It seems that only part of the program is running, and that I need
something else. However, the Gimp and its associated websites are very
confusing, with a seemingly endless list of options and alternatives. To
save me lots of additional probably fruitless searching, can anyone give
me a clue as to what I am missing or doing wrong?
--
Ian
Craig
> To
> save me lots of additional probably fruitless searching, can anyone give
> me a clue as to what I am missing or doing wrong?
Have you tried their support forums?
<http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/forums/forum/412898>
hth,
--
-Craig
Ian Jackson
<netbu...@REMOVEgmail.com> writes
I had had a quick look there (and other places), but I'll look again.
The problem is, even there, there appears to be so much 'clutter' - most
of which doesn't seem to be relevant, and the rest I don't understand. I
would have thought that Gimp was something which you simply downloaded,
installed and used (even if you did have to spend some time doing an
'RTFM'!). It doesn't seem to work like that.
--
Ian
Ron
> In message <hdteg9$3fo$1...@news.eternal-september.org>, Craig
> <netbu...@REMOVEgmail.com> writes
>>
>> Have you tried their support forums?
>> <http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/forums/forum/412898>
>>
>> hth,
>
> I had had a quick look there (and other places), but I'll look again.
> The problem is, even there, there appears to be so much 'clutter' - most
> of which doesn't seem to be relevant, and the rest I don't understand. I
> would have thought that Gimp was something which you simply downloaded,
> installed and used (even if you did have to spend some time doing an
> 'RTFM'!). It doesn't seem to work like that.
Since you uninstalled an earlier version, I'll assume you've been using
GIMP for a while. I can't speak directly to either version, but if I
understand it, GIMP is supposed to be Photoshop alternative with many of
its' abilities. If so, then maybe you could step back and consider a
two-tiered approach to image handling. What Photoshop does, and does it
really well, is fine-tune images. Using Layers (the most powerful
feature, imho), image manipulation is a snap. Concentrating on Layers in
GIMP will accomplish a large percentage of what you seem to want to do.
Let another program like Photofiltre, Irfanview, etc., do the heavy
lifting to get a basic image for GIMP to address. A look at the Help
files might be a start: ftp://ftp.gimp.org/pub/gimp/help/
Download the "en" .tar.bz2.
Fwiw, I use three(!) commercial softwares in my work flow, but I shoot
mostly in RAW. ymmv.
hth
Ron Moore
Ian Jackson
<rmoo...@ix.netcom.com> writes
>Ian Jackson wrote:
>> In message <hdteg9$3fo$1...@news.eternal-september.org>, Craig
>><netbu...@REMOVEgmail.com> writes
>>>
>(snip)
>>> Have you tried their support forums?
>>><http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/forums/forum/412898>
>>>
>>> hth,
>> I had had a quick look there (and other places), but I'll look
>>again. The problem is, even there, there appears to be so much
>>'clutter' - most of which doesn't seem to be relevant, and the rest I
>>don't understand. I would have thought that Gimp was something which
>>you simply downloaded, installed and used (even if you did have to
>>spend some time doing an 'RTFM'!). It doesn't seem to work like that.
>
>Since you uninstalled an earlier version, I'll assume you've been using
>GIMP for a while.
No. I've had it some time, but never really bothered with it as I've got
Photoshop. I've used the 'Clone' tool (just like Photoshop). I just
fancied getting better aquatinted with Gimp.
> I can't speak directly to either version, but if I understand it, GIMP
>is supposed to be Photoshop alternative with many of its' abilities. If
>so, then maybe you could step back and consider a two-tiered approach
>to image handling. What Photoshop does, and does it really well, is
>fine-tune images. Using Layers (the most powerful feature, imho), image
>manipulation is a snap.
'Layers' is something I've yet to master (in Photoshop). I've never
really needed to until now, but a friend has just sent me some photos
which have some of the colours all wrong (a suspected camera fault), and
he would really like to get them fixed well enough to be able to get
some passable prints. I've managed to sort some of them out, but I think
I definitely need to master 'Layers'.
For 'normal' photo work, I nearly always use mainly FastStone Image
Viewer, and occasionally have to resort to Photoshop if any repair work
is needed.
> Concentrating on Layers in GIMP will accomplish a large percentage of
>what you seem to want to do. Let another program like Photofiltre,
>Irfanview, etc., do the heavy lifting to get a basic image for GIMP to
>address. A look at the Help files might be a start:
>ftp://ftp.gimp.org/pub/gimp/help/
>Download the "en" .tar.bz2.
>
>Fwiw, I use three(!) commercial softwares in my work flow, but I shoot
>mostly in RAW. ymmv.
The problem is, the latest Gimp simply doesn't seem to be usable. When I
run it, all I get is the Toolbox screen, with no obvious way of doing
anything with it. Something seems to be missing!
--
Ian
Ron
> In message <u7CdnWg30qhwTp_W...@earthlink.com>, Ron
> <rmoo...@ix.netcom.com> writes
>> Ian Jackson wrote:
>>> In message <hdteg9$3fo$1...@news.eternal-september.org>, Craig
>>> <netbu...@REMOVEgmail.com> writes
>>>>
>> (snip)
>>>> Have you tried their support forums?
>>>> <http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/forums/forum/412898>
>>>>
>>>> hth,
>>> I had had a quick look there (and other places), but I'll look
>>> again. The problem is, even there, there appears to be so much
>>> 'clutter' - most of which doesn't seem to be relevant, and the rest
>>> I don't understand. I would have thought that Gimp was something
>>> which you simply downloaded, installed and used (even if you did
>>> have to spend some time doing an 'RTFM'!). It doesn't seem to work
>>> like that.
>>
>> Since you uninstalled an earlier version, I'll assume you've been
>> using GIMP for a while.
(snip)
> The problem is, the latest Gimp simply doesn't seem to be usable. When I
> run it, all I get is the Toolbox screen, with no obvious way of doing
> anything with it. Something seems to be missing!
OK, I think I see your dilemma. Have you tried the obvious, like
removing the 2.6.7 (?) version and re-installing? The other place I'd
look is your friend's camera. When "some of the colors are all wrong",
it could improper settings, camera positioning, etc.
Next question, if you have Photoshop, why not master its features? I've
been using PS since v.6, long before GIMP was a bit of undigested code,
if memory serves. This is hardly the forum for a long discussion about
PS, but here are some places to start:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/
http://dimagemaker.com/
http://www.photoshopsupport.com/photoshop-blog/
http://www.photoshopcafe.com/
http://www.photoshopuser.com/ (started by one of PS's original
developers and an excellent photographer)
http://forums.adobe.com/community/photoshop
hth
Ron Moore
Ian Jackson
>Ian Jackson wrote:
>> In message <u7CdnWg30qhwTp_W...@earthlink.com>, Ron
>><rmoo...@ix.netcom.com> writes
>>> Ian Jackson wrote:
>>>> In message <hdteg9$3fo$1...@news.eternal-september.org>, Craig
>>>><netbu...@REMOVEgmail.com> writes
>>>>>
>>> (snip)
>>>>> Have you tried their support forums?
>>>>><http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/forums/forum/412898>
>>>>>
>>>>> hth,
>>>> I had had a quick look there (and other places), but I'll look
>>>>again. The problem is, even there, there appears to be so much
>>>>'clutter' - most of which doesn't seem to be relevant, and the rest
>>>>simply downloaded, installed and used (even if you did have to
>>>>spend some time doing an 'RTFM'!). It doesn't seem to work like that.
>>>
>>> Since you uninstalled an earlier version, I'll assume you've been
>>>using GIMP for a while.
>
>(snip)
>
>> The problem is, the latest Gimp simply doesn't seem to be usable.
>>When I run it, all I get is the Toolbox screen, with no obvious way
>>of doing anything with it. Something seems to be missing!
>
>OK, I think I see your dilemma. Have you tried the obvious, like
>removing the 2.6.7 (?) version and re-installing?
Done that (many, many times). Seemed to install OK, but doesn't run
properly. [In case someone asks, I'm using XP with SP3].
> The other place I'd look is your friend's camera. When "some of the
>colors are all wrong", it could improper settings, camera positioning,
>etc.
>
I've suggested to my friend that he may have accidentally screwed up the
camera settings, and told him to check them. But he and the camera are
300 miles away, so I can't check personally.
>Next question, if you have Photoshop, why not master its features?
It's something I've always intended to get around to! I've actually got
a couple of elementary books about 'How to take digital photographs'
which have been largely unread for several years, and they go into quite
some detail about PS.
>I've been using PS since v.6, long before GIMP was a bit of undigested
>code, if memory serves.
> This is hardly the forum for a long discussion about PS, but here are
>some places to start:
>http://www.luminous-landscape.com/
>http://dimagemaker.com/
>http://www.photoshopsupport.com/photoshop-blog/
>http://www.photoshopcafe.com/
>http://www.photoshopuser.com/ (started by one of PS's original
>developers and an excellent photographer)
>http://forums.adobe.com/community/photoshop
>
>hth
Thanks for those links. But, for the hell of it, I'd still like to get
The Gimp running!
--
Ian
Ron
> In message <rpSdnSVhUt6Vjp7W...@earthlink.com>, Ron
> <rmoo...@ix.netcom.com> writes
>> Ian Jackson wrote:
>>> In message <u7CdnWg30qhwTp_W...@earthlink.com>, Ron
>>> <rmoo...@ix.netcom.com> writes
>>>> Ian Jackson wrote:
>>>>> In message <hdteg9$3fo$1...@news.eternal-september.org>, Craig
>>>>> <netbu...@REMOVEgmail.com> writes
>>>>>>
>>>> (snip)
>>>>>> Have you tried their support forums?
> Thanks for those links. But, for the hell of it, I'd still like to get
> The Gimp running!
YW. You might try here; these folks seem fairly active;
http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/
best
Ron Moore
Ian Jackson
I had yet another attempt at Gimp V 2.6.7 (no good) then 2.6.6 (still no
good). All I got was the Toolbox screen, with no obvious way of doing
anything with it (no screen with the usual menu bar at the top).
I then installed 2.6.7 again, and launched Gimp. As previously, only the
Toolbox screen appeared. Then, by chance, I happened to move the Toolbox
screen to the side. Guess what was lurking hidden behind it? It was
fairly small 'GNU Image Manipulation Program' screen, with the usual
menu bar at the top. All it needed was to be re-sized to fill the
monitor screen. Problem solved!
Surely I can't be the only one to be caught out like this?
--
Ian
Ron
Sure..it's just part of the learning process...I've had my share of
self-administered dope slaps.
Ron Moore
Ian Jackson
But it's worrying that none of the alt.comp.freeware pundits identified
such an obvious problem. My faith in humanity has sunk to an all-time
low!
--
Ian
Ian Jackson
<m...@privacy.invalid> writes
>
>
>>>> OK. Problem solved.
>>>> I had yet another attempt at Gimp V 2.6.7 (no good) then 2.6.6
>>>>(still no good). All I got was the Toolbox screen, with no obvious way
>>>>of doing anything with it (no screen with the usual menu bar at the top).
>>>> I then installed 2.6.7 again, and launched Gimp. As previously, only
>>>>the Toolbox screen appeared. Then, by chance, I happened to move the
>>>>Toolbox screen to the side. Guess what was lurking hidden behind it?
>>>>It was fairly small 'GNU Image Manipulation Program' screen, with the
>>>>usual menu bar at the top. All it needed was to be re-sized to fill
>>>>the monitor screen. Problem solved!
>>>> Surely I can't be the only one to be caught out like this?
>>>
>>>Sure..it's just part of the learning process...I've had my share of
>>>self-administered dope slaps.
>>>
>>But it's worrying that none of the alt.comp.freeware pundits identified
>>such an obvious problem. My faith in humanity has sunk to an all-time
>>low!
>
And I never had that 'problem' with when I had the earlier version. I'd
forgotten that the Gimp GUI has two independent screens. It's certainly
something to remember when something doesn't appear to be 'there'.
Unfortunately, the Toolbox screen doesn't have a minimise button, and if
you close it, you close the whole program. Moving it to the side (or
making it smaller by dragging in the borders) is the only way of seeing
what's behind it.
--
Ian
Ian Jackson
<m...@privacy.invalid> writes
>
>
>>Unfortunately, the Toolbox screen doesn't have a minimise button, and if
>>you close it, you close the whole program. Moving it to the side (or
>>making it smaller by dragging in the borders) is the only way of seeing
>>what's behind it.
>
>will display minimize buttons after a restart of Gimp.
Thanks. I've done that now.
But until you know that you a cunningly hidden Edit button to press
.......
--
Ian
Diabolic Preacher
I wondered why you were not noticing the blank canvas screen that
had the menu bar. but i guess in my case, i didn't jump directly to
2.6.7 but used a few previous 2.6.x releases as well and that way my
resized canvas dimensions were saved. Good that now you solved that
problem. :)
--
Diabolic Preacher
As Is
Ian Jackson
<dpre...@helldrive.inc> writes
Maybe it is simply 'luck of the draw' which screen appears first. I
suppose that the problem could never occur if the new-installation
default was for the Toolbox screen to come up minimise.
--
Ian