Hi GIMPies!
I'm new to GIMP and wanted to ask everybody's favorite script, plugin, ... (in various categories) in order to test them and select my favorites from them.
What do you think are the best ones?
Retroarchgirl
It's tricky to choose favourites as it depends on the job in hand.
ofnuts' gimp tools and path tools are indispensable IMO. Most often used here is ofn-preset-guides. In frequent use ofn-export-layers, ofn-interleave-layers, ofn-brush-strokes-on-path, ofn-path-edits and ofn-text-along-path, I could go on
For effects I like many of graechan's e.g. Image Shine.scm, Fur.scm.
Then there's scripts by gnutux, e.g. Bevel reflect, Logo toolbox.
GMIC of course.
Anyway that's just a start. You could look here:
https://www.gimpscripts.net/
(05-02-2023, 11:25 PM)retroarchgirl Wrote: [ -> ]I'm new to GIMP and wanted to ask everybody's favorite script, plugin.
No, not now!
Learn GIMP first, then when you feel you're missing a function, something, ask, maybe you don't need script/plugins
If you start with script/plugins NOW, you will
never know GIMP and be dependent on scripts/plugins,
without knowing that you can do the job with the GIMP's natives' tools!
Having said that, there are 2 plugins which are important, it's
G'MIC and
Resynthesizer, once installed,
please just learn GIMP
(05-02-2023, 11:25 PM)retroarchgirl Wrote: [ -> ]Hi GIMPies!
I'm new to GIMP and wanted to ask everybody's favorite script, plugin, ... (in various categories) in order to test them and select my favorites from them.
What do you think are the best ones?
Retroarchgirl
Just a note about installing plugins and a plugin for Windows is a file with a .exe or .py extension.
The place for these is your User profile C:\Users\"yourname"\AppData\Roaming\GIMP\2.10\plug-ins (I saw in your other post you were putting in your Gimp system folder)
Is a folder required for plugins ?
For Gimp 2.10, not always required to put a plugin in a folder. If you use a folder it has the same name as the body of the plugin. For example
ofn-bend-path.py will use a folder named
ofn-bend-path
Some plugins come with additional files, something.dll for .exe plugins. These are best in their own folder. For example the
gimp_gmic_qt.exe plugin comes with many files and goes in a
gimp_gmic_qt folder. Fortunately that plugin has an installer that does the job for you.
Which plugins to try out. It does depend on your requirements, Gimp users range from pixel art - through animation - web page illustrations - photograph editing. All very different requirements.
A good one to start with is that gmic plugin
http://www.gmic.org It has 500+ filters. Something for everyone.
Scripts. A file with a .scm extension These go in C:\Users\"yourname"\AppData\Roaming\GIMP\2.10\scripts. Easy.
Plugin or script. These register in a menu somewhere. If you do not know which menu, use Help -> Plugin Browser and search for the plugin/script name. It gives an indication of menu location.
----
What do I use frequently ?
gimp_gmic_qt
resynthesizer + heal plugins. see:
https://www.gimp-forum.net/Thread-Resynt...7#pid12687
BIMP the batch plugin:
https://alessandrofrancesconi.it/projects/bimp/
...and other little utilities that you will accumulate as your experience with Gimp grows.
Avoid installing all and everything I have seen some real messy installations that result in cries for help.
Remember my GEGL plugins are a special case and go inside
(Windows)
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\gegl-0.4\plug-ins
(Linux)
/home/(USERNAME)/.local/share/gegl-0.4/plug-ins
(Flatpak Linux)
/home/(USERNAME)/.var/app/org.gimp.GIMP/data/gegl-0.4/plug-ins
--
well hands down my own plugins are my favorites.
What exactly is the difference between a script and a plugin? Can they do different things (for example things a plugin can do, but not a script) or does it not matter if you are not a developer?
(05-03-2023, 04:18 PM)BeaverGEGLFreak Wrote: [ -> ]Remember my GEGL plugins are a special case and go inside
(Windows)
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\gegl-0.4\plug-ins
(Linux)
/home/(USERNAME)/.local/share/gegl-0.4/plug-ins
(Flatpak Linux)
/home/(USERNAME)/.var/app/org.gimp.GIMP/data/gegl-0.4/plug-ins
--
well hands down my own plugins are my favorites.
Not ***your** GEGL plugins. All GEGL plugins.
(05-03-2023, 04:56 PM)retroarchgirl Wrote: [ -> ]What exactly is the difference between a script and a plugin? Can they do different things (for example things a plugin can do, but not a script) or does it not matter if you are not a developer?
Well, scripts and plugins will "do something" to an image and some are equivalent. You might see old tutorials using "Layer Effects" There is both a script-fu version and a python plugin version.
It might not affect the image directly, for example there are both scripts and plugins that will set up guides over an image. The image is not changed, the guides assist the user.
Both scripts and plugins can be simple or can be complicated. Plugins (not all plugins) can have an advantage of showing a "preview" window. Usually small but the gimp_gmic_qt plugin uses a larger preview window. The GEGL filters apply the preview directly to the image canvas.
These are all standard in Gimp
(1) Tileable blur script you do see any change until you apply it
(2) Difference of Gaussians plugin There is a small preview.
(3) Pixelize GEGL filter shows the effect as you change values.
[
attachment=9753]
Not a developer > Then not all that necessary to know the workings.
(05-03-2023, 04:56 PM)retroarchgirl Wrote: [ -> ]What exactly is the difference between a script and a plugin? Can they do different things (for example things a plugin can do, but not a script) or does it not matter if you are not a developer?
Technically...
A script is a bit of code which is interpreted by the dedicated script-fu executor. It takes its parameters on start-up and then it run till the end.
- Pros:
- light-weight,
- easy to run anywhere
- easy to write since the dialog to get user inputs is auto-generated
- Cons:
- programming language that dates back to the stone age,
- very limited interaction with the outside world, I'm not even sure you can read a text file
- possible conflicts with other scripts since they all share the same execution environment
A Gimp plugin is an independent program that knows how to talk to Gimp (ask data from it, request actions, return data...). It can be a binary or not (mostly Python).
For the binary kind:
- Pros:
- Unlimited power
- Can have its own UI
- Cons:
- Requires a version compiled for each platform.
- Writing a decent interactive UI can becomes a significant part of the work
For the Python kind:
- Pros:
- Near-unlimited power
- Can have its own UI or use the auto-generated dialog (in which case it looks a lot like a script)
- Cons:
- Requires a working Python runtime (not a problem on Windows where Gimp has its own built-in).
- Writing a decent interactive UI can become a significant part of the work
Then there are GEGL plugins, that aren't Gimp plugins but can be used by Gimp (GEGL is Gimp's graphical core).
Thank you for the explanation!
I'm sorry. i had a bad day and left the forum. I'm back, I was the author of this question
I don't have photoshop but I was wondering if it also has the possibility to write free scripts/plugins or does it require you to pay even more (Photoshop itself is montly subscription I think).
Thank GNU for GIMP!