OT: Gimp Craziness
ebergerly
Posts: 3,255
Okay, so I've been using Photoshop forever, even if I don't really like it. And ages ago, I tried Gimp, and instantly found it frustrating that it didn't have some of the functionality that Photoshop had.
And now the years have passed, and I decided it give Gimp another shot. So I download, open it, and like I always do, started by going to an image to Open it. So I go "File/Open" and navigate to the folder where my images are. And what does it give me? A LIST of the images. Not a bunch of preview icons, just a list. And if you click on an image, it gives you a single preview image off to the right hand side.
Are they serious? So I searched the internet for 1/2 hour looking for info on "image library" and "image previews" and so on and there's nothing. I checked all the Gimp Preferences and saw nothing to get preview images. So now I have to rely on the Windows file manager, which won't show image previews on some types of images unless you get an add-on? Unlike Photoshop, which not only shows previews but also has the Bridge app that does that and much more.
Is it true that you can't get a preview of all the images in the folder? If so, I'm once again done with Gimp.
Thanks.
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Comments
Hmm, I never really thought about that - I use the windows preview if I really need to.
AFAIK, there isn't an 'explorer' like preview for the images in GIMP.
Then again, GIMP is free. It does most stuff that PS does, but PS still has more functions.
...been using Gimp for years, never remember it ever giving preview images/icons in the library list and never really saw the need for it.
Gimp is also open source free software created by primarily by a community of enthusiasts, not a commercial product like PS created by professional salaried development personnel.
Thanks. So if you do 5 renders in Studio, and then want to go in to Gimp to work on one of them, and maybe they're all in a folder with other images (and for me, this happens to me just about every time I do renders) you have to start Gimp, and then open up Windows Explorer (which is very limited in what types of files it shows previews for...like no Targas, and some with alphas I have problems with, etc.), and have to have both windows open at the same time?
I'm surprised that doesn't drive people crazy. And it seems like a very simple programming task to put small preview images instead of filenames. I mean, who remembers filenames?
This is actually the same way I work in Photoshop. I never use the bridge or the file open dialogue except sometimes the "recently used" list. I always just have an explorer window open.
...never worked with a bridge to a 2D programme as there isn't one for Gimp. I don't find it all that difficult to go to where the file I wish to postwork or modify (such as in the case of textures) is.
Faster navigation, can use my own shortcuts, don't have to get stuck in "wherever I loaded from last" and navigate out of there, easy to drag files as layers into an existing one, I usually have a window open already to preview my renders as they come out of DS...
EDIT: Multiple folders open at once...this one is huge for me.
I tend to save renders to a new folder each month (so if I'm working on five renders, they'll only compete with other 2017/11 images for attention). Then I just name them something memorable.
I do the same with scene files in DS - create a new folder each month.
Not Gimp's fault. It's a Gtk bug https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=141154
It's a pity to stop just because of that
Personally I open the folder with the image, open gimp, drag the image into Gimp. Works easiest for me.
I tend to open all images from inside explorer, where you can preview images if required. I then right click and choose "Edit with Gimp"
The only time I use the open within Gimp is when adding an image as another layer to an image I am working on.
This! And even adding the next layer is easier from the explorer than from inside.
Aside from that knowing file names isn't that hard, mostly I keep my explorer on file names anyway, images take too much space to scroll
Just seems like every other image based app I've ever used has a simple requester that shows thumbnails. But I guess when people get used to workarounds they seem normal.
But if its a Linux bug, now I understand. The devs probably couldn't comprehend why users cant just type in the command line like
"sudo image get C//users//images name = image type = jpg -n -b -c -x stat = true"
I don't know if this would be of any use... I (very) briefly looked through it and didn't see anything that was obviously of use in relation to what you are looking for, but the GIMP Plugin Registery has tons of plugins that address certain needs for GIMP users.
http://registry.gimp.org/glossary/a
Some plugins have weird names and don't do what you'd expect based on the the name.
I'm on a tablet and it was not playing well with the website, so that page is the best link I could start with...
Sorry if you tried this already or find it useless... Some people aren't aware of this collection, so I figured even if you don't find what you need, someone might find it useful.
Good luck.
Gimp is for people that are only interested in free. See Linux people. See Blender people. Etc.
right because everyone loves a freebie ... no?
No you're wrong. They rather don't care. I personnaly never caught that bug because I also usually start Gimp from either the explorer or an image viewer/manager (actually Xnview as it works both in Windows and Linux)
A small preview is not enough for me
Well, I have Elements and Nvidia's plug-in for working with normals does not work in Elements 12. I refuse to subscribe no more than I use the program. I will be using Gimp for a couple of big shader projects. I do some simple things in photoshop Elements but if I need fancy, I'm in Gimp. Its a more workable solution for me to only use Elements and Gimp for anything Elements can't or won't handle than to pay, pay, and pay again. I also love Twisted Brush and Filter Forge if I have to spend some cash. Also it seems like everything Daz has a bridge or something for is for some wildly expensive software, photoshop, maya, zbrush. Its weird for a free program to be so friendly to the wealthy. But you need extra time and money to do this hobby. You can't give the working poor putting in 60 hour work weeks the time to play with it all can you?
I don't think anybody is against for preview images, but most Gimp users just don't miss something they have never had. It's like owning a car. If you have never owned a car, you can move around just fine, but when you get your first car, and then for some reason lose it, it seems like you can't get anywhere anymore.
I think most people who use Gimp or Blender just couldn't afford the price tags of their commercial counterparts. I started using both programs when I was still in school, and we didn't get any free student versions for Photoshop or Maya or whatever high priced professional tools. Sure, I would have loved to have my hands on those professional tools, but with student budget my only real options were Gimp and Blender. After I got a job, and finally could actually pay for those commercial programs, I had already learned enough of Gimp and Blender, that I could do most I wanted. What I haven't been able to do, it's more than likely mine, not the program's fault.
Also those freeware programs nowadays are so good, that there's very little those commercial programs can do that freeware programs can't. Heh, even at my workplace ( I'm a programmer ) they didn't bother to buy me a Photoshop license, and whatever little image manipulations I have to do, I do with Gimp.
Off-topic of an off-topic thread: Talking about freeware programs, I just found Unity. I have no idea why I haven't tried it before, but finally my Daz Studio ( which is also free by the way ) renders have a place to go.... if my game ever finishes. I'm sure Frostbite one zillion is much better and does uber graphics in 7D, but for amateurs like me, those freeware programs are more than adequate. Freeware software FTW
I honestly don't know anyone that ever uses image editor browsers.
I'd prefer no image preview to a subscription any day. Adobe lost me when they adopted a subscription based model.
So if Windows Explorer is so popular, what do you guys use to display the image types that Windows Explorer doesn't display? My W10 doesn't display many of my PSD files (probably because they have alpha channels or something...and I have tons of PSD files), Targa, HDR, EXR (though I don't think PS shows them either, though Nuke does...) and so on? Or do you only have JPEG's or something? I recall having to download SageThumbs long ago to display the thumbs that Windows didn't, but had issues with that.
Anyway, if it works for you then fine. I just find it surprising that there isn't a big push to show preview images in, well, an image program.
I use png for most everything, jpg looses too much information while compressing. and every once in a blue moon svg for vector grafics
It's probably more a matter of this is how it is, adjust or move on. I have photoshop, Gimp, and paintshop pro installed and find I use Gimp more than any other because I have gotten used to it and know my way around it more. I would love the option to display all thumbnails when opening a file, but until they come out with a plugin for it, I use the explorer method.
SageThumbs
I suppose I'll give Gimp a go...and probably use PS Bridge, which is one part of Photoshop I really like. It's like the ultimate image browser..you can set up favorite directories and just click to show all the images in the folder, it gives you tons of information about your images, there's a simple slider to scale up/down the thumbnails, etc. And then just drag and drop into Gimp I suppose.
But Gimp doesn't like EXR's...seems like they won't even open. Though I do like the UI with Gimp, it's easy to move panels to other monitors. I dunno, I'm hoping there's something great about Gimp I can't live without. I do hate the Photoshop UI. Otherwise it's back to PS and Nuke (which also has a nice image thumbnail feature that opens just about anything).
...also people who simply don't have or make a lot of money to throw 700$ (before CC) into buying a single programme licence. Yeah Adobe went totally to the cloud, techncally making it cheaper. However, not very enamoured with "software by subscription" (particularly as my work system is a standalone) and over the years got to know my way around both Gimp and PSP to the point I really don't have a need for PS for the limited amount of postwork I do.
I agree about the cloud and subscriptions. I hate them both. Luckily I have a pre-cloud Photoshop CS4. I wonder if you can still get that, maybe for cheap?