Development Work Towards GIMP 2.8 Solidifies

[V!NCENT]

Yeah, they're making sure GIMP always stays a second-grade image editor.

Lol are you kidding me? The reason Photoshop is in one window in Windows (not in Mac OS X) is because the Windows WM is a total joke. But if you really want GIMP in one window then use GIMPshop -> http://www.gimpshop.com/

[rvdboom]

It doesn't work with KWin either. I'm using Gimp 2.6 and the tools are supposed to be utility windows, but they do not popup in front if I bring the image in front, do not disappear if the main windows doesn't have the focus and are not lowered when I lower the main window (this is really annoying). This is the only software I have this issue with : openoffice, scribus, etc. don't have this problem.
Here's some Kwin dev take on it :
The layer order of utility windows is not specified at all in the standards therefore there is no "standardized behaviour" at all and each and every window manager is doing the right thing in that regard."
Basically, it looks like window manager implement specific quirks for Gimp to work as expected and the KWin devs are reluctant to do it, which I understand.

I don't have anything against multi-windows, but it would be nice if this was fiwed somehow.

[Yfrwlf]

U are probably using Compiz, which is configured by default to show utility windows while Alt+Tab and scale, but it's really easy to change that within the configuration manager.

I also had problems with the multi window character of Gimp. But after they changed the tools window type to utility and compiz learned to deal with it (ther where no problems with metacity from the beginning) I have exactly 0 problems. But of course it took a little additional time to loose my original antipathy.

It'd be great to see the definitions of "utility" windows and "main" windows become a desktop standard so that this issue would be ironed out in all window managers. However, I still definitely think that having a single window option would be a great and needed option for Gimp. Not only does it give those used to that setup a break, but it is one way that some users like to "remove" their desktop clutter. A single window plasters over your background image, icons, and other windows, making it easy to see and focus on what you're working on. That is part of the nature of the aesthetics of the single window and it's really a matter of preference, so again, here's hoping that some developer(s) will give users that option. ^^

[mirza]

Can you imagine, say, OpenOffice with document window in the middle and dozen of utility windows flying around? Or Firefox? Eclipse? Thats insane. People usually have lots of icons on desktop and background image of their dog, thats mess already. Open Gimp on top of that and what you get is chaos. Yeah, I can change my desktop to single-color just because of Gimp, remove all distracting icons from desktop just because of Gimp, change my Compiz settings just because of Gimp... sure thing!

[unix_epoch]

Exactly, it makes a mess on the desktop. To make things worse I usually need Gimp when I'm doing something, meaning that lots of windows will already be open. It's very easy to lose Gimp's windows, and you'll spend lots of unnecessary time clicking around the desktop to get to them. It's simply annoying.

Try using virtual desktops. I put Firefox for e-mail and news on desktop 1; Eclipse, vim+terminal, and firefox for documentation on desktop 2, Gimp on desktop 3, and foobar2000 on desktop 4. Virtual desktops are effectively a single-window interface if you want them to be, they don't sacrifice the advantages of a multi-window interface (such as control over where the tool windows go, even across monitors), and you can switch between them using hot keys just like windows on the same desktop (ctrl-F1-F4 or ctrl-alt-left/right).

Or, better yet, learn how to make an MDI application with Gtk+, add an SDI/MDI option to the Gimp, and get the (sometimes overly stubborn) developers to accept your patch.

[KDesk]

Lol are you kidding me? The reason Photoshop is in one window in Windows (not in Mac OS X) is because the Windows WM is a total joke. But if you really want GIMP in one window then use GIMPshop -> http://www.gimpshop.com/

Are you kidding? The newest version GIMPshop is more three years old! Based on GIMP 2.2.

[V!NCENT]

Are you kidding? The newest version GIMPshop is more three years old! Based on GIMP 2.2.

Ah, I'm sorry. Here is the new alternative http://www.gimphoto.com/

[Wyatt]

Ah, I'm sorry. Here is the new alternative http://www.gimphoto.com/

"Based on GIMP 2.4.3"

[V!NCENT]

"Based on GIMP 2.4.3"

Go to DOWNLOADS -> Linux -> "update: 28 May 2009
new info: for Ubuntu 9.04 users or any Linux distro that using GIMP 2.6 as their default, run GimPhoto from /usr/local/gimphoto/gimphoto.sh
(don't run it from /usr/local/gimphoto/bin/gimphoto)"

[Wyatt]

Go to DOWNLOADS -> Linux -> "update: 28 May 2009
new info: for Ubuntu 9.04 users or any Linux distro that using GIMP 2.6 as their default, run GimPhoto from /usr/local/gimphoto/gimphoto.sh
(don't run it from /usr/local/gimphoto/bin/gimphoto)"

Unfortunately, right underneath that it reads:
"(warnings: sorry but GimPhoto for Linux still CAN'T do MDI UI like PS yet, this because GTK+ can't do MDI and i'm still searching workaround to do MDI under Linux)"

Also, I'm not seeing anything that says he merges changes from upstream. That he mentions a specific GIMP version is more indicative that this is not the case; 28 May would more likely refer to the latest release of his modified branch (based on GIMP 2.4.3).