GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Windows
GIMP Experience: Beginner Level

List any relevant plug-ins or scripts:
gimp-brush-duplicate

List any ERROR messages you received:
generic
Error: (<unknown> : 49875626) Procedure execution of gimp-brush-duplicate failed

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Hi all Gimp pdb experts
I would like to know
- when the "gimp-brush-duplicate" is accepted
- when it is not
Just writing a testing script which has a parameter "brush" in input and does nothing else than trying to execute the "gimp-brush-duplicate" -after the interactive user selection of the brush input parameter- sometimes it works some other times it shows the above generic error.
To simplify the test -avoiding problems which could arise from personal brushes- I repeated the test on my Gimp-portable, which I maintain clean as installed.
Same results.
Examples of accepted selections: 2. Hardness 050, 2. Star
Examples of not accepted selections: Acrylic 01, Sand dunes
The pdb description help doesn't specify any restriction on the input brush in the copy action, but there must be a hidden rule somewhere, which I wasn't able to discover.
Can someone help on this question?
Thanks a lot

A quick bit of empirical testing shows that these brushes can be duplicated:
1. Pixel
2. Block 01
2. Block 02
2. Block 03
2. Hardness 025
2. Hardness 050
2. Hardness 075
2. Hardness 100
2. Star

Using this code:


But I can't tell you why.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin,
yes, there is a group of brushes which can be duplicated (my were only an example) but I can't see a reason why the others cannot...
should we open...a "lottery"? ...hehehe
(maybe a gimp developer can answer, if it happens that he reads this post)

I run your tool on my system: exactly the same result!

"Parametric" brushes (those you can create with the brush editor) vs others?

Confirmed: only those that answer 'true' to gimp-brush-is-generated can be duplicated.

Thanks, Ofnuts!
now comes the "derived" question:
how can I transform an existing brush (which I like and is of the wrong type, like Acrylic 01 and many others) into an "acceptable" one? Simply by copying it online and add some specifics? or just by copying and renaming it?

edit1: my first attempt was done opening "Acrylic 01" and saving (a copy) named "Acrylic 01 copy" into the same folder; that copy was available after reopening gimp, but still "not generated"(?)
what else should I do?

@dinasset I'm sure this isn't the best way, and this may not be exactly what you were wanting, but the few brushes I have made from .abr's into .gbr's has been to install the .abr's in my brushes folder, open Gimp and 'open new' (to the size I want my brush) load the brush and adjust the size to fit, then a single stamp (click) from the brush, and export as a .gbr. Ta dah! 1 new, completely adjustable and customizable Gimp brush. I do apologize if this wasn't what you were going for, just trying to help if I can.

thanks Charlie, but the brushes I would like to have "duplicat-able" are brushes coming with the gimp installation pack, not installed by me from an .abr type brush

Okay, sorry for bothering

Why would you want to duplicate them in the first place? There is nothing you can do to them from a script (except perhaps the spacing)?

I can also change the size on those which are accepted as duplicat-able

(gimp-context-set-brush brush-copy)
(gimp-context-set-brush-size 150) ...

You can do plenty of things with these and this is why they can be duplicated (because it's just another small set if generation parameters). But you can't change the size of the "bitmap" ones in a script. The user must provide you a brush at the proper size/angle. And this is consistent with the idea that the scripts use the current brush, whatever the user has set it to...

so, the final question is:
- how can I generate a brush which is "duplicat-able" like those mentioned in previous entries (by Kevin and me)?
by knowing the way I can try to create new brushes similar to those I like...

edit: I see
I have to use the panel editor of the brushes!
but, unfortunately the shapes are very limited (geometric) not free as I would like....
I will see what I can do...

If you want to play with the other brushes, load them as images, transform them, copy the result to the clipboard, and then use the 'clipboard' brush (which is always the first one when you list available brushes).

You can't set the spacing of the clipboard brush form a script, it is considered "non editable".

GIMP 2.10, if and when it gets released: https://git.gnome.org/browse/gimp/commi ... d3a04d7fbc

Kevin

thanks, Kevin!
but I do not clearly understand which are the commitments for Gimp 2.10 concerning brushes; will it be possible to define a brush with a free shape (non strictly geometric), maybe copied from an existing brush or image? It would be nice.
(Of course it would be extremely nice also to have ALL brushes duplicatable, so that they can be adjusted thru script commands when using them...)