What are gimp rulers for?

Gingle · **Joined:** Dec 27, 2016 **Posts:** 33

GIMP Version: 2.9.3
Operating System: Linux
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

so i noticed gimp has rulers when you first start it up, what are rulers for ? Are they just there as a novelty decoration to make the program look more nice and professional? ? does anyone here find them useful ? i never see them in other art programs that i use, and i never had any use for them whilst drawing, and don't see how they would be useful for me, they look cool, but they just take up my screen real-estate , so i imedialtey always disable them right after i launch gimp the first time.

PegLeg44 · **Joined:** Feb 14, 2012 **Posts:** 426

You can drag guides onto the canvas from them. I use them to align paths and path handles. You can turn them off from [Edit] [Preferences] [Appearance].

Rod · **Joined:** May 16, 2010 **Posts:** 14709 **Location:** USA

From https://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-image-window.html
Article 4

Ruler: In the default layout, rulers are shown above and to the left of the image. Use the rulers to determine coordinates within the image. The default unit for rulers is pixels; use the settings described below to use a unit other than pixels.

One of the most important uses of rulers is to create guides. Click and drag a ruler into the image to create a guide. A guide is a line that helps you accurately position things—or verify that another line is truly horizontal or vertical. Click and drag a guide to move it. Drag a guide out of the image to delete it; you can always drag another guide into the image. You can even use multiple guides at the same time.

In ruler area, the mouse pointer position is marked with two small arrow-heads pointing vertically and horizontally.

Gingle · **Joined:** Dec 27, 2016 **Posts:** 33

PegLeg44 wrote:

You can drag guides onto the canvas from them. I use them to align paths and path handles. You can turn them off from [Edit] [Preferences] [Appearance].

Thanks for deciding to tell me your own personal use for them ,youve been great , and yeah i immediatley always turn them off right aftter i go do a fresh gimp install

Gingle · **Joined:** Dec 27, 2016 **Posts:** 33

Rod wrote:

From https://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-image-window.html
Article 4

Ruler: In the default layout, rulers are shown above and to the left of the image. Use the rulers to determine coordinates within the image. The default unit for rulers is pixels; use the settings described below to use a unit other than pixels.

[ Image ]

One of the most important uses of rulers is to create guides. Click and drag a ruler into the image to create a guide. A guide is a line that helps you accurately position things—or verify that another line is truly horizontal or vertical. Click and drag a guide to move it. Drag a guide out of the image to delete it; you can always drag another guide into the image. You can even use multiple guides at the same time.

In ruler area, the mouse pointer position is marked with two small arrow-heads pointing vertically and horizontally.

Oh this looks really good, thousands of thanks !

ofnuts · **Joined:** Oct 25, 2010 **Posts:** 4739

Rod wrote:

In ruler area, the mouse pointer position is marked with two small arrow-heads pointing vertically and horizontally.

Yes but you have this information is a more immediately usable form at the bottom of the screen.

PegLeg44 · **Joined:** Feb 14, 2012 **Posts:** 426

I like the way that cropped images, selections and paths snap to guides from the center mark when moving them using the move tool. I find myself doing that all the time now.

And the way that you can drag out a rectangle or ellipse selection from the cross section of two guides when holding [Crtl + Left mouse drag].