GIMP Version: 2.10.22
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: 10
GIMP Experience: New User

---

I've started a project of photo manipulation recently, I am looking forward to give new life for some photos, I'm a "good could be better" kind of guy, so after getting a pretty good result I decided make another version of the same work. I've applied the desaturate, color curves and brightness-contrast commands to both files, but my first artwork looks better.

I wanna know if it's possible to open a xcf file in a text editor in order to find how effects were applied to an image and the settings of those effects.

PS: I have experience with Inkscape, in Inkscape is possible to read the settings applied to a svg file, as svg are defined as xml files.

I don't think XCF stores any data of applied filters, but I can't swear this.
You can save as many pre-configured settings as you want. My tactic (sometimes) is to create saved settings with logical titles, and after applying it, I add it to the layer name/attributes. Separated with commas or inside brackets, what ever you like to use.

If you're looking a way to apply easily same multiple filters/effects, I recommend checking out G'mic and Bimp plug-ins.

Even if there was a way to read XCF image/layer data outside Gimp, you would still have the problem of "pixel reality".
After applying an effect on image, undo (or copy of original) is the only way to return to the starting point. Otherwise it would be just doubling the same effect.
That's the difference with vectors (Inkscape) and pixels (Gimp).

No. The best you can do is use the image comments to note down what you did.

In an SVG file you can find the effects in the XML because an SVG file is essentially instructions for a rendering, which happens only when some one views the image. But in Gimp, rendering is done on the spot and Gimp only keeps the result of the rendering as layers/channels. The only "delayed" rendering is the composition of the layers. This is essentially the difference between vector graphics (Inkscape, Illustrator) and raster graphics (Gimp, Photoshop).

Thanks, Nidhogg and ofnuts!

After thinking for a while I've figured out how silly my question is, even if xcf format could be read as a text, I can't imagine how difficult it'd be read such files!



Nice tip, I'm gonna take notes of my work, this could be very helpful.

Cheers!