Unable to open images in GIMP

mackenzieh · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 1:06 am **(#1)**

GIMP Version: 2.10.32
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: Windows 10 64 Bit
GIMP Experience: Intermediate Level

I am unable to open images in gimp. I'm also not sure why this desktop.ini file has popped up in gimp when I go to open an image.

Unable to open an image in gimp:

Desktop.ini file:

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

Can you open the same file in other programs? Just wondering if its an Gimp APNG plug-in issue or your system has an issue opening PNG file types. Possibly Gimp doesn't know the file type even though it has an PNG extension.

mackenzieh · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 1:22 am **(#3)**

Rod wrote:

Can you open the same file in other programs? Just wondering if its an Gimp APNG plug-in issue or your system has an issue opening PNG file types. Possibly Gimp doesn't know the file type even though it has an PNG extension.

I just opened a png image in paint.net and it opened up with no problems:

How do I solve the desktop.ini file issue showing up in gimp when I try to open an image?

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

mackenzieh wrote:

Rod wrote:

Can you open the same file in other programs? Just wondering if its an Gimp APNG plug-in issue or your system has an issue opening PNG file types. Possibly Gimp doesn't know the file type even though it has an PNG extension.

I just opened a png image in paint.net and it opened up with no problems.

Then my guess is that if you could open PNG files in Gimp before this then its not a PNG file you are trying to open (but paint.net) understands the extension. Have you tried to open PNG files IN GIMP that this program has created before? If not try renaming the file to another extension such as JPG or GIF (Create a duplicate first). If they will then open in GIMP they probably are not PNG files that GIMP understands as a PNG or an Animated APNG file.

If you still have problems upload one here and i will see if i can open it in Gimp.

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

Quote:

How do I solve the desktop.ini file issue showing up in gimp when I try to open an image?

Does it happen in Gimp every time you open any image extension?

mackenzieh · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 1:48 am **(#6)**

Rod wrote:

mackenzieh wrote:

Rod wrote:

Can you open the same file in other programs? Just wondering if its an Gimp APNG plug-in issue or your system has an issue opening PNG file types. Possibly Gimp doesn't know the file type even though it has an PNG extension.

I just opened a png image in paint.net and it opened up with no problems.

Then my guess is that if you could open PNG files in Gimp before this then its not a PNG file you are trying to open (but paint.net) understands the extension. Have you tried to open PNG files IN GIMP that this program has created before? If not try renaming the file to another extension such as JPG or GIF (Create a duplicate first). If they will then open in GIMP they probably are not PNG files that GIMP understands as a PNG or an Animated APNG file.

If you still have problems upload one here and i will see if i can open it in Gimp.

I have opened PNG files in GIMP before. Many many times, in fact and they have worked. It happens to all of the images I open in gimp. It happened earlier today, after I tried for the 10th time to try to install the Ulead effects properly. I have given up on those. Maybe that's what has caused the problem. Renaming the image didn't work. I couldn't get into the folder to get to the image. For some reason, GIMP isn't catching the location... which is why the box is empty:

Here's an image:

ofnuts · **Joined:** Oct 25, 2010 **Posts:** 4756

mackenzieh wrote:

I have opened PNG files in GIMP before. Many many times, in fact and they have worked. It happens to all of the images I open in gimp. It happened earlier today, after I tried for the 10th time to try to install the Ulead effects properly. I have given up on those. Maybe that's what has caused the problem.

Check if your Gimp installation still has the "file-*" plugins in the plugins directory (see "Edit > Preferences > Folders > Plugins" for the location of the folders that Gimp scans for plugins (normally "C:/Program files/GIMP/lib/gimp/2.0/plug-ins/file-png.exe")

mackenzieh · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:36 am **(#8)**

ofnuts wrote:

mackenzieh wrote:

I have opened PNG files in GIMP before. Many many times, in fact and they have worked. It happens to all of the images I open in gimp. It happened earlier today, after I tried for the 10th time to try to install the Ulead effects properly. I have given up on those. Maybe that's what has caused the problem.

Check if your Gimp installation still has the "file-*" plugins in the plugins directory (see "Edit > Preferences > Folders > Plugins" for the location of the folders that Gimp scans for plugins (normally "C:/Program files/GIMP/lib/gimp/2.0/plug-ins/file-png.exe")

I have it:

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

Try this,
Right click the file and select open with and select Gimp as the program. Close Gimp first.
That should associate PNG files with Gimp again.

mackenzieh · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 3:33 am **(#10)**

Rod wrote:

Try this,
Right click the file and select open with and select Gimp as the program. Close Gimp first.
That should associate PNG files with Gimp again.

I tried it and it didn't work:

AdmFubar · **Joined:** Sep 26, 2015 **Posts:** 51

try this... make a quick doodle in gimp and export as a ping. close the image and try to reopen it.
If it opens then the previous images you have tried to open have an issue. If it doesnt then the issue is with gimp.

mackenzieh · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 11:53 am **(#12)**

Rod wrote:

Quote:

How do I solve the desktop.ini file issue showing up in gimp when I try to open an image?

Does it happen in Gimp every time you open any image extension?

Yes, it does.

Pocholo · **Joined:** Jul 28, 2018 **Posts:** 1196

A Desktop.ini file is a hidden Windows operating system configuration settings file located in every folder, that determines how the folder is displayed along with its other Properties – like the icon used for that folder, its localized name, sharing properties, etc.
Do not delete it, you need to hide it.
1. Open Windows Explorer or press Windows Key + E.
2. Click View > Options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Click on the Hide protected operating system files checkbox.
5. Click OK.

Now, for the png that won't open. Did you deleted anything from you Main GIMP 2 program C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins?

mackenzieh · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 12:11 pm **(#14)**

AdmFubar wrote:

try this... make a quick doodle in gimp and export as a ping. close the image and try to reopen it.
If it opens then the previous images you have tried to open have an issue. If it doesnt then the issue is with gimp.

I can't even save the image as a png

This is what I get:

MareroQ · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 1:10 pm **(#15)**

I had an identical case once - caused by one dll file in the wrong place. Did you clean up ...\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins\... ?

Pocholo · **Joined:** Jul 28, 2018 **Posts:** 1196

Can you take a snapshot of your: C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins content folder and post it?
This might take 4 snapshot depending on your PC screen resolution.

nelo · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:53 pm **(#17)**

Do you have these two folders in your GIMP settings:

mackenzieh · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:07 pm **(#18)**

Pocholo wrote:

A Desktop.ini file is a hidden Windows operating system configuration settings file located in every folder, that determines how the folder is displayed along with its other Properties – like the icon used for that folder, its localized name, sharing properties, etc.
Do not delete it, you need to hide it.
1. Open Windows Explorer or press Windows Key + E.
2. Click View > Options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Click on the Hide protected operating system files checkbox.
5. Click OK.
[ Image ]

Now, for the png that won't open. Did you deleted anything from you Main GIMP 2 program C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins?

I didn't delete it. I wasn't sure what it was, so I left it the way it was. If I did delete anything from C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins, I'm not sure what it would be. I went down the list in windows explorer and I have everything in the image you posted, looking good on my end.
Image ]

Pocholo · **Joined:** Jul 28, 2018 **Posts:** 1196

OK if you don't know what you deleted then the only alternative left is to uninstall GIMP and reinstall, we should it told you that from the beginning. Don't uninstall it from the Control Panel go to your:
C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\uninst and click the uninstall file and then Install GIMP.

mackenzieh · **Posted:** Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:23 pm **(#20)**

MareroQ wrote:

I had an identical case once - caused by one dll file in the wrong place. Did you clean up ...\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins\... ?

No, because I'm not sure what to clean up.

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