I was thinking about making this thread three months ago to share the news but I was lazy. Now I am finally getting to it.

GIMP 2.99.19 has ways for me to send users new text styles by downloading an .xcf file with plugins of mine that already exist or if they do not have the plugins they can download them to get the new text style. Put simply

1. The user is assumed to use GIMP 2.99.19+
2. The user downloads the required plugins or already has them
3. the user downloads an xcf file I give them and they get the new text style on canvas. From there they can edit the new text style non-destructively
4. After editing the text they can copy and paste the transparent backgrounded text in another composition


Example of xcfs that contain novel text styles. In this example we assume if you have these plugins of mine and download these files as a .xcf it will load as EDITABLE TEXT in GIMP 2.99.19

Editable Heavenly text.xf


Editable Glittery Cookie.xcf


Editable Glow in the dark.xcf



NOTE, I have decided to NOT include an .xcf file as a test because I assume no one here is on GIMP 2.99.19 and the latest GIMP 2.99.19 has had a serious bug for over a month forcing me to use GIMP 2.99.19 from a month ago without updating.

Look forward to this in the future. Just download an .xcf with plugins of mine and go!

I do hope this all settles down for you Contrast. You have been messed about so much by the changes in 2.99 and had to do such a lot of repair work.
An amazing feat of endurance.

So here is what is going to happen when GIMP 3 or a new 2.99 releases. I am going to include a zip file that contains 3 things

1. plugins needed to make the text style
2. the .xcf file
3. the font needed for the text

and from there the user can edit it and type anything they want.







Fun fact - this text style heavily depends on my rock text 2 plugin https://github.com/LinuxBeaver/GEGL-STO ... 2/releases
and was inspired by random content in a old pc game. Big fun in Furby Land. A children's game inspired by a popular 90's toy "Furby". The orange flaming space rock is a projectile the user must avoid or take damage. Funny how such a silly thing could inspire a text style

One day I will send you guys an .xcf file, a font and plugins and you will be able to edit text like this. I could do it now but none of you have GIMP 2.99.19 installed.

OKey... Is there an xcf or not?

Some questions:
If I understood, you are saying that the xcf will also save the filters you did use in GIMP 2.99/3?
Thus allowing us to change the settings of multiple filters from a downloaded xcf made in GIMP2.99/3?
If so how goes the compatibility with older xcf, like xcf from 2.10?

PixLab: GIMP 2.99.18+ now saves non-destructive filters in the XCF as part of the layer. I think what contrast_ wants to do is provide an .xcf with a text layer that has his filters applied - then you can just edit or copy the layer to get those effects. It would only work if he uses the built-in filters though, or if you have his plug-ins installed (assuming he uses his own filters)

It won't work with older versions of GIMP - the filters would need to be discarded since GIMP 2.10 doesn't have non-destructive editing.

I didn't attach an .xcf because no one here is using GIMP 2.99.19 and it won't open in 2.10. Obviously there will be no reverse compatibility with GIMP 2.10.

Yes, it's what I understood, but my question was >> will GIMP 3 open an xcf made with GIMP 2.10 / 2.8 / etc...?

Thank you for your answer
It's what I understood, but (maybe the way I wrote it isn't good), will GIMP 3 be able to open older xcf version like from GIMP 2.10 / 2.8? (it should IMO)

Also contrast_ said GIMP 2.10 won't be able to open xcf from GIMP 3 in its last post, and your answer seems to tell the opposite

You > the filters would be discarded since GIMP 2.10 doesn't have non-destructive editing
contrast_ > and it won't open in 2.10. Obviously there will be no reverse compatibility with GIMP 2.10.

So CmykStudent, if I understood correctly what you were saying, GIMP 2.10 will be able to open the xcf from GIMP 3 BUT just disregard what is not compatible, e.g. the ability to change the filters settings and other things, but in the end GIMP 2.10 will be able to open xcf from GIMP 3 even without the new features of GIMP 3.

Did I understood correctly?

Well, not quite true, there is a linux 2.99.19 appimage. You can unpack it to get to the GEGL plugins folder but unfortunately your plugins are not compatible with this version (it does of course come with the nice GEGL bevel filter)

Just as an example of the appimage, the new, not very good, distribute tool. 10 300x300 layers I want to spread out with a 33 gap between. Thanks to cmykstudent for fixing the guides tool. Might interest PixLab

59 second demo: https://i.imgur.com/EJp5YPL.mp4

PixLab: Ah, sorry, I got a little mixed up there. GIMP 2.99/3.0 will definitely be able to open any .xcf file made in 2.10, 2.8, etc, and if it can't then post the .xcf and we'll fix the read code.

If you export an .xcf file in 2.99/3.0 that you want opened in 2.10, then you'll need to discard any incompatible items before you save. The export dialogue will tell you what you'd need to remove to make it compatible with 2.10, but it's not an automated process - sorry!

rich2005: Glad the off-canvas guides help! I want to work on the Align & Distribute tool - I just need to really review how it works in 2.10 and discuss with Jehan so I understand how it should work.

Put them in the normal plugins folder

Windows
C:\Users\(USERNAME)\AppData\Local\gegl-0.4\plug-ins

Linux
/home/(USERNAME)/.local/share/gegl-0.4/plug-ins


and see what happens. It should work on 2.99.19 appimage and where is the appimage btw

No problem, it is an Arch based appimage from here: https://github.com/ivan-hc/GIMP-appimage/releases

I can unpack it and it has its own GEGL folders squashfs-root/.local/share/gegl-0.4/plug-ins/

Sometimes works sometimes crashes

It is expected for GEGL Effects to Crash GIMP 2.10 or GIMP 2.99.19 with its tile_dup error if error reporting is set to high but if it is set to low it should NOT EVER HAPPEN.

My plugins are working just fine on a build of GIMP 2.99.19 from one week ago. If they are not working it will be puzzling

I can also send background designs as .xcf files with plugins and if the user resizes the canvas the filters will re-adjust. Users will just drag and drop an .xcf file on canvas to get this. Though they have have to "layers to image size" so the effect applies everywhere.




The question is, is this how you want to use GIMP or do you prefer using GEGL filters as its always been? Its easier on me to do things this way but users might find it annoying.