Rod,

Have you compiled Gimp 2.6.x from source on Windows? I think I need some of the development libraries to try and figure this out - I "cheated" on my Windows Gimp and waited for the 2.6.11 installer - so I don't have any of the Windows source stuff. Or if you can point me to a how-to or guide...

My thinking is that if I can get a good compile of a production version of gimp, I should have and be able to track down the files I need on my own system.

Thanks in advance.

i fear all guides specific for Win are awfully outdated

PC,
I noticed that as I was searching, which prompted me to ask Rod. I knew he had tried to compile 2.7.x, but I don't remember if he was successful. I've never compiled in Windows from the command line, so I was looking for some guidance before I jump in and mess something up.

Since Camelbox installed compilers and such I wanted to try it that way before digging through my Windows disks for Microsoft Visual Studio.

I tried to compile the Gimp-perl module.Windows just doesn't have the capability to do it.
I am pretty sure the reason is just like you said, no actual compiled libraries.

I should have kept all the gimp files i was actually able to compile, unfortunately i deleted them all.
There is a humongous amount of binaries you will need to compile Gimp.You can dl them all here.
ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/

My advice would be to download and install CYGWIN the entire package (about 700mb)
Don't mess around with Msys or MinGW i couldnt get either to work correctly. (configuration file cannot find paths)
That is what i ended up doing so i would have everything in a decent directory tree i needed for compiling BABL and GEGL.Which you need to compile Gimp.

In order to get everything you need for a decent compile for Gimp, you need all those dependencies.

Then download the gimp src files and un-tar it manually. (RAR or 7zip)
Or if you have unzip installed in your bin folder just run your reg untar command in the terminal.
NOW - cd to the gimp file and run configure ( ./configure)
Each time you get an error, for a missing file or dev or lib package, open cygwin and grab the package from there.
Or you can dl this nifty little program named apt-cyg - http://code.google.com/p/apt-cyg/
Do this because cygwin places the files exactly where they need to be after it compiles them for you.
Just keep running configure until you get your configure script to run all the way through.
You will need BABL and GEGL compiled to run a decent compile. It's required and the configure script will let you know that.I had no problems getting either to compile though so that shouldn't be a problem.

When i tried to compile 2.7.2 i ran into one last problem which was from the developer, and as far as i know hasn't been fixed.The compile runs all the way up to creating an actual exe for gimp 2.7.2, and fails.
You may not have this problem if you compile 2.6 versions. (i didn't try any of those)

Good luck either way, i gave up and uninstalled cygwin and msys, and camelbox...lol
Ill wait for the developers to get the next version out, or a scriptor to write a autosave file in scm or python.

Compiling gets my blood pressure too high. =)

Oh and btw wacmaster = Rod

You should check the thread i created for compiling 2.7.2 because there is a lot of info there also.

*notes alias*
What version of Windows were you trying to compile for?

I'm feeling a bit masochistic, so I will see how it goes through Camelbox.

One thing I have noticed is that it seems like most of these packages for adding languages come with Gtk, which is a good thing - as long as you don't end up with multiple copies/different versions which would bump the confusion up a notch. Camelbox can install it with Perl, PyGtk can with Python. You really have to pay attention to the installers and any directions, since some installers don't check for existing software very well. I noticed the same thing with various games for Windows. Some come with their own bundles of DirectX and try to install without checking to see what was there.

Rod,
I was reading over your posts in the thread "Hey RobA", specifically this post
Is that the compiler directive for the config script or did you set an environment variable? It looked a little odd; I think I'm at the same point you were then with getting the gegl config not locating the babl library installation.

Appreciate any feedback.

That's an environment variable Bob. =)
Which is what worked because i was trying to open the pkgconfig folder and not the exe file in the bin folder.

Also try setting these environment variables too
BABL_LIB = your path
GEGL_LIB = your path

The config script looks for those variables, along with others.
If you get it compiled id be appreciative of a copy...lol =)

Good luck Bob!

Thanks, Rod.

We'll see how things go. One thing about doing this on a virtual machine on a single-core host is that it's slow enough I can start a process than go outside and clear snow, then come in for a break and check the output. Rinse and repeat as necessary.

Thinking out loud: I wonder if one of the reasons we are having troubles in general with this process is because we are trying to do this from within Windows. How would it go if the build environment was set up in Linux and cross-compiled for Windows. On one forum I read speculation that this was the method used to produce many of the Windows versions of Linux software. I should already have most of what I need as far a Gimp, and included libraries, seeing that I successfully compiled 2.6.11 in Linux. Hmm. I may need some Windows-specific libraries. Let me keep trying to compile in Windows and see how it goes, but this may be an alternative.