How is the G'MIC filter pack sprites used? I ask because G'MIC is updated often. I currently use 1.6.8 in gimp 2.8.16. I have the Windows 7 64 Bit platform. Is there a current tutorial on how it to use it?

Your mask either has to be solid with transparencies or no alpha channel but pure black/white (no grayscale colors in it so the result will look obviously dithered at the edges but who really cares).

Maybe this tutorial video could help :

I tried following that tutorial and I couldn't understand it. When ever I rendered something, the images would become spread out with in the text.

I understand that but when ever I render something, the images I would use don't come out right. They would be spaced out.. not close together.

Reduce the spacing from the default 1 to 0 or negative (but you have to play with that number and not go too negative).

Tried it. It didn't help much.

once you have prepared your multi-layer input, as required, and set input layer to all, run the filter with these options:
-gimp_pack_sprites 14,10,0,-7,7,1,512,512

That doesn't seem to be working. When I set the input layer to all, I get an error.

well, the "sprite images" should have a dimension of up to around 1/8 of the free (transparent) area you want to fill
(for an area of let's say 1000 * 1000, use sprite images of around 125 * 125, but you may try with other sizes...)

Diego,
The Version of Pack sprites that I have has these options:
Number of scales, minimal scale, allow angle, spacing, precision, Masking, Width, Height. Where does the negative number come in?

Works for me. Used a black/white template to start things off for the yellow flowers with -7 setting for pack. I then used the result as a transparent template for the Petunias with a 0 setting for pack. The trick to using a transparent mask is to copy the result (my case; if you don't need the transparent mask result itself, you don't have to copy it) of the transparent mask, then run treshold Alpha on the mask (need to do the same if you use a black/white mask to make sure there's no grayscale info). If you don't, you will get object punches in your result. After the second pass, I deleted the transparent mask and copied the first result (yellow flowers) back in. Still I notice punch throughs on the pure b/w mask with -7 setting possibly because I asked G'MIC to pack the flowers way too close.

Mackenzieh,

14,10,0,-7,7,1,512,512 in the sequence:

Number of scales 14
Minimal scale 10
Allow angle 0
Spacing -7
Precision 7
Masking 1
Width 512
Height 512

thus, is in the Spacing that you have to put the negative number

Got it Diego. Thanks.

glad for you.
As far as my experience is concerned, you get good result using angle=0 (no rotation),
with other options I get almost always dispersed sprites

I think I've got the hang of the filter.

Here's what I created with it:

Can somebody explain to me what 'Scales' is and does ?

What is the difference between using the default value and any other ?