Hello there,

I have encountered some anomalies when attempting to use the path tool and I was wondering if others have had similar issues and more importantly if there is a solution.

Situation 1:
I created a few paths and edited those paths afterwards and used 'Stroke Path' to create the lines following these paths. I then saved the 'drawing' and the paths (as an xcf file). A day later I opened the file and everything was there (drawing and paths) but I was now unable to edit the paths as if they were 'fixed'. The paths were there but not the nodes (I was using the path tool in the toolbox panel in edit mode). Even the copy I made of the paths was uneditable. I could create new paths and edit them as I had done with the old paths before I saved and loaded the file.

Situation 2:
I had nearly given up on trying to edit the old paths when by near accident I tried the context menu in the paths menu. The top option was the paths tool. I tried that and suddenly the nodes came back up and now I was able to edit my old paths. Thinking I had found a way to work around this oddity I now edited some of the paths and used 'Stroke Path' again to create a modified image of the old one. However, for some unknown reason, it had stroked the edited parts with a thicker line then the unedited parts or in other words, it looked asif the edited parts of the old paths had been done with 3px and the unedited with 2. No matter what I did I could not adjust it in such a fashion all of the old paths were done with the same thickness. I also noticed the actual pathlines of the edited parts were thicker than the unedited ones. So now, I could edit my old paths, but the results were 'distorted'.

Is it normal for paths not being adjustable once you saved the file and has anyone a solution for the second situation?

PS.
I am using GIMP 2.6.11

See images for more information

I have found two ways to edit an existing path:

1: Select the path tool. Move the cursor to the path you want to edit. When the cursor is over the path, the cursor will change to a pointing finger. Click on the path and you can edit it. I tried to get a screen shot, but couldn't capture the cursor.

2: Double click on the path you want to edit in the path menu. I always use this method.

A problem I've often encountered in editing paths in a file that has been saved is that the editor won't let me delete a line or anchor in the middle of an existing path (especially a closed path). The way around this is to 'touch' the nodes on either side to make them active, then edit the line or node. A bit of a pain, but it works.

I've never had a problem with stroke width. Did you set the same width in the stroke line menu (or use the same brush settings) before you stroked the path? I've gotten messed up a few times with that.

The same can be accomplished by double-clicking on the path's thumbnail preview. This behavior is similar to the manner in which you edit text layers: if you right-click on a layer and choose the top command ("Text Tool") from the context menu, the Text Tool is activated for editing that layer; and double-clicking on a text layer accomplishes the same thing.






It sounds to me as though you are stroking the edited paths in addition to the stroking you've already performed on the unedited version. This results in unmodified portions of the path being stroked twice, while parts of the path which have been moved only get stroked once. This causes the "thickening" you are seeing.

Try stroking your path on two separate layers: stroke the path on one layer, modify your path, create a new layer, and stroke the edited path. If you view each of the layers by itself, the thickness of the stroke should be identical; but if both of the two layers are visible then the painting will appear thicker where the two strokes overlap.

bkh1914 and saulgoode, thank you for your suggestions, unfortunately it doen't seem to solve the problem(s).

Hoovering over the path or (invisible) nodes does not make my pointer turn into a hand. Double clicking the path in the pathmenu does bring up the nodes, but it does not prevent the thicker path lines (and thus thicker stroke).

I use the same brush with the same setting, repeated 'Path Stroke' does not make the line thicker (as well I would expect the new/edited path to be thinner than the old path).

It's just frustrating, the paths I originaly created are quite complex and I want adjust them just a tiny bit.

I'll keep trying, though.

If you hold down the CTRL key while using the Path Tool and hover over a (visible) path, your pointer should turn into a hand. If you then click on the path (while still holding down CTRL), the control handles of the path should appear. (Note: as an alternative to holding down CTRL, you could switch from "Design" mode to "Edit" mode in the Path Tool Options dialog.)

Regarding the thicker lines, perhaps you could post a sample (XCF) file.

Do you have the your pointer mode set to show the tool icons?

GIMP Edit/Preferences/Image Windows
In the Mouse Pointers section, set:
Pointer mode to "Tool icon with pointer"
Pointer rendering to "Fancy".