New Path button [SOLVED]

Oregonian · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 5:22 pm **(#1)**

GIMP Version: 2.6.11
Operating System: Linux
OS Version: Fedora 12
GIMP Experience: Intermediate Level

Can anyone tell me what the New Path button in the Paths dialog is for? I can find nothing in the GIMP Manual about it.

It would be really nice if I could make a selection, open the Paths dialog, click New Path, name the path and save the path to that newly named path.

It's not possible. What is the button for?

Odinbc · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 5:32 pm **(#2)**

Did you see this?
http://docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-path-dialog.html

mahvin · **Joined:** Oct 06, 2010 **Posts:** 4050

It's merely the new "canvas" (for lack of a better word) for a new path to be added, it doesn't actually create any path anchor (nodes) points from a selection or anything. Basically the same as a new layer, only in the path dialog.

Oregonian · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 5:42 pm **(#4)**

Thanks Odin & mahvin. It still doesn't work for me. I can't make a new path in the newly created path in the Paths dialog. I don't know what I need to do to take advantage of that.

New Path in the GIMP Manual wrote:

New Path creates a new path, adds it to the list in the Paths dialog, and makes it the active path for the image. It brings up a dialog that allows you to give a name to the path. The new path is created with no anchor points, so you will need to use the Path tool to give it some before you can use it for anything.

mahvin · **Joined:** Oct 06, 2010 **Posts:** 4050

This makes me wonder how a blank path looks without anchor points. Interesting. Hehehe.

Oregonian · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 5:47 pm **(#6)**

LOLOLOL @ mahvin. Me, too. That's a path?

mahvin · **Joined:** Oct 06, 2010 **Posts:** 4050

Imagine standing in the middle of a path, and not even knowing it, hahaha. GIMP devs must have a sense of humor, otherwise it seems too odd, just thinking about it.

A blank path. Too funny.

bkh1914 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 5:58 pm **(#8)**

Oregonian wrote:

Thanks Odin & mahvin. It still doesn't work for me. I can't make a new path in the newly created path in the Paths dialog. I don't know what I need to do to take advantage of that.

Double click on the blank path icon/thumb in the path list. That will make it the active path. Then you can start adding points to the path.

It's just like a new layer - blank until you put something in it. However, unlike a new layer which becomes the active layer when it's created, the new path has to be selected by clicking on it to make it active. Seems strange, but that's the way it works.

The advantage of the new path button is you can name the layer when it is created instead of getting the generic new path name and then having to change the name later.

Oregonian · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 6:04 pm **(#9)**

Thanks bkh! I double-clicked and used to paths tool to create a path. I was hoping I could make a new path and name it then make a selection and add it to that new path already named.

bkh1914 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 6:18 pm **(#10)**

That would be handy, but I haven't found a way to do that other than "Merge visible paths" in the paths pop-up menu.

Rod · **Joined:** May 16, 2010 **Posts:** 16175

I agree it should just give you a "create new path layer" tool tip.

It is kind of misleading.

Perhaps you should tell the developers O.