GIMP Version: 2.8
Operating System: Linux
OS Version: Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS
GIMP Experience: Beginner Level

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GIMP 2.8
Ubuntu 12.04
DELL Inspiron 1545 laptop
4 GB RAM

I am the ONLY user.

Am a casual GIMP user (mess with it for "entertainment"), still learning, and really don't know my way around that much.

Am wanting to install a brush manager to organize my brushes. Have read on GIMP CHAT (would give the URL's for the threads, but I got a refusal when I included them saying something like: "Looks too spamy for a new member, please remove off-site URL's", so I took them out and it allowed the post) on a lot of the GURM and MrQ topics and it seems there are advantages and disadvantages to GURM ( gurm_v07.zip) and MrQ-Brush_Manager (package "Basic manager additives.zip"). ATM, I'm leaning toward GURM, but am still considering either.

I downloaded a bunch of brush packages from deviant art (e.g. "Blood_Brushes_by_KeReN_R.zip", "10_Blood_Brushes___GIMP_by_danieeel31.zip", "Blood_by_stainlessstars.zip", and several more) and if I just merge them with my existing default packages of brushes I'll have a jumbled mess. So right out of the gate I want to organize them so I don't have to go hunting among the default brushes.

But the paths shown (in Ubuntu, NOT Windows) have me confused. I'll explain why in a second.

First of all, I have a /<user name>/.gimp-2.6/ path. All of the .gimp-2.6 folders are completely empty, including /<user name>/.gimp-2.6/brushes. But what really baffles me about it is that I don't have 2.6, I have 2.8. I vaguely recall that Canonical came out with a GIMP upgrade in their repository, or maybe I myself did an upgrade, so perhaps this is just a remnant from when I had 2.6. My sense is that this 2.6 folder doesn't really matter, and I could just as well delete it, but before I do I'd like some opinions.

Now I also have a /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/ path. Like the .gimp-2.6 folders, all of the .gimp-2.8 folders are completely empty, including /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/brushes. Since I am the only user, should they be?

Finally, there is a /usr/share/gimp/2.0/ path, including /usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes. The "2.0" concerns me a little bit . . . shouldn't it be 2.8?

Nevertheless, whether the "2.0" is correct or not, all the path folders are populated. For example, /usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes contains subfolders titled "Basic", "gimp-obsolete-files", "Legacy", "Media", "Sketch", "Splatters", and "Texture". And, for example, the "Basic" folder contains "1-pixel.vbr", "Block-01.vbr", "Block-02.vbr" and several others.

The "Legacy" folder, for example also, contains such files as "confetti.gbr", "confetti.gih", "dunes.gbr", and a few more.

That's fine . . . I realize all those extensions are GIMP brushes.

Now these all show up in my GIMP 2.8, so evidently it's drawing from the /usr/share/gimp/2.0/ path and not the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/ path. That's one thing that has me confused, though if it did draw from the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/ path, I guess all the resources would be empty.

My head is spinning so much from all these paths, that I can't remember 'sperimenting with populating the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/ path, but maybe I did. Right now it's all empty. So, first question: If I did put some brushes (extracted from the .zips) into the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/brushes path, would they over ride the /usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes and show up in my GIMP 2.8? Or would they just merge with them and show up still?

Now I have another question. I seem to have read somewhere (unfortunately I didn't bookmark it, nor can I remember where) that you cannot create subfolders in the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/ path and expect the brushes of that subfolder to show up. BUT, subfolders of the /usr/share/gimp/2.0/ path DO seem to show up. For example, /usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes/Legacy DOES show up.

So, the question: Where should I put my additional brushes . . . in a subfolder in the /usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes path, or the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/ path? The obvious answer seems to be: "a subfolder in the /usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes path". Otherwise, if I put them in the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/brushes path, they would be all jumbled up with the other brushes (IF they even showed up.)

Now granted, even putting them in the /usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes path would still result in them being mixed up with the defaults, but at least the primitive filter function in 2.8 is capable of showing the additions separately under the subfolder title I would choose. That filter function is not really a brush manager, but at least it can show separate brushes.

Which is why I'm looking to a brush manager . . . something a little more sophisticated and more robust than just filters.

Which leads me to the next, and main, questions.

In the GURM .ini, I see there are paths, BUT they seem to be WINDOWS PATHS, and not Linux paths.

For example, the second line of the ini is "gimpPath = C:\Documents and Settings\<Your windows user>\<your gimp version>\brushes".

So would I change this to "/usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes" or "/<user name/.gimp-2.8/brushes", or something else?

Same question for the third line, "userPath = <Your Path>".

And then in gurm.py, we have "GURMINI = "C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\<your user>\.gimp-2.6\plug-ins\gurm.ini".

What do I change that to?

The GURM readme.txt seems to reference all Windows paths.

And then in the MrQ-Brush-Manager.py, we have "ACTIVE_DIR=r"C:\Documents and Settings\Marek\.gimp-2.8\brushes" and "INSTALL_DIR=r"C:\Documents and Settings\Marek\.gimp-2.8\brushes_alternate". It's all Windows paths. So what the heck would I change these to?

Where would I put the GURM files, or the MrQ-Brush-Manager.py? In /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/plug-ins, or /usr/share/gimp/2.0/plug-ins (I don't have that subfolder in that path, so would I have to create it?), or somewhere else?

Summary of questions:

1. What path do I install my deviant art additional brushes to?

2. What paths should I use in gurm.ini and gurm.py, or MrQ-Brush-Manager.py?

3. Where do I put either of the managers?

Finally, I read on GIMP CHAT that GURM takes the brushes out of the install folders and puts them in its own folders. I haven't been able to get my arms around that one, so I guess I'm going to have to read over those threads until it sinks into this thick skull. Any clarifications on that?

empty folders? - nothing to save - delete it


This is correct for a gimp in the version 2.x.x, presumeably when gimp reaches version 3 it will change.



These show up when you use the "tags" in the brushes dialogue, it is a way of organising the brushes

Leave all these brushes and folders alone, any resources put in your local .gimp-2.8/ directory structure.



not true but you will end up with a lot of brushes showing until you learn to use the tags.
edit: See paynekj post, I really mean a sub-folder under ./gimp-2.8/brushes

Summary of questions:

1. What path do I install my deviant art additional brushes to?

depends, if not too many, pop them in ./gimp-2.8/brushes and tag them, if you have very many use a brush manager. If only for brushes I would go for the MrQ plugin.

2. What paths should I use in gurm.ini and gurm.py, or MrQ-Brush-Manager.py?

Here is a summary from my machine, you can have a the new directories anywhere you like. These suit me, this is just intended as a guide not a recommendation.




3. Where do I put either of the managers?

They are python plugins, they go in your ./gimp-2.8/plug-ins directory
make sure that they are 'executable'


Depends how you read that, think of the additional brushes as archives that are copied to and from the gimp folders when required.

The one thing rich hasn't mentioned is that in GIMP you can specify the folders that GIMP loads it's resources from: Edit>>Preferences>>Folders and you'll see that by default it looks in both the system folder and in your personal folder. You can add new ones to suit yourself.

Kevin

@rbjamie

This is from one of the other Gimp forums that you did not post on

It is about using brushes and tags. Tags are now part of Gimp 2.8 Might help if you do not have too many extra brushes.

link to the video http://youtu.be/fTm3JtAkH78 about 6 m

At least on Windows there is a undocumented limit (15 ) to the paths you may create in Gimp Edit/preferences/folder,( any additional path after the 15 create a formatting error that made the 15th path and all the following unusable )

15 may seems a lot but are no so many when you have many different sets of brushes

It's an all-platform bug and has been fixed (max paths = 256) http://git.gnome.org/browse/gimp/commit ... dc41641637 , now all we need is the next release so we can all have the fix

For my GURM setup I do not use the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/ path. Instead I have a separate location where I keep directories of brushes (INSTALL_DIR in gurm.ini) and a different location (one folder) set as my ACTIVE_DIR. GURM copies the brushes of the INSTALL_DIR subdirectories and ALL the gurm brushes end up in the ACTIVE_DIR (all in the one folder).

I then used the Edit->Preferences>Folders and added the ACTIVE_DIR location.

One thing to remember is that loading brushes in and out with GURM in 2.8 means that tags get lost, so there is no point tagging those resources.

-Rob A>

@All,

Thanks very much for the responses.

Now for some specific replies.


@rich2005,

OK, I get some of what you are saying, but I'm still a little foggy on other stuff.

By that reasoning, I could just as well get rid of the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/ folders, but I think I see what you're saying. I'm certainly not going to get rid of the /<user name>/.gimp-2.8/ folders, but I agree with you, I can certainly get rid of /<user name>/.gimp-2.6/ folders.

Actually, from what paynekj says in post#3, I guess I could get rid of both and then just point GIMP to a resources folder of my own making, as long as I keep the system folder to copy the default resources from.

Thanks, I get you here.

Thanks for the link on the video. Watched it and I think that manipulation is pretty much what I was referring to when I called it the "primitive filter function in 2.8". Have to 'speriment some and follow the video again to get my arms around it totally, but again, thanks for the link.

But, according to RobA in post#7, it's an either/or situation between GURM and using tags. I think the number of brushes I have may warrant the use of GURM rather than tags, but I'm going to 'speriment with both one at a time and see which is more useful.

Thanks very much. Need to look over the paths you are using (yes, I know they are just examples) a few times 'till I get it completely. Am about 90% there . . . learning curve is steep.

I think I get it now. Nicely put and efficiently explained . . . my compliments.

Yes, I left tracks all over the place . . . put this up on quite a few other GIMP forums, as you obviously noticed. Interestingly, this is the only forum I've got any responses on so far. Discussions on GURM and Brushes Manager seem to be frequent on this forum. Seems like this place is a good source for info in this arena.


@paynekj,

Good tip . . . didn't know that (no surprise there . . .). Thanks.


@RobA,

Think I'm getting it, but will have to read over what you said here a few times 'till it completely absorbs.

As I said earlier, this seems to be an either/or circumstance then . . . so I will try tags and then GURM/MrQ one at a time. May be tedious to do those 'speriments, but your tip here probably saved me some headaches . . . "Why am I losing my tags?" Thanks.


@All,
As I said, the learning curve is steep . . . but it looks like I came to the right place. If I read over this thread enough, perhaps soon I'll wake up with a vision . . . "Oh, that's what they meant!!!! Geez, it was so simple!" Getting there . . . and thanks again.

I hesitate to ask this because it may end up to be a time-consuming project for someone and you guys have already helped a lot, but if someone could give me a step-by-step procedure for brush storage, GURM, and maybe even MrQ, I'd appreciate it. You know, "1. Open <this>, 2. Click <this>, 3. Open <that>, 4. Click <that>, 5. <blah, blah, blah>, 6 . . .".

While I don't have my arms around all the procedures completely (but enough to probably start 'sperimenting), more importantly I don't have any idea of where to start first . . . sequencing. Like, do I first install brushes (according to the paths I'm going to use in the .ini and .py's), or do I first install the manager and then the extra brushes? (If I thought this through, I'd probably figure it out.)

I don't want to screw this up and end up having to reinstall GIMP, or even worse thinking that something doesn't work simply because I did it out of sequence.

TIA

I am working on a tute for MrQ brush manager, I will try to get it finished today.

@Molly,

Kool . . . I can certainly wait . . . this isn't urgent.

So, is your tutorial going to include the sequencing . . . IOW, do I install the brushes first and according to the MrQ-Brush_Manager.py paths?

TIA

I will try to make it so you can follow it,

@rbjamie

Quicker to make a video than write reams of text with screenshots.

http://youtu.be/ytW4vRhaep4

Nearly 9 mins long so on a scale of 1 to 10 boredomfactor = 8

but everything is there, gimp preferences, GURM & MrQ brush manager.

This is in a PCLOS machine rather than 'buntu but the principles are the same.

edit: looking at your previous post again, the order of installation does not matter but it makes more sense if the 'alternative brushes' directories are created first. Just start off with something simple, more resources (brushes) can be added as you go along, either brush manager will pick up new entries.

@rbjamie, you now have a couple of choices for brush managers, I just posted that tute I wrote and there is also the video posted by rich. This should keep you busy for a while, lol

Thanks very much molly and rich.

Yes, you're right molly, I do indeed have plenty to keep me busy.

@molly,

When you refer to "original folder" ("Note: Make sure you save all your brushes from your original folder and rename that folder to something else eg. [old brushes] or anything you want. You just want to make sure that you leave the original brush folder empty, but leave it in place.") are you talking about the brushes in usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes/ and THAT "brushes" folder?

(I think Draconian in post #2 had essentially the same question: "Also when you say 'old brushes' are you referring to the default brushes that are in the xxx2.0 folder?" and I believe in post#5 you clarified that. I just want to make sure I'm reading it right.)


@rich2005,

I'm getting a "Http/1.1 Service Unavailable" message when I click on your link. Is that a problem with one of the youtube servers, or your link? (Or something else?)

yes rbjamie that is correct.
As far as Rich's video, I was able to watch it okay, but that was yesterday. Maybe try it again and see.

I am getting the same error, comes and goes, maybe Google have not been paying their electricity bill

If you want to download it, I have popped it onto my rapidshare account.
https://rapidshare.com/files/1870604544 ... manage.avi

Quite a big file 31 MB, it is a 1280x720 xvid avi.

@ molly,

Thanks for confirming.


@rich2005,

I tried it again, and this time it came through. Thanks for "dedicating" this to the one that has been "all over the place" ~grin~


Between the two of these, if I don't get it now, I've got to be the dumbest person on the planet.

Thanks again, both of you. I think you've put this to bed for me. Compliments and gratitude. Just hope someone else benefits from this. (I'm assuming these threads are tagged for Google searches.)

rbjamie,
Thank you and you are not dumb unless you think you are. I am sure no one else thinks that.

Good luck on which ever one works for you.