Foreground extractor & Gimp 2.8.6

mgroothuis · **Joined:** Oct 22, 2013 **Posts:** 10

GIMP Version: 2.8.6
Operating System: Windows
GIMP Experience: Intermediate Level

I stumbled across a different, but far better, version of the Foreground Select Tool in Partha's 2.7.4 RGGJAN fork (portable version). The selection is very precise and hairs are a breeze with that tool. It also extracts the foreground and places it on a separate transparent layer once you have done with the painting. Compared to the tool by the same name in version 2.8.6, this one is so much better. Why was this not carried across to the stable release?? Would love to have access to it in 2.8/2.10.

molly · **Joined:** Apr 07, 2010 **Posts:** 14182

Welcome to Gimp chat mgroothuis.
That is a good question, I have also used that version and it is a very good extractor and handles stray hairs very well.
I always wondered why it wasn't added to gimp-2.8. One of the members here that are on the gimp team will be able to explain why.

paynekj · **Posted:** Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:20 am **(#3)**

mgroothuis wrote:

Why was this not carried across to the stable release?? Would love to have access to it in 2.8/2.10.

The answer to your question is nicely answered by rggjan here:- viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2607&start=30#p33817

But to summarise, it was done as a proof of concept, needs bringing into line with current GIMP code and is not being actively worked on.

Kevin

mgroothuis · **Joined:** Oct 22, 2013 **Posts:** 10

Thank you for that speedy reply. I certainly hope that the Swiss students (?) get a chance to work on it again, as I can see this being full of potential and an enormous time-saver. For the time being I will retain the portable so I can quickly extract something containing stray pixels, like hair etc... And thank you to the students for showing that extraction does not need to be a painful process and thank you to Partha for giving me a chance to work with extraction tool!