Brushes directories are messed up. Can I put them back to the default?

[Klawdek]

I think I have messed up my brushes.  I think some default brushes are missing and there may be some kind of corruption.  I also get an error when I try to refresh brushes.  I am using 2.8.14 on windows 8.1 I have pictures of the directories and the error message but this forum does not allow pictures to be posted.    

The error message is about not being able to write to some file.


Is there any way to put my brushes directories back to the default?

[Blighty]

There are 2 places where brushes are kept.

The default gimp brushes are here:
C:\Program Files\Gimp 2\share\gimp\2.0\brushes

The brushes that you add yourself are here:
C:\Users\your name\.gimp-2.8\brushes

There are pointers to the above in
Edit > Preferences > Folders > Brushes

Which brushes are messed up?
Have you made any changes to any of the above?

[rich2005]

(05-20-2017, 12:30 AM)Klawdek Wrote: I think I have messed up my brushes.  I think some default brushes are missing and there may be some kind of corruption.  I also get an error when I try to refresh brushes.  I am using 2.8.14 on windows 8.1
Is there any way to put my brushes directories back to the default?

How long have you been using Gimp? Do you have a lot of other resources, patterns, gradients etc. that you want to keep?

This might be one of those rare instances where it is worth reinstalling Gimp, gets you from an old version to the latest 2.8.22 which is very good. see http://www.gimp.org

Rename folder C:\Program Files\GIMP 2 to C:\Program Files\GIMP 2-bak
Rename folder C:\Users\yourname\.gimp-2.8 to C:\Users\yourname\.gimp-2.8-bak

Install Gimp as a complete new installation.
I put some videos up on Windows basic-set up here: https://www.gimp-forum.net/Thread-Gimp-I...202#pid202 might/might not be of interest

If you want to try a manual fix then.

1. In your gimp profile C:\Users\yourname\.gimp-2.8
rename the existing brushes folder, make a new brushes folder.

   

2. Look in C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\share\gimp\2.0\brushes
delete anything other than the default folders.

   

Just a question, have you been using some 'wonder' package that installs a multitude of files?
If so, don't.

[Ofnuts]

(05-20-2017, 12:30 AM)Klawdek Wrote: I have pictures of the directories and the error message but this forum does not allow pictures to be posted.  

You have not searched hard enough Some hints.

[Klawdek]

(05-20-2017, 06:55 AM)Blighty Wrote: Which brushes are messed up?
Have you made any changes to any of the above?

I think I have messed up both directories here is a shot of the default directory.

---

(05-20-2017, 08:14 AM)rich2005 Wrote: How long have you been using Gimp? Do you have a lot of other resources, patterns, gradients etc. that you want to keep?

This might be one of those rare instances where it is worth reinstalling Gimp, gets you from an old version to the latest 2.8.22 which is very good. see http://www.gimp.org


Just a question, have you been using some 'wonder' package that installs a multitude of files?
If so, don't.

I am using 2.8.14 according to the file directory date it was installed 2/20/15.  The main thing I do not want to loose is a script I think it is called script fu.  I use to make a background  behind text ( I think it is called a drop shadow).  When I need this feature I really need it.  I use it to put copyright and other text on fractal art.  The art sometimes has a number of colors so trying to find a text color that has high contrast with the background is impossible in many cases.  So it is necessary to give the text its own background so it can be seen. 

So it would be important to get that one back.  Also I have GIMP xcf files that would be nice if I can still use them with the new version.

I figured the issue of re-installation would come up given the age of my version.  I have been afraid to upgrade as it might break something.

I do not believe I used a wonder package to install.  I did install some stuff long ago and I did not have good instructions.  So it ended up in the default directory.  The stuff I installed more recently was done manually by me into the correct directory.  Now that I know how it works I prefer to put any brush sets in their own directory under brushes.  This makes it easy to delete a set that causes problems and  keeps it orderly so I know what brushes are with which sets (there can be differences in license and attribution).

[rich2005]

(05-20-2017, 02:59 PM)Klawdek Wrote: ...The main thing I do not want to loose is a script I think it is called script fu.  I use to make a background  behind text ( I think it is called a drop shadow). So it would be important to get that one back.  Also I have GIMP xcf files that would be nice if I can still use them with the new version.

There is a standard drop shadow filter that comes with all versions of Gimp. Your existing .xcf files will open with the latest version of Gimp.

Quote:I do not believe I used a wonder package to install.  I did install some stuff long ago and I did not have good instructions.  So it ended up in the default directory.  The stuff I installed more recently was done manually by me into the correct directory. 

Delete the folders...

dead_tree_brushes
Gimp Flying Birds (Gray Scale)...
GPS-Brushes
trees

...and that gets you back to basic Gimp brushes.

   

but

GPS-Brushes comes from a package of 'enhancements' Gimp Paint Studio which contains a lot more than just brushes, comes to 325 files of various sorts apart from brushes.

Quote:.. Now that I know how it works I prefer to put any brush sets in their own directory under brushes.  This makes it easy to delete a set that causes problems and  keeps it orderly so I know what brushes are with which sets (there can be differences in license and attribution).

Keeping brush sets in their own directories is very wise. Just make sure you keep those in your Gimp profile C:\Users\your-name\.gimp-2.8\brushes as shown in one of those earlier screenshots.

[Klawdek]

(05-20-2017, 08:14 AM)rich2005 Wrote: This might be one of those rare instances where it is worth reinstalling Gimp, gets you from an old version to the latest 2.8.22 which is very good. see http://www.gimp.org

Rename folder C:\Program Files\GIMP 2 to C:\Program Files\GIMP 2-bak
Rename folder C:\Users\yourname\.gimp-2.8 to C:\Users\yourname\.gimp-2.8-bak

Install Gimp as a complete new installation.
I put some videos up on Windows basic-set up here: https://www.gimp-forum.net/Thread-Gimp-I...202#pid202 might/might not be of interest

Thank you, how to do a clean reinstall is what I needed to know.  I was worried about the new version and whether there were any special steps for a clean install.  I was able to install the new version per your instructions.  I had installed GPS incorrectly last time.  I was able to install it correctly this time along with the script I mentioned layerfx.scm

Now all I have to do is figure out which of the brush sets I was messing with I want to install.

Is there a way to turn on and of brush sets?  Sometimes I want to use GIMP for something that only requires the default stuff.  If there a number of things installed it can take a long time to start GIMP.  Is there a way to deal with this?

[Ofnuts]

You can put your brushes (and other add-ons) in varoius directories and add/remove these directories in Edit>Preferences>Folders.

Or you can use an add-on manager for instance this one.

Everything is explained in this video from Rich: