1. Custom toolbar possible? 2. Images often don't show up in monitor in Win... (?)

1. Custom toolbar possible? 2. Images often don't show up in monitor in Win... (?) - Printable Version

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1. Custom toolbar possible? 2. Images often don't show up in monitor in Win... (?) - Blaine Stuart - 01-06-2018

2 issues that have for years kept me from using GIMP fully:

1. I have never been able to find out how to create a custom toolbar in GIMP, as can be done in PSP and, I believe, PhotoShop. GIMP doesn't even have a main toolbar and it's a serious, serious lack with the repetitive mouse movements instead of one-click operations when there is a custom toolbar.

Is this possible to do in GIMP? If so, what is it called, or where is it located so I can start searching for means to, please? I have never found any reference and find that the native interface seriously lacks something like this. I'm hoping that it's just because it has a name other than "custom toolbar" ...

2. In Windows XP and now in Windows 10, despite upgrading to newer versions of GIMP throughout the years, as well as being on two different operating systems (WinXP, Win10) and two completely different monitors and graphics cards, when I load images in GIMP, more often than not they disappear from view. The images are there and are 'selectable', they just aren't visible.

This has never happened in either version of Linux Mint's I've used (LM 17, Rafaella before, I think it was, and now LM Sylvia 18. I am using now).

I'd like to know what it is in Windows that interferes with GIMP, if anyone knows? I use Portable GIMP for Windows and tried it on two different computers at work over the years, as well, btw, and the same thing happened on those PCs. I'm hoping very much it's a known bug with a fix ... (?)

These 2 things are what stop me completely every time when using GIMP. But now that Win10 is also not launching either PSP8 or PSP9, I must make the switch to GIMP once and for all.

------

Hopefully someone knows of a solution to #1 above as I'm again trying to migrate to Linux Mint but his time permanently as Windows 10 is absolutely the worst Windows it's been my misfortune to have to use!

As for #2, would be nice to know as I will still retain WinXP on my dual boot Notebook and it'll be nice to get GIMP to work when in WinXP even if I also have the Linux version on there, too.

Thanks all! Much appreciated.

(p.s., custom toolbars such as these are what I'm referring to in #1, above - I'm attaching more than one as links sometimes don't all open for everyone:
http://www.paintshopprotutorials.co.uk/assets/images/right_lcik_then_tools_optiosn.gif,
http://www.bellaonline.us/~digitalart/PSPro8/PaintShopPro8InterfaceLabeled75.jpg,
http://img.bhs4.com/2D/9/2D9CD49A7B8F13516E8602E07F6950FCFA9D0AB2_large.jpg,
http://img.brothersoft.com/screenshots/softimage/p/paint_shop_pro-8974-1.jpeg)

RE: 1. Custom toolbar possible? 2. Images often don't show up in monitor in Win... (?) - Espermaschine - 01-06-2018

Im not entirely sure what you expect from a custom toolbar, but you can choose which tools appear in the Main Toolbox.

Edit -> Preferences -> Toolbox

RE: 1. Custom toolbar possible? 2. Images often don't show up in monitor in Win... (?) - rich2005 - 01-06-2018

Quote:..when I load images in GIMP, more often than not they disappear from view. The images are there and are 'selectable', they just aren't visible...

Does that mean the tabs in Gimp single window mode? One image visible and switched by tab. How else would a single window application work?

In Windows -> Dockable Dialogues -> Images opens a dock and when preview is set to very large gives an interface like this: https://i.imgur.com/4kKkFD2.jpg

Otherwise, out of single window mode, and all the images will be available in separate windows.

Quote:..GIMP doesn't even have a main toolbar

What is that thing at the top? File Edit View.. Not a toolbar?

What you can do is use tear-off menus. https://docs.gimp.org/en/menus.html#tear-off-menus
Easy enough in linux to keep on top. In Windows you will need a utility.
This one works https://efotinis.neocities.org/deskpins/

In an old WinXP VM looks like this. https://i.imgur.com/AAL2xhh.jpg

RE: 1. Custom toolbar possible? 2. Images often don't show up in monitor in Win... (?) - Ofnuts - 01-06-2018

(01-06-2018, 05:06 PM)rich2005 Wrote:
Quote:..GIMP doesn't even have a main toolbar
What is that thing at the top? File Edit View.. Not a toolbar?

No, technically it is a "menu bar". A toolbar has icons, often in groups.

The Toolbox with the tool icons, color/gradient/pattern/brush selectors is pretty cloe to the "toolbar" concept.

RE: 1. Custom toolbar possible? 2. Images often don't show up in monitor in Win... (?) - Blaine Stuart - 01-07-2018

<sigh> I was afraid of that. I really hoped there'd be a way to build a toolbar (or even better, multiple custom toolbars and not just one) and that it might just be really hidden. But I think I knew it was not to be. I've never seen any pictures in all these years where anyone had any sort of toolbar. Shame, really, as it really holds GIMP back. We had the all-over-the-place look before and got the single window interface option available after an endless, years-long wait for those of us that really need a single window and no mess ... I guess it'll be another wait of several years before we get custom toolbars when there isn't even _one_ toolbar at all! It's just so tiresome to have to click all over the place in the menu pulldowns, and having to remember where everything is. In my Paint Shop Pro, I have a couple of toolbars along the top and two down the left side and two down the right side with buttons that cover practically all actions I ever need and it's a consistent and _FAST_, immediate, single-click access to everything needed besides the palettes, layers boxes, etc., found in the main interface. Clicking through the menu is only required occasionally when one has custom toolbars <sigh>.

If _anyone_ knows any workaround to building toolbars in GIMP, though, please let me know.

--------------------------------

So now just hoping someone knows why in Windows, images in GIMP aren't visible. Again, this never has happened in Linux GIMP. Weird ...

Thanks.

RE: 1. Custom toolbar possible? 2. Images often don't show up in monitor in Win... (?) - EverdarkOmnis - 01-28-2023

(01-07-2018, 07:29 AM)Blaine Stuart Wrote: <sigh> I was afraid of that. I really hoped there'd be a way to build a toolbar (or even better, multiple custom toolbars and not just one) and that it might just be really hidden. But I think I knew it was not to be. I've never seen any pictures in all these years where anyone had any sort of toolbar. Shame, really, as it really holds GIMP back. We had the all-over-the-place look before and got the single window interface option available after an endless, years-long wait for those of us that really need a single window and no mess ... I guess it'll be another wait of several years before we get custom toolbars when there isn't even _one_ toolbar at all! It's just so tiresome to have to click all over the place in the menu pulldowns, and having to remember where everything is. In my Paint Shop Pro, I have a couple of toolbars along the top and two down the left side and two down the right side with buttons that cover practically all actions I ever need and it's a consistent and _FAST_, immediate, single-click access to everything needed besides the palettes, layers boxes, etc., found in the main interface. Clicking through the menu is only required occasionally when one has custom toolbars <sigh>.

If _anyone_ knows any workaround to building toolbars in GIMP, though, please let me know.

--------------------------------

So now just hoping someone knows why in Windows, images in GIMP aren't visible. Again, this never has happened in Linux GIMP. Weird ...

Thanks.

Hey Blaine,

Just wondering if you ever found a solution to this?

I know exactly what you ae talking about; I use custom toolboxes whenever possible.

RE: 1. Custom toolbar possible? 2. Images often don't show up in monitor in Win... (?) - Blaine Stuart - 01-29-2023

(01-28-2023, 11:28 PM)EverdarkOmnis Wrote:
(01-07-2018, 07:29 AM)Blaine Stuart Wrote: [snip]

If _anyone_ knows any workaround to building toolbars in GIMP, though, please let me know.

--------------------------------

[snip]

Thanks.

Hey Blaine,

Just wondering if you ever found a solution to this?

I know exactly what you ae talking about; I use custom toolboxes whenever possible.

Hello!

No, never did. And it's the main reason I rarely use GIMP as I do have PaintShopPro with all the main functions available on the custom toolbars it does offer the ability to create and edit, which allows me to dive right into a project the instant I need to without messing about trying to remember where everything is. But keeping GIMP is useful in case I ever need an alternate photo editor.

Seeing your Excel QAT edit screen brings back memories of good times esp. of previous Office versions where we could go to town with custom toolbars! A colleague once walked by my cubicle and saw my MS Word 2003 interace and said it looked like a cockpit <lol>! My MS Word and Corel WordPerfect customizations are pretty extreme with about 6-7 custom toolbars for each down the left, top, and right sides <lol>.

Hope GIMP allows custom toolbars one day.

Cheers! Smile

Good luck!