Saving/Exporting problem?

[JackOats]

Hi All,
Have just started using & getting familiar with Gimp. Obviously LOADS of things to learn. I started work on a project - imported a .png to work on. I had this as a background layer with 3 layers stacked on top which had various coloured pencil & brushwork on. My problem is saving & exporting the image (as .png) to a folder on my Desktop. When I open the folder later to carry on working on the project all the layers have gone and it seems to have been 'rendered' to a single layer. Is it possible to save & export the file in it's working state so I can carry on working on it later.
Thanks.

[Ofnuts]

That's why there is "File>Export" and "File>Save". Formats such as PNG or JPG cannot hold all the information you need to continue working on the project. So you must routinely use "File>Save" to save your project as an XCF file (Gimp's native format that saves everything: layers, channels, paths...) and from time to time use "File>Export" to produce the required JPG/PNG/GIF....

Note that when you work on an image, if you try to quit Gimp without having used "File>Save", Gimp will tell you about unsaved changes, even if you used "File>Export".

[JackOats]

Hi Ofnuts - Thanks very much for the reply.

I don't know about anybody else but I don't find the Save/Save As commands that easy to figure out.
It seems I have been saving the .xcf files to a folder on my Desktop - which I guess is a mistake as Gimp can't recognise them from there. (Please see attachment).
So how do I save the .xcf files to Gimp please?

Many thanks.

[rich2005]

I agree that the desktop is not the place to save or even export work. Seen some horrific Windows desktops over the years.

However, always a however, it should still work

How are you trying to open a file? right click context, drag-n-wish to a Gimp icon, or...?

Providing the .xcf file is valid and nor corrupt in some way (right click and check properties http://i.imgur.com/lu3MSrR.jpg)

Then File -> Open is the best method screenshot http://i.imgur.com/HTiWqcP.jpg

Quote:So how do I save the .xcf files to Gimp please?

File -> Save
Browse for a suitable folder
Give your image a sensible file name (avoid silly characters, spaces, ie. all that is loved by Win users)
Include the .xcf extension if you deleted it.
Click the save button.

example http://i.imgur.com/DbR9AnH.jpg

[JackOats]

SOLVED!

@rich2005 - Thanks for the reply. 

I've managed, I think, to find a way that works for me.

If I save the .xcf file to Desktop & then drag it into my Folder (temporarily on Desktop!) I can 'open with' Gimp.

So thanks very much again, Guys, for your observations & helpful comments.

Much appreciated.

[Ofnuts]

(05-04-2017, 01:05 PM)JackOats Wrote: SOLVED!

@rich2005 - Thanks for the reply. 

I've managed, I think, to find a way that works for me.

If I save the .xcf file to Desktop & then drag it into my Folder (temporarily on Desktop!) I can 'open with' Gimp.

So thanks very much again, Guys, for your observations & helpful comments.

Much appreciated.

You can add your usual directories to the left pane of the file open & save dialogs (see the "+" and "-" icons at the bottom).

And then use/abuse "File>Open recent", it knows better than you where your files are

[JackOats]

@Ofnuts - Good tip! Thanks very much.