Foreground select tool in 2.8 vs 2.10

[nelo]

Using the foreground select tool in 2.10 doesn't give a satisfying result.
This is the mask that is produced in GIMP 2.8
   

and in 2.10.
   
Whereas the mask in 2.8 is plain black/white ( as I think it should be) it has a fuzzy border in 2.10.
For a quick cutting tool I find this result unusable.

Original Photo for reference:

   

Just posted this to show the difference. I don't have a problem with cutting out elements. I can use scissors instead. Or G'mic ...
But the foreground select was always nice and easy and quick  for simple elements.

Regards
nelo

[Ofnuts]

Normally an improvement for all the fuzzy things (hairs...) due to the possible partial selection. Did you try to threshold the mask? (or even a blunt Select>Sharpen).

[Ofnuts]

Btw, nothing says you have to use the initial image for your selection tool. You can duplicate the layer, and do indecent things to the copy to get a selection, and then apply the selection to the initial layer.  For instance, with just the channel mixer in 2.10 (which is vastly more usable than the 2.8 one):

   

From there we are just a background fuzzy-select away from the result:

   

[Espermaschine]

Tried nelo's image with the Forground Selection Tool i Gimp 2.10 and it worked all right.
I did not get any of the fuzzy border area, but i had a lot of areas inside the flower that werent fully captured.

This behaviour probably relates to the second step where you paint with the brush.
I guess its crucial to catch the complete range of shades and colours with this step.

[Ofnuts]

(06-09-2018, 06:39 AM)Espermaschine Wrote: Tried nelo's image with the Forground Selection Tool i Gimp 2.10 and it worked all right.
I did not get any of the fuzzy border area, but i had a lot of areas inside the flower that werent fully captured.

This behaviour probably relates to the second step where you paint with the brush.
I guess its crucial to catch the complete range of shades and colours with this step.

The problem is that there is a narrow margin between getting all the inside and not getting any of the outside. But a solution could be to focus on the edges, and then finish up the selection with a few brush strokes on the selection mask.

[Espermaschine]

(06-09-2018, 08:09 AM)Ofnuts Wrote: The problem is that there is a narrow margin between getting all the inside and not getting any of the outside. But a solution could be to focus on the edges, and then finish up the selection with a few brush strokes on the selection mask.

I probably wouldnt even touch the Foreground Selection Tool, but OP's question is whether the behaviour has changed from V 2.8 to 2.10, and im afraid nobody here can answer that.
As far as i can tell the tool has been improved, but only the developer can answer that for sure, right ?

Personally, i think most of these theoretical cases are not really relevant, because it always depends on the context and the image.
Some images work better than others. The problem is the expectation to get the job done in one step with one very specific tool.

Im a 100% with you and your technique, but im afraid thats not what OP wants to hear.

In the end, making a selection with the lasso or the paths tool in combination with a layermask will always give you the best job, but for some applications a rough job with a different tool might be good enough.

[rich2005]

Quote:..I probably wouldnt even touch the Foreground Selection Tool, but OP's question is whether the behaviour has changed from V 2.8 to 2.10, and im afraid nobody here can answer that.
As far as i can tell the tool has been improved, but only the developer can answer that for sure, right ?

I was not going to get into this but the difference between 2.8 and 2.10 is the addition of an 'ambiguous' zone - the draw unknown section. Makes the requirement for selecting/painting in the background a bit closer to the edge.

The 2.10 filter can add much more semi-transparent pixels to the selection. Broken? in the flatpack Gimp 2.10 (but there in my 2.9.9 appimage) Matting - Levin is not there but it is marginally better than Matting - Global.

I find by the time I mess around painting in FG/BG/Unknown here-and-there, I can have the foreground cut out by other means with less hassle.