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Manual: gimp

GIMP(1) GIMP Manual Pages GIMP(1)

NAME
gimp - an image manipulation and paint program.

SYNOPSIS
gimp [-h] [--help] [--help-all] [--help-gegl] [--help-gtk] [-v] [--version] [--license] [--verbose] [-n] [--new-in‐
stance] [-a] [--as-new] [-i] [--no-interface] [-d] [--no-data] [-f] [--no-fonts] [-s] [--no-splash] [--no-shm]
[--no-cpu-accel] [--display display] [--session ] [-g] [--gimprc ] [--system-gimprc ]
[--dump-gimprc] [--console-messages] [--debug-handlers] [--stack-trace-mode ] [--pdb-compat-mode ]
[--batch-interpreter ] [-b] [--batch ] [--quit] [--show-playground] [--show-debug-menu] [--g-fa‐
tal-warnings] [filename] ...

gimp-console [-h] [--help] [--help-all] [--help-gegl] [--help-gtk] [-v] [--version] [--license] [--verbose] [-n]
[--new-instance] [-a] [--as-new] [-d] [--no-data] [-f] [--no-fonts] [-s] [--no-splash] [--no-shm] [--no-cpu-accel]
[--display display] [--session ] [-g] [--gimprc ] [--system-gimprc ] [--dump-gimprc] [--con‐
sole-messages] [--debug-handlers] [--stack-trace-mode ] [--pdb-compat-mode ] [--batch-interpreter ] [-b] [--batch ] [--quit] [--show-playground] [--show-debug-menu] [--g-fatal-warnings] [filename] ...

DESCRIPTION
GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is Community-driven Free Software for high-end image cre‐
ation and manipulation.

It is used to edit and manipulate images. It can load and save a variety of image formats and can be used to convert
between formats.

GIMP can also be used as a paint program. It features a set of drawing and painting tools such as airbrush, clone,
pencil, and paint brush. Painting and drawing tools can be applied to an image with a variety of paint modes. It
also offers an extensive array of selection tools like rectangle, ellipse, fuzzy select, bezier select, intelligent
scissors, and select by color.

GIMP offers a variety of plug-ins that perform a variety of image manipulations. Examples include bumpmap, edge de‐
tect, gaussian blur, and many others. In addition, GIMP has several scripting extensions which allow for advanced
non-interactive processing and creation of images.

GIMP ships with a second binary called gimp-console. This binary is a console-only version and behaves as if gimp was
called with the --no-interface command-line option.

On platforms with the D-Bus message bus system, GIMP will by default check if an instance is already running in this
user session. If it detects that, it will pass all filenames given on the command-line to the already running GIMP
instance and quit.

OPTIONS
GIMP accepts the following options:

-h, --help
Show GIMP command-line options.

--help-all
Show all command-line options.

--help-gtk
Show GTK command-line options.

--help-gegl
Show GEGL command-line options.

-v, --version
Output version information and exit. When combined with the --verbose option, version information about li‐
braries used by GIMP is shown as well.

--license
Output license information and exit.

--verbose
Be verbose and create information on standard output.

-n, --new-instance
Do not attempt to reuse an already running GIMP instance. Always start a new one.

-a, --as-new
Open filenames passed on the command-line as new images, don't set the filename on them.

-i, --no-interface
Run without a user interface.

-d, --no-data
Do not load patterns, gradients, palettes, or brushes. Often useful in non-interactive situations where
startup time is to be minimized.

-f, --no-fonts
Do not load any fonts. No text functionality will be available if this option is used.

-s, --no-splash
Do not show the splash screen.

--no-shm
Do not use shared memory between GIMP and its plug-ins. Instead of using shared memory, GIMP will send the
data via pipe. This will result in slower performance than using shared memory.

--no-cpu-accel
Do not use CPU accelerations such as MMX or SSE even if GIMP detects that your CPU provides this functional‐
ity.

--session
Use a different sessionrc for this GIMP session. The given session name is appended to the default sessionrc
filename.

-g, --gimprc
Use an alternative gimprc instead of the default one. Useful in cases where plug-in paths or machine specs
may be different.

--system-gimprc
Use an alternate system gimprc file.

--dump-gimprc
Output a gimprc file with default settings.

--debug-handlers
Enable debugging signal handlers.

-c, --console-messages
Do not popup dialog boxes on errors or warnings. Print the messages on the console instead.

--stack-trace-mode {never|query|always}
If a stack-trace should be generated in case of fatal signals.

--pdb-compat-mode {off|on|warn}
If the PDB should provide aliases for deprecated functions.

--batch-interpreter
Specifies the procedure to use to process batch events. The default is to let Script-Fu evaluate the com‐
mands.

-b, --batch
Execute non-interactively. This option may appear multiple times. The is passed to the
batch interpreter. When is - the commands are read from standard input.

--quit Immediately quit GIMP after opening images and running batch commands. This is useful when you run GIMP non-
interactively through command line to process images with --batch-interpreter and --batch. Unless your batch
scripts contain any interactive logic allowing to communicate with them, you usually want the process to end
when it's done.

--display display
Use the designated X display.

--show-playground
The Preferences dialog will now contain a "Playground" page where you can enable experimental features. These
features should be used at your own risk since they are hidden for a reason. If you already enabled an exper‐
imental feature, this page will always be visible, even without the option.

--show-debug-menu
With this option, the "File" menu will contain a "Debug" submenu, containing a few debugging actions. This is
usually only useful for developers.

--g-fatal-warnings
Make all warnings fatal. This is usually used for easier debugging in a debugger. Most people have no reasons
to set this option.

ENVIRONMENT
GIMP respects a number of environment variables.

XDG_CONFIG_HOME
as the base directory relative to which user-specific configuration files should be written, per the XDG Base
Directory Specification.

This is the preferred way to select a custom configuration directory and the only one which will also ensure
that configuration file formats are properly migrated across versions.

DISPLAY to get the default host and display number.

GIMP3_DIRECTORY
to get the name of the personal GIMP directory. If unset $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2 is used. If this is an
absolute path, it is used as is. If it is a relative path, it is taken to be a subdirectory of $XDG_CON‐
FIG_HOME.

This is a legacy environment variable, whose use is discouraged. In particular, it will prevent GIMP to mi‐
grate configuration file formats across version updates.

GIMP3_DATADIR
to get the base location for data files such as brushes and patterns. If unset /usr/share/gimp/3.0 is used.

GIMP3_LOCALEDIR
to get the base location for translations. If unset /usr/share/locale is used.

GIMP3_PLUGINDIR
to get the base location for plug-ins and modules. If unset /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gimp/3.0 is used.

GIMP3_SYSCONFDIR
to get the location of configuration files. If unset /etc/gimp/3.0 is used.

GIMP3_CACHEDIR
to get the location for caches files. If unset the system default for per-user cached files is used.

GIMP3_TEMPDIR
to get the location of temporary files. If unset the system default for temporary files is used.

On Linux GIMP can be compiled with support for binary relocatibility. This will cause data, plug-ins and
configuration files to be searched relative to the location of the gimp executable file unless overridden by
the environment variables mentioned above.

GIMP_DEBUG_FONTS
to get a list of unsupported fonts printed on stderr when starting GIMP, with an information message explain‐
ing why, for each file.

GIMP_BATCH_INTERPRETER
to set the batch interpreter to be used.

This is a legacy environment variable, whose use is discouraged. We recommend using --batch-interpreter op‐
tion instead for every batch call.

FILES
GIMP's data files are stored in /usr/share/gimp/3.0, where ${datarootdir} is set on install, but is typically
/usr/share. GIMP's system-wide configuration files are stored in /etc/gimp/3.0, where ${prefix} is typically /usr.

Most GIMP configuration is read in from the user's init file, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/gimprc. The system wide
equivalent is in /etc/gimp/3.0/gimprc. The system wide file is parsed first and the user gimprc can override the sys‐
tem settings. /etc/gimp/3.0/gimprc_user is the default gimprc placed in users' home directories the first time GIMP
is run.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/devicerc - holds settings for input devices together with the tool, colors, brush, pattern
and gradient associated to that device.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/gtkrc - users set of GIMP-specific GTK config settings. Options such as widget color and
fonts sizes can be set here.

/etc/gimp/3.0/gtkrc - system wide default set of GIMP-specific GTK config settings.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/shortcutsrc - user's set of keybindings.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/parasiterc - Stores all persistent GIMP parasites. This file will be rewritten every time
you quit GIMP.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/sessionrc - This file takes session-specific info (that is info, you want to keep between
two GIMP sessions). You are not supposed to edit it manually, but of course you can do. This file will be entirely
rewritten every time you quit GIMP. If this file isn't found, defaults are used.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/templaterc - Image templates are kept in this file. New images can conveniently created
from these templates. If this file isn't found, defaults are used.

/etc/gimp/3.0/unitrc - default user unit database. It contains the unit definitions for centimeters, meters, feet,
yards, typographic points and typographic picas and is placed in users home directories the first time GIMP is ran.
If this file isn't found, defaults are used.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/unitrc - This file contains your user unit database. You can modify this list with the unit
editor. You are not supposed to edit it manually, but of course you can do. This file will be entirely rewritten
every time you quit GIMP.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/plug-ins - location of user installed plug-ins.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/pluginrc - plug-in initialization values are stored here. This file is parsed on startup
and regenerated if need be.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/modules - location of user installed modules.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/tmp - default location that GIMP uses as temporary space.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/brushes - system wide brush files.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/brushes - user created and installed brush files. These files are in the .gbr, .gih or .vbr
file formats.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/curves - Curve profiles and presets as saved from the Curves tool.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/gimpressionist - Presets and user created brushes and papers are stored here.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/levels - Level profiles and presets as saved from the Levels tool.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/palettes - the system wide palette files.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/palettes - user created and modified palette files. This files are in the .gpl format.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/patterns - basic set of patterns for use in GIMP.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/patterns - user created and installed gimp pattern files. This files are in the .pat for‐
mat.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/gradients - standard system wide set of gradient files.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/gradients - user created and installed gradient files.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/scripts - system wide directory of scripts used in Script-Fu and other scripting extensions.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/scripts - user created and installed scripts.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/gflares - system wide directory used by the gflare plug-in.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/gflares - user created and installed gflare files.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/gfig - system wide directory used by the gfig plug-in.

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/gfig - user created and installed gfig files.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/images/gimp-splash.png - the default image used for the GIMP splash screen.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/images/gimp-logo.png - image used in the GIMP about dialog.

/usr/share/gimp/3.0/tips/gimp-tips.xml - tips as displayed in the "Tip of the Day" dialog box.

SPLASH IMAGES
GIMP comes with a default image for the splash screen but it allows system administrators and users to customize the
splash screen by providing other images. The image to be used with the splash screen is chosen as follows:

1. GIMP tries to load a random splash screen from the directory $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/splashes.

2. It then falls back to using $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/3.2/gimp-splash.png.

3. If the user didn't install any custom splash images, a random image is picked from
/usr/share/gimp/3.0/splashes.

4. As a last resort, GIMP uses the default splash image located at /usr/share/gimp/3.0/images/gimp-splash.png.

SUGGESTIONS AND BUG REPORTS
Any bugs found should be reported to the online bug-tracking system available on the web at https://git‐
lab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/issues. Before reporting bugs, please check to see if the bug has already been reported.

When reporting GIMP bugs, it is important to include a reliable way to reproduce the bug, version number of GIMP (and
probably GTK), OS name and version, and any relevant hardware specs. If a bug is causing a crash, it is very useful
if a stack trace can be provided. And of course, patches to rectify the bug are even better.

OTHER INFO
The canonical place to find GIMP info is at https://www.gimp.org/. Here you can find links to just about many other
GIMP sites, tutorials, data sets, mailing list archives, and more.

There is also a GIMP User Manual available at https://docs.gimp.org/ that goes into much more detail about the inter‐
active use of GIMP.

The latest versions of GIMP and our core libs are always available at https://download.gimp.org/.

AUTHORS
Spencer Kimball, Peter Mattis and the GIMP Development Team.

With patches, fixes, plug-ins, extensions, scripts, translations, documentation and more from lots and lots of people
all over the world.

Manual: gimp

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