The poor man's photoshop

[puggsoy]

Uuuuugh. Two toolbars.

Once I get 2.8 (I don't get the betas of GIMP) I'll smash it all into one toolbar on the right. For Flash, OK, I've got a toolbar on each of the four sides, but I really need that left space in GIMP.

But those tabs... *drools*

[Garamonde]

About your transparency issues, Jetters - does it only apply to PNGs or also to PSP7 native files (if there is a native file format of PSP)? Since PSP7 is like ten years old it wouldn't surprise me if the PNG implementation it uses just can't handle transparency.

Well, when I save an image as .PSP (PSP7's default format), it shows as having a "Layer1", and when I open it back up it retains its transparency. However, when I choose to merge the layers, said transparency turns white right before your eyes. So PSP7 fails to retain transparency if an image only has its "Background" layer, rather than an actual layer.

For .PNGs, the reason I say I have to finish my image in one sitting is because, when I'm done, I have to use the "Selections > Modify > Transparent Color (or CTRL + T)" to select what I want to be saved to transparency, then go to "Save to Alpha Channel" also under Selections and it'll save with transparency, just once I close it I can't re-open it in PSP 7 again because it doesn't display the transparency (and thus have to use Paint.NET to safety-check it). Plus when I try to save a .PNG with multiple layers, it gives me this, so it's kind of a dead end for .PNGs with transparency.

[puggsoy]

Does the transparency issue also exist with PSDs? When making sheets I just keep mine in XCF format (GIMP's equivalent of PSD) to preserve the layers, and then when I'm done I add the background and save as PNG.
If you can open PSDs with transparency, you could work with PSDs to keep transparency while making sheets, then save the end result as PNG.

[Previous]

Plus when I try to save a .PNG with multiple layers

Of course, as PNG does not support layers. (Fireworks PNGs might do that, I haven't looked into that - but those aren't real PNGs anyways)

[Butler]

I have used ( a legal) version of PhotoShop after using GIMP since i was 9, and got confused by it and decided to shun it, unless i need it for a job.
MicroSoft Paint, i tried on my Windows side and i hated its simplicity.
MtPaint i'm interested in because it'll run on Linux like GIMP to.
And i like the seperate windows (I use GIMP 2.6).
The only complaint i have is that i am now stuck with having to change the dockable dialouges everytime i change my tool, since a managed to switch that feature off without noticing it.
+Fujitsu can ruin everything - GIMP

[Garamonde]

Does the transparency issue also exist with PSDs? When making sheets I just keep mine in XCF format (GIMP's equivalent of PSD) to preserve the layers, and then when I'm done I add the background and save as PNG.
If you can open PSDs with transparency, you could work with PSDs to keep transparency while making sheets, then save the end result as PNG.

That had occurred to me while I was writing that post, actually (except that I've never used .PSD format). The only thing is that working with the sheet as one format with transparency, then converting it to .PNG does not keep the transparency. But if I wanted a colored BG, I would've kept it as a .PNG with no layers in the first place (which is what I do most of the time).

I COULD try to keep the image as a .PSP file and then copy the contents over to a new image and save as a transparent .PNG though. It's just when saving, selecting .PNG has become second nature thanks to TSR. XD

[RétroX]

Uuuuugh. Two toolbars.

Once I get 2.8 (I don't get the betas of GIMP) I'll smash it all into one toolbar on the right. For Flash, OK, I've got a toolbar on each of the four sides, but I really need that left space in GIMP.

But those tabs... *drools*

Well, I have it in two because I have a 1080p monitor. I just sized the window down to take a picture of it.

[puggsoy]

Does the transparency issue also exist with PSDs? When making sheets I just keep mine in XCF format (GIMP's equivalent of PSD) to preserve the layers, and then when I'm done I add the background and save as PNG.
If you can open PSDs with transparency, you could work with PSDs to keep transparency while making sheets, then save the end result as PNG.

That had occurred to me while I was writing that post, actually (except that I've never used .PSD format). The only thing is that working with the sheet as one format with transparency, then converting it to .PNG does not keep the transparency. But if I wanted a colored BG, I would've kept it as a .PNG with no layers in the first place (which is what I do most of the time).

Even if you're using a coloured BG (which is required/preferred here anyway), it's good to have transparency in case you want to change the BG, or make some other subtle changes. Also, keeping it in layers (which PSD does but PNG doesn't) allows you to move stuff around and rearrange it if needed.
PSD isn't really that difficult to get used to. If it's the same as XCF, then all it is is a image file that keeps the image exactly how you left it. Layers, resolution, even stuff like rulers and grids will be preserved, and it lets you pick up exactly where you left off.
My point is that when you convert it to PNG you won't get transparency, but it's extremely handy when making the sheet.

[Garamonde]

I think next time I need to use transparency for a large sheet, that I'll leave it in .PSP format and then cut + paste everything into a new image when I'm done. XD

Thanks for your suggestions though!

[puggsoy]

Sweet, whatever works for you

I feel like I'm trying to teach you despite being here almost a year less than you

[Lilly]

I don't see why everyone finds the floating windows bothersome, it always made rearranging them the way I like much easier for pretty much any set of tools I want, and it permanently saves the window positions so I won't have to rearrange them again later. Although I will admit I was a bit turned off by that at first, after using Photostudio 4 for so long. (Which has an interface similar to Photoshop's.)

But I didn't want to fork out more than what my refurbed desktop machine was worth five times over just for CS5, and an installer patch I tried that gave GIMP a single window mode wasn't compatible with GIMP 2.6, so I kept at it with the UI until now it's all I know! =P After all this time, now it feels kinda odd for Artweaver/Photoshop/Photostudio to lock all of its windows into the main one.

Unfortunately, it's a development release without any pre-built binaries for Windows...

There's more than one binary installer for anyone on Windows wanting to try it out, iirc, but obviously I doubt there's one from the developers themselves, so you've still got a point as far as official builds go.

[Garamonde]

Sweet, whatever works for you

I feel like I'm trying to teach you despite being here almost a year less than you

Yeah, even though I've been here a year, there's still lots for me to learn, so I'm always glad to hear any advice people have.

[Butler]

I don't see why everyone finds the floating windows bothersome, it always made rearranging them the way I like much easier for pretty much any set of tools I want, and it permanently saves the window positions so I won't have to rearrange them again later. Although I will admit I was a bit turned off by that at first, after using Photostudio 4 for so long. (Which has an interface similar to Photoshop's.)

But I didn't want to fork out more than what my refurbed desktop machine was worth five times over just for CS5, and an installer patch I tried that gave GIMP a single window mode wasn't compatible with GIMP 2.6, so I kept at it with the UI until now it's all I know! =P After all this time, now it feels kinda odd for Artweaver/Photoshop/Photostudio to lock all of its windows into the main one.

Unfortunately, it's a development release without any pre-built binaries for Windows...

There's more than one binary installer for anyone on Windows wanting to try it out, iirc, but obviously I doubt there's one from the developers themselves, so you've still got a point as far as official builds go.

Some one else who appreciates the floating seperate windows.
I only started using it because i didn't o run it on wine, pay for it and its completely Linux compatible.
Why would you use Photoshop?

[Previous]

Why would you use Photoshop?

Because I bought it and I have it?

[Lilly]

Some one else who appreciates the floating seperate windows.
I only started using it because i didn't o run it on wine, pay for it and its completely Linux compatible.
Why would you use Photoshop?

w00t I'm not the only one! My love for the floaty windows won't stop me from trying the single-window mode, though! But either way, I'm more interested in what new features 2.8 might bring to the table. Really hoping for color/dodge/burn and folders for paths or selections, among other things, but it won't bother me if they're not; GIMP's already a very capable program as it is in my experience.