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1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
2 <!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.3//EN"
3 "http://www.docbook.org/xml/4.3/docbookx.dtd">
5 <!-- section history:
6 2102-05-22 j.h: reviewed
7 2012-05-05 Marco: created
8 -->
9 <sect1 id="gimp-introduction-history-2-8">
10 <title>What's New in GIMP 2.8? </title>
12 <para>
13 <acronym>GIMP</acronym> 2.8 is another important release from a
14 development point of view, even more that it was for 2.6. It
15 features a big change to the user interface addressing one of the
16 most often received complaints: the lack of a single window
17 mode. Moreover the integration effort of GEGL library had taken a
18 big step forward, reaching more than 90% of the
19 <acronym>GIMP</acronym> core, a new powerful transformation tool,
20 layer groups, new common options, new brushes, improved text tool,
21 and more.
22 </para>
24 <variablelist>
25 <title>User Interface</title>
27 <varlistentry>
28 <term>New single window mode</term>
29 <listitem>
30 <para>
31 With this new feature it will be possible to work with all
32 the <acronym>GIMP</acronym> dialogs inside one big window,
33 usually with the image(s) centered inside. No more floating
34 panels or toolbox but the dialogs could be arranged inside
35 this single window. This mode could be enabled or disabled
36 all the time, even while working, and the option will be
37 remembered through the sessions.
38 </para>
39 <figure>
40 <title>The new look of the single window mode</title>
41 <mediaobject>
42 <imageobject>
43 <imagedata format="PNG"
44 fileref="images/using/single-window-mode.png"/>
45 </imageobject>
46 </mediaobject>
47 </figure>
48 </listitem>
49 </varlistentry>
51 <varlistentry>
52 <term>New file save workflow</term>
53 <listitem>
54 <para>
55 Now Save and Save as work only with xcf formats. If you
56 want to export an image in another format, say jpg or png,
57 you have to explicitly Export it. This enhances the workflow
58 and lets you simply overwrite the original file or export to
59 various other formats.
60 </para>
61 <figure>
62 <title>The new image workflow</title>
63 <mediaobject>
64 <imageobject>
65 <imagedata format="PNG"
66 fileref="images/using/save-image-overwrite.png"/>
67 </imageobject>
68 </mediaobject>
69 </figure>
70 </listitem>
71 </varlistentry>
73 <varlistentry>
74 <term>New image bar</term>
75 <listitem>
76 <para>
77 A new useful image bar comes with the single window mode,
78 which lets you switch easily between open images through the
79 means of a tab bar with image thumbnails.
80 </para>
81 <figure>
82 <title>The new image bar</title>
83 <mediaobject>
84 <imageobject>
85 <imagedata format="PNG"
86 fileref="images/using/multiple-image-tabs.png"/>
87 </imageobject>
88 </mediaobject>
89 </figure>
90 </listitem>
91 </varlistentry>
93 <varlistentry>
94 <term>New arrangement options</term>
95 <listitem>
96 <para>
97 <acronym>GIMP</acronym> will make users working with two screens
98 (one for dialogs, the other for images)
99 happy: now it is possible to arrange the dialogs one over the other,
100 in tabs and in columns too.
101 </para>
102 <figure>
103 <title>Multi column docks</title>
104 <mediaobject>
105 <imageobject>
106 <imagedata format="PNG"
107 fileref="images/using/multi-column-docks.png"/>
108 </imageobject>
109 </mediaobject>
110 </figure>
111 </listitem>
112 </varlistentry>
114 <varlistentry>
115 <term>New resources tags</term>
116 <listitem>
117 <para>
118 <acronym>GIMP</acronym> Brushes, Gradients, Pattern and
119 Palettes can be filtered and searched via tags. Tags are
120 text labels that the user can assign to resources. With Tags
121 the user can easily find the resources by means of an input
122 text box. Tags can be manually assigned by the user with the
123 same input box used for searching tags, or they can be
124 automatically tagged using the directory name of the
125 imported items.
126 </para>
127 <figure>
128 <title>Resource tags</title>
129 <mediaobject>
130 <imageobject>
131 <imagedata format="PNG"
132 fileref="images/using/painting-resources-tags.png"/>
133 </imageobject>
134 </mediaobject>
135 </figure>
136 </listitem>
137 </varlistentry>
139 <varlistentry>
140 <term>Simple math in size entries</term>
141 <listitem>
142 <para>
143 Enhancements have also been made to the size entry widget,
144 which is used for inputting most of the x, y, width, height
145 parameters. For example, in the scale dialog it is now
146 possible to write <quote>50%</quote> in the Width field to
147 scale the image to 50% of the width. Expressions such as
148 <quote>30in + 40px</quote> and <quote>4 * 5.4in</quote>
149 work, too.
150 </para>
151 <figure>
152 <title>Math size entries</title>
153 <mediaobject>
154 <imageobject>
155 <imagedata format="PNG"
156 fileref="images/using/math-size-entries.png"/>
157 </imageobject>
158 </mediaobject>
159 </figure>
160 </listitem>
161 </varlistentry>
163 <varlistentry>
164 <term>Minor changes</term>
165 <listitem>
166 <itemizedlist>
168 <listitem>
169 <para>
170 The new <quote>Lock Pixels</quote> option in the layers
171 dialog can avoid undesired painting on a layer when
172 working with several layers.
173 </para>
174 <figure>
175 <title>The new Lock Pixels option</title>
176 <mediaobject>
177 <imageobject>
178 <imagedata format="PNG"
179 fileref="images/using/image-lock-pixels.png"/>
180 </imageobject>
181 </mediaobject>
182 </figure>
183 </listitem>
185 <listitem>
186 <para>
187 Now you can move between images in single and multi
188 window mode using the shortcuts
189 <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>Page Up/Page Down</keycap></keycombo>
190 or
191 <keycombo><keycap>Alt</keycap><keycap>Number</keycap></keycombo>.
192 </para>
193 </listitem>
195 <listitem>
196 <para>
197 Add support for F2 to rename items in lists.
198 </para>
199 </listitem>
201 <listitem>
202 <para>
203 You can now
204 <keycombo><keycap>Alt</keycap><keycap>Click</keycap></keycombo>
205 on layers in the Layers dialog to create a selection from
206 it. Add, subtract and intersect modifiers
207 <keycap>Click</keycap>, <keycap>Shift</keycap> and
208 <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>Shift</keycap></keycombo>
209 keys work too. This makes it easy to compose contents of a
210 layer based on the contents of other layers, without
211 detours.
212 </para>
213 </listitem>
215 <listitem>
216 <para>
217 Since the keyboard shortcuts
218 <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>E</keycap></keycombo>
219 and
220 <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>Shift</keycap><keycap>E</keycap></keycombo>
221 have been redirected to image export mechanisms, new
222 keyboard shortcuts have been setup for <quote>Shrink
223 Wrap</quote> and <quote>Fit Image in Window</quote>, namely
224 <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>J</keycap></keycombo>
225 and
226 <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>Shift</keycap><keycap>J</keycap></keycombo>
227 respectively.
228 </para>
229 </listitem>
231 <listitem>
232 <para>
233 Added
234 <menuchoice><guimenu>Windows</guimenu><guimenuitem>Hide
235 docks</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item that does what
236 <quote>Tab</quote> does and also displays its state, which
237 is now persistent across sessions, too.
238 </para>
239 </listitem>
241 <listitem>
242 <para>
243 The layer modes have been rearranged into more logical and
244 useful groups based on the effect they have on layers. Layer
245 modes that make the layer lighter are in one group, layer modes that
246 make the layer darker in another group, and so forth.
247 </para>
248 </listitem>
250 <listitem>
251 <para>
252 In multi-window mode, you can now close the Toolbox without
253 quitting GIMP.
254 </para>
255 </listitem>
257 <listitem>
258 <para>
259 Allow binding arbitrary actions to extra mouse buttons.
260 </para>
261 </listitem>
263 <listitem>
264 <para>
265 Now it is possible to change the application language
266 directly from the preference menu.
267 </para>
268 </listitem>
270 </itemizedlist>
271 </listitem>
272 </varlistentry>
273 </variablelist>
275 <variablelist>
276 <title>Tools, Filters and Plug-ins</title>
278 <varlistentry>
279 <term>A new tool: Cage Transform</term>
280 <listitem>
281 <para>
282 With this new tool is now possible to create custom bending
283 of a selection just moving control points.
284 This is the result of one of our Google Summer of Code 2010
285 students.
286 </para>
287 <figure>
288 <title>Cage Transform</title>
289 <mediaobject>
290 <imageobject>
291 <imagedata format="PNG"
292 fileref="images/using/new-cage-tool.png"/>
293 </imageobject>
294 </mediaobject>
295 </figure>
296 </listitem>
297 </varlistentry>
299 <varlistentry>
300 <term>Improved Text Tool</term>
301 <listitem>
302 <para>
303 The text tool has been enhanced to support on canvas text
304 writing and make possible changing the attributes of a single char.
305 </para>
306 <figure>
307 <title>Improved text tool</title>
308 <mediaobject>
309 <imageobject>
310 <imagedata format="PNG"
311 fileref="images/using/improved-text-tool.png"/>
312 </imageobject>
313 </mediaobject>
314 </figure>
315 </listitem>
316 </varlistentry>
318 <varlistentry>
319 <term>New layer groups</term>
320 <listitem>
321 <para>
322 It is now possible to group set of layers and treat them
323 like an entity. It is possible to switch a group on or off and
324 to move the group in the layers dialog. It is easy to add /
325 remove existing layers to a group or to create / delete a
326 layer inside the group and it is even possible to create
327 embedded groups of groups. It is possible to apply a
328 layer mode to a group as you do with a single layer. All this greatly
329 improves the workflow with complex multilayer images making
330 them easier to manage.
331 </para>
332 <figure>
333 <title>New layer groups</title>
334 <mediaobject>
335 <imageobject>
336 <imagedata format="PNG"
337 fileref="images/using/image-layer-groups.png"/>
338 </imageobject>
339 </mediaobject>
340 </figure>
341 </listitem>
342 </varlistentry>
344 <varlistentry>
345 <term>Rotating brushes</term>
346 <listitem>
347 <para>
348 Brushes can now be rotated at will, acting on the brush
349 option <quote>Angle</quote>.
350 </para>
351 <figure>
352 <title>Rotating brushes</title>
353 <mediaobject>
354 <imageobject>
355 <imagedata format="PNG"
356 fileref="images/using/rotating-brushes.png"/>
357 </imageobject>
358 </mediaobject>
359 </figure>
360 </listitem>
361 </varlistentry>
363 <varlistentry>
364 <term>Minor changes</term>
365 <listitem>
366 <itemizedlist>
367 <listitem>
368 <para>
369 The default Quick Mask color is now configurable.
370 </para>
371 </listitem>
373 <listitem>
374 <para>
375 The RTL mode (right to left writing) has been improved in the Text
376 tool.
377 </para>
378 </listitem>
380 <listitem>
381 <para>
382 You can specify the written language in the Text
383 Tool. This helps choosing an appropriate font, or
384 appropriate glyphs for the selected language.
385 </para>
386 </listitem>
388 <listitem>
389 <para>
390 Added optional diagonal guides to the crop tool.
391 </para>
392 </listitem>
394 <listitem>
395 <para>
396 Added <quote>Rule of fifths</quote> crop guide overlay.
397 </para>
398 </listitem>
400 <listitem>
401 <para>
402 A Cairo based PDF exporter has been implemented. Although being
403 somewhat simplistic, the exporter saves text, embedding
404 fonts into the final PDF file, and attempts to convert
405 bitmaps to vector objects.
406 </para>
407 </listitem>
409 <listitem>
410 <para>
411 Brush dynamics improved.
412 </para>
413 </listitem>
415 <listitem>
416 <para>
417 Added plug-in for loading JPEG2000 images.
418 </para>
419 </listitem>
421 <listitem>
422 <para>
423 Added plug-ins for X11 Mouse Cursor import and export
424 support.
425 </para>
426 </listitem>
428 <listitem>
429 <para>
430 Added fundamental OpenRaster (.ora) import and export
431 support.
432 </para>
433 </listitem>
435 <listitem>
436 <para>
437 Added RGB565 support to the csource plug-in.
438 </para>
439 </listitem>
441 <listitem>
442 <para>
443 Added a new <quote>Create</quote> command that allows loading
444 a Web page directly into GIMP using Webkit.
445 </para>
446 </listitem>
448 </itemizedlist>
449 </listitem>
450 </varlistentry>
452 </variablelist>
454 <variablelist>
455 <title>Under the Hood</title>
457 <varlistentry>
458 <term><acronym>GEGL</acronym></term>
459 <listitem>
460 <para>
461 The porting of the <acronym>GIMP</acronym> core towards the
462 new high bit-depth and non-destructive editing GEGL <xref
463 linkend="bibliography-online-gegl"/> library has taken big
464 steps and now more than 90% of the task is already finished.
465 </para>
466 <para>
467 In addition to porting color operations to
468 <acronym>GEGL</acronym>, an experimental GEGL Operation tool
469 has been added, found in the Tools menu. It enables applying
470 <acronym>GEGL</acronym> operations to an image and it gives
471 on-canvas previews of the results. The screenshot below
472 shows this for a Gaussian Blur.
473 </para>
474 <figure>
475 <title><acronym>GEGL</acronym> operation</title>
476 <mediaobject>
477 <imageobject>
478 <imagedata format="PNG"
479 fileref="images/using/experimental-gegl-tool.png"/>
480 </imageobject>
481 </mediaobject>
482 </figure>
483 </listitem>
485 </varlistentry>
487 <varlistentry>
489 <term>Cairo porting</term>
490 <listitem>
491 <para>
492 Started with <acronym>GIMP</acronym> version 2.6, all tools rendering
493 on canvas is now completely ported to <xref
494 linkend="bibliography-online-cairo"/>. It provides smooth
495 antialiased graphics and improves <acronym>GIMP</acronym> look. Some
496 plug-ins have been upgraded to Cairo as well. Additionally
497 all tools now use an on-canvas progress indicator instead of
498 the one in the statusbar.
499 </para>
500 <figure>
501 <title>Progress indicator</title>
502 <mediaobject>
503 <imageobject>
504 <imagedata format="PNG"
505 fileref="images/using/cairo-progress-indicator.png"/>
506 </imageobject>
507 </mediaobject>
508 </figure>
509 </listitem>
511 </varlistentry>
513 </variablelist>
515 <variablelist>
517 <title>Miscellaneous</title>
519 <varlistentry>
520 <term>License change</term>
521 <listitem>
522 <para>
523 The GIMP license has been changed to (L)GPLv3+.
524 </para>
525 </listitem>
526 </varlistentry>
528 <varlistentry>
529 <term>New script API</term>
531 <listitem>
532 <itemizedlist>
533 <listitem>
534 <para>
535 A lot of GIMP APIs have been rebuilt to simplify
536 developing new scripts.
537 </para>
538 </listitem>
539 <listitem>
540 <para>
541 To further enhances scripting abilities, API changes to support
542 layer groups have been made.
543 </para>
544 </listitem>
545 </itemizedlist>
546 </listitem>
547 </varlistentry>
549 <varlistentry>
550 <term>Backwards Compatibility</term>
551 <listitem>
552 <para>
553 To allow migrating from the old tools presets
554 system to the new one, there is a Python <ulink
555 url="http://wiki.gimp.org/index.php/Mindstorm:Preset_converter">script</ulink>,
556 which you can download from the <acronym>GIMP</acronym> wiki
557 site. However, the old tools presets are not 100%
558 convertible to the new tool presets. For instance, brush
559 scale from 2.6 can't be converted to brush size in 2.8.
560 </para>
561 </listitem>
562 </varlistentry>
564 <varlistentry>
565 <term>Known Problems</term>
566 <listitem>
567 <para>
568 Working with graphics tablets could be problematic due to
569 the GTK+2 library in use. If in this case either use the
570 older version 2.6 or wait for the up coming version 3.0
571 for the full GTK+3 support.
572 </para>
573 </listitem>
574 </varlistentry>
576 </variablelist>
578 </sect1>