[gimp-help] Reworked and extended getting (un)stuck section
- From: Jacob Boerema <jboerema src gnome org>
- To: commits-list gnome org
- Cc:
- Subject: [gimp-help] Reworked and extended getting (un)stuck section
- Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2022 20:22:31 +0000 (UTC)
commit eff1b6ae3355aa8c4986ed777d00574a89603570
Author: Jacob Boerema <jgboerema gmail com>
Date: Mon Feb 7 15:21:46 2022 -0500
Reworked and extended getting (un)stuck section
Reduced the depth of descriptions by one level. This way each separate
getting stuck chapter is shown in our index, making it easier to find.
This also causes each chapter to be on its own page, which could also
help in making it easier to find what you are looking for.
Reworked the existing getting stuck chapters and added new ones. Most of
it is based on the following issues:
- Issue #297 Explain certain situations when painting will have no effect.
- Issue #296 Add to getting stuck a section about unhiding tool windows.
- Issue #295 Add to getting stuck a section about unhiding the Tool
Options Dialog.
- Issue #268 floating selection suggestions for stuck novice.
- Issue #140 Another point to getting unstuck (Layer group selected).
images/C/using/gimp-no-tool-dialogs.png | Bin 0 -> 9243 bytes
images/C/using/missing-tool-options.png | Bin 0 -> 14780 bytes
images/C/using/unstuck-layer-group-selected.png | Bin 0 -> 3848 bytes
src/gimp.xml | 4 +-
src/using/getting-unstuck-gui.xml | 113 +++++
src/using/getting-unstuck-intro.xml | 26 ++
src/using/getting-unstuck.xml | 598 ++++++++++++++----------
7 files changed, 498 insertions(+), 243 deletions(-)
---
diff --git a/images/C/using/gimp-no-tool-dialogs.png b/images/C/using/gimp-no-tool-dialogs.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0dae233ef
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/C/using/gimp-no-tool-dialogs.png differ
diff --git a/images/C/using/missing-tool-options.png b/images/C/using/missing-tool-options.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eae4c0aa7
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/C/using/missing-tool-options.png differ
diff --git a/images/C/using/unstuck-layer-group-selected.png b/images/C/using/unstuck-layer-group-selected.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8187bb3f1
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/C/using/unstuck-layer-group-selected.png differ
diff --git a/src/gimp.xml b/src/gimp.xml
index e0c5a68b5..b93b6cbb9 100644
--- a/src/gimp.xml
+++ b/src/gimp.xml
@@ -67,8 +67,10 @@
<xi:include href="tutorial/straight-lines.xml"/>
</chapter>
<chapter id="gimp-getting-unstuck">
- <title>Getting Unstuck</title>
+ <title>What to do if you are stuck</title>
+ <xi:include href="using/getting-unstuck-intro.xml"/>
<xi:include href="using/getting-unstuck.xml"/>
+ <xi:include href="using/getting-unstuck-gui.xml"/>
</chapter>
</part>
<part id="become-a-gimp-wizard">
diff --git a/src/using/getting-unstuck-gui.xml b/src/using/getting-unstuck-gui.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b9a3c2cf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/using/getting-unstuck-gui.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.3//EN"
+ "http://www.docbook.org/xml/4.3/docbookx.dtd";>
+
+<sect1 id="gimp-using-getting-unstuck-gui">
+ <title>How to fix missing windows and dialogs</title>
+
+ <sect2>
+ <title>All tool windows are missing</title>
+ <figure>
+ <title>Tool dialogs are gone (use TAB)</title>
+ <mediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata format="PNG"
+ fileref="images/using/gimp-no-tool-dialogs.png"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <caption>
+ <para>
+ GIMP's main window with hidden tool dialogs using TAB.
+ </para>
+ </caption>
+ </mediaobject>
+ </figure>
+ <para>
+ When you only see the image window and none of the tool windows,
+ you most likely hit <keycap>TAB</keycap> by accident.
+ This is the default shortcut to show or hide all docks.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ To fix this just press <keycap>TAB</keycap> again.
+ Alternatively you can use
+ <menuchoice>
+ <guimenu>Windows</guimenu>
+ <guimenuitem>Hide Docks</guimenuitem>
+ </menuchoice>
+ to toggle between show and hide.
+ </para>
+ <note>
+ <para>
+ Sometimes using <keycap>TAB</keycap> to hide the tool dialogs
+ doesn't work. This happens when the focus is inside the tool dialogs
+ instead of in the image. To remedy this, put the focus on the image,
+ or use the menu command mentioned above.
+ </para>
+ </note>
+ </sect2>
+
+ <sect2>
+ <title>Tool options dialog is missing</title>
+ <figure>
+ <title>Restore missing tool options dialog</title>
+ <mediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata format="PNG"
+ fileref="images/using/missing-tool-options.png"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <caption>
+ <para>
+ Restore missing tool options dialog using the Add Tab menu item.
+ </para>
+ </caption>
+ </mediaobject>
+ </figure>
+ <para>
+ The <link linkend="gimp-tool-options-dialog">Tool Options Dialog</link>
+ can get closed by accident. To get it back click on the little triangle
+ on the top right of the dock. This opens a menu.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ From that menu choose
+ <guimenuitem>Add Tab</guimenuitem> and then
+ <guimenuitem>Tool Options</guimenuitem>.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ You can also use
+ <menuchoice>
+ <guimenu>Windows</guimenu>
+ <guimenuitem>Dockable Dialogs</guimenuitem>
+ <guimenuitem>Tool Options</guimenuitem>
+ </menuchoice>.
+ In this case, the dialog may turn up in a different dock than the one you
+ want. If that happens, grab the tab that says Tool Options and drag it
+ to where you need it.
+ </para>
+ <note>
+ <para>
+ To make sure that this or any other dialog doesn't get moved or
+ closed by accident, you can lock it to the dock it is in. To enable
+ this, click on the little triangle on the top right of the dock.
+ This open a menu where you should choose
+ <guimenuitem>Lock Tab to Dock</guimenuitem> (unless it is already
+ checked).
+ </para>
+ </note>
+ </sect2>
+
+ <sect2>
+ <title>Some of the tool icons are missing</title>
+ <para>
+ Tools with a similar function are now grouped together by default. To
+ see the other icons in a group move your mouse over an icon.
+ Depending on a preferences setting (see below) you can see the other
+ icons in a group by just hovering, or after clicking on the icon.
+ The little triangle in the bottom right corner of tool icons tells
+ us that there are more icons in this group.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ The <link linkend="gimp-prefs-toolbox">Toolbox preferences</link> has
+ an option to disable grouping, but also to change the groups or make
+ new ones.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
+</sect1>
diff --git a/src/using/getting-unstuck-intro.xml b/src/using/getting-unstuck-intro.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1182ec2c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/using/getting-unstuck-intro.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.3//EN"
+ "http://www.docbook.org/xml/4.3/docbookx.dtd";>
+<sect1 id="gimp-using-getting-unstuck-intro">
+ <title>Introduction</title>
+
+ <indexterm>
+ <primary>GIMP</primary>
+ <secondary>Getting Unstuck</secondary>
+ </indexterm>
+
+ <para>
+ All right, okay: you're stuck. You're trying to use one of the tools on
+ an image, and nothing is happening, and nothing you try makes any
+ difference. Your fists are starting to clench, and your face is starting
+ to feel warm. Are you going to have to kill the program, and lose all
+ your work? This sucks!
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ Well, hold on a second. This happens pretty frequently, even to people
+ who've used <acronym>GIMP</acronym> for a long time, but generally the
+ cause is not so hard to figure out and fix if you know where to look.
+ Lets be calm, and go through a checklist that will probably get you
+ GIMPing happily again.
+ </para>
+</sect1>
diff --git a/src/using/getting-unstuck.xml b/src/using/getting-unstuck.xml
index 5865444d6..0180e7920 100644
--- a/src/using/getting-unstuck.xml
+++ b/src/using/getting-unstuck.xml
@@ -11,262 +11,376 @@
2005-11-30 replaced informalfigure by axel.wernicke
-->
<sect1 id="gimp-using-getting-unstuck">
- <title>Getting Unstuck</title>
-
- <indexterm>
- <primary>GIMP</primary>
- <secondary>Getting Unstuck</secondary>
- </indexterm>
+ <title>Common Causes of GIMP Non-Responsiveness</title>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>There is a floating selection</title>
+ <figure>
+ <title>
+ Layers dialog showing a floating selection.
+ </title>
+ <mediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata format="PNG"
+ fileref="images/using/unstuck-floating-sel.png"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <caption>
+ <para>
+ Showing a floating selection that can be achored (
+ <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>L</keycap></keycombo>) or
+ turned into a new layer (
+ <keycombo><keycap>Shift</keycap><keycap>Ctrl</keycap>
+ <keycap>N</keycap></keycombo>).
+ </para>
+ </caption>
+ </mediaobject>
+ </figure>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
+ If there is a floating selection, many actions are impossible
+ until the floating section is anchored.
+ To check, look at the
+ <link linkend="gimp-layer-dialog">Layers Dialog</link>, shortcut
+ <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>L</keycap></keycombo> (making sure
+ it's set to the image you're working on) and see whether the top layer
+ is called <quote>Floating Selection</quote>.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to solve:</emphasis>
+ Right click on the floating selection to open the Layer menu and
+ select either <guimenuitem>Anchor Layer</guimenuitem>
+ (shortcut <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>H</keycap></keycombo>)
+ to anchor the floating selection to the layer below it, or convert it
+ into an ordinary layer by selecting <guimenuitem>To New Layer
+ </guimenuitem> (shortcut <keycombo><keycap>Shift</keycap>
+ <keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>N</keycap></keycombo>).
+ If you need more help on how to do this, see
+ <link linkend="anchor-floating-selection">Floating Selections</link>.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
- <sect2 id="gimp-using-getting-unstuck-general">
- <title>Stuck!</title>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>The selection is hidden</title>
+ <figure>
+ <title>Check "Show Selection"</title>
+ <mediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata format="PNG"
+ fileref="images/using/unstuck-show-selection-menu.png"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <caption>
+ <para>
+ In the View menu, make sure that "Show Selection" is checked.
+ </para>
+ </caption>
+ </mediaobject>
+ </figure>
<para>
- All right, okay: you're stuck. You're trying to use one of the tools on
- an image, and nothing is happening, and nothing you try makes any
- difference. Your fists are starting to clench, and your face is starting
- to feel warm. Are you going to have to kill the program, and lose all
- your work? This sucks!
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
+ If this is the problem, merely reading this will already have made
+ you realize it, probably, but to explain in any case: sometimes
+ the flickering line that outlines the selection is annoying
+ because it makes it hard to see important details of the image, so
+ <acronym>GIMP</acronym> gives you the option of hiding the selection,
+ by unchecking
+ <guimenuitem>Show Selection</guimenuitem>
+ in the <guimenu>View</guimenu>
+ menu. It is easy to forget that you have done this, though.
</para>
<para>
- Well, hold on a second. This happens pretty frequently, even to people
- who've used <acronym>GIMP</acronym> for a long time, but generally the
- cause is not so hard
- to figure out (and fix) if you know where to look. Lets be calm, and
- go through a checklist that will probably get you GIMPing happily again.
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> If this
+ hasn't rung any bells, it isn't the problem, and if it has,
+ you probably know how to fix it, because it doesn't happen
+ unless you explicitly tell it to; but anyway: just go to
+ the <guimenu>View</guimenu> menu for the image and, if
+ <guimenuitem>Show Selection</guimenuitem> is
+ unchecked, click on it..
</para>
</sect2>
- <sect2 id="gimp-using-getting-unstuck-common-causes">
- <title>Common Causes of GIMP Non-Responsiveness</title>
- <sect3>
- <title>There is a floating selection</title>
- <figure>
- <title>
- Layers dialog showing a floating selection.
- </title>
- <mediaobject>
- <imageobject>
- <imagedata format="PNG"
- fileref="images/using/unstuck-floating-sel.png"/>
- </imageobject>
- </mediaobject>
- </figure>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
- If there is a floating selection, many actions are impossible
- until the floating section is anchored.
- To check, look at the Layers dialog (making
- sure it's set to the image you're working on) and see whether the
- top layer is called <quote>Floating Selection</quote>.
- </para>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>You are acting outside the selection</title>
+ <figure>
+ <title>Fix selection using the "Select" menu</title>
+ <mediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata format="PNG"
+ fileref="images/using/unstuck-select-all.png"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <caption>
+ <para>
+ From the Select menu choose <quote>All</quote> to make sure that
+ everything is selected, choose <quote>None</quote> to remove
+ the selection, or <quote>Invert</quote> to invert the selected
+ area.
+ </para>
+ </caption>
+ </mediaobject>
+ </figure>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
+ You may have previously selected a part of your image, but now you are
+ trying to work on another part that is not inside the selection. Look
+ for the selection outline and check if it is where you want it to be.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis>
+ There are a couple of possibilities.
+ </para>
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ If you can't see any selection, there may be a very small one, or
+ it is outside the visible area on your screen, or it can even be one
+ that contains no pixels. If this is the case just remove the selection:
+ <menuchoice>
+ <guimenu>Select</guimenu>
+ <guimenuitem>None</guimenuitem>
+ </menuchoice>
+ or use the shortcut: <keycombo><keycap>Shift</keycap><keycap>Ctrl</keycap>
+ <keycap>A</keycap></keycombo>.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ If you can see a selection and thought you were inside it, it might
+ be inverted from what you think. The easiest way to tell is to hit the
+ <link linkend="gimp-image-window-qmask-button">Quick Mask</link> button:
+ the selected area will be clear and the unselected area will be masked.
+ If this is the problem, you can solve it by choosing <quote>Invert
+ </quote> in the <guimenu>Select</guimenu> menu (after turning the
+ <quote>Quick Mask</quote> off if you still have that enabled).
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
+ <note>
<para>
- <emphasis>How to solve:</emphasis>
- Either anchor the floating selection, or convert it into an
- ordinary (non-floating) layer. If you need help on how to do this,
- see <link linkend="anchor-floating-selection">
- Floating Selections
- </link>.
+ If doing this has destroyed a selection that you wanted to keep, use
+ <quote>Undo</quote> (<keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>Z</keycap></keycombo>)
+ to restore it, and then we can continue to figure out what the problem is.
</para>
- </sect3>
+ </note>
+ </sect2>
- <sect3>
- <title>The selection is hidden</title>
- <figure>
- <title>Unstuck show selection menu</title>
- <mediaobject>
- <imageobject>
- <imagedata format="PNG"
- fileref="images/using/unstuck-show-selection-menu.png"/>
- </imageobject>
- <caption>
- <para>
- In the View menu, make sure that "Show Selection" is checked.
- </para>
- </caption>
- </mediaobject>
- </figure>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
- If this is the problem, merely reading this will already have made
- you realize it, probably, but to explain in any case: sometimes
- the flickering line that outlines the selection is annoying
- because it makes it hard to see important details of the image, so
- <acronym>GIMP</acronym> gives you the option of hiding the selection,
- by unchecking
- <guimenuitem>Show Selection</guimenuitem>
- in the <guimenu>View</guimenu>
- menu. It is easy to forget that you have done this, though.
- </para>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> If this
- hasn't rung any bells, it isn't the problem, and if it has,
- you probably know how to fix it, because it doesn't happen
- unless you explicitly tell it to; but anyway: just go to
- the <guimenu>View</guimenu> menu for the image and, if
- <guimenuitem>Show Selection</guimenuitem> is
- unchecked, click on it..
- </para>
- </sect3>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>The active drawable is not visible</title>
+ <figure>
+ <title>Layer is invisible</title>
+ <mediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata format="PNG"
+ fileref="images/using/unstuck-layers-dialog-invislayer.png"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <caption>
+ <para>
+ Layers dialog with visibility off for the active layer.
+ </para>
+ </caption>
+ </mediaobject>
+ </figure>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
+ The Layers dialog gives you ability to toggle the visibility of
+ each layer on or off. Look at the
+ <link linkend="gimp-layer-dialog">Layers Dialog</link>, and see if
+ the layer you are trying to work on is active (i.e., darkened) and
+ has an eye symbol to the left of it. If not, this is your problem.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis>
+ If your intended target layer is not active, click on it in the Layers
+ dialog to activate it. If none of the layers are active, the
+ active drawable might be a channel—you can look at the
+ <link linkend="gimp-channel-dialog">Channels dialog</link> to see.
+ This does not change the solution, though.
+ If the eye symbol is not visible, click in the Layers dialog at the left
+ edge to toggle it: this should make the layer visible. See the Help
+ section for the
+ <link linkend="gimp-layer-dialog">Layers Dialog</link> if you need more
+ help.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
- <sect3>
- <title>You are acting outside of the selection</title>
- <figure>
- <title>Unstuck select all</title>
- <mediaobject>
- <imageobject>
- <imagedata format="PNG"
- fileref="images/using/unstuck-select-all.png"/>
- </imageobject>
- <caption>
- <para>
- Click <quote>All</quote>
- in the Select menu to make sure that everything is selected.
- </para>
- </caption>
- </mediaobject>
- </figure>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis>
- If doing this has destroyed a selection that you wanted to keep, hit
- <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>Z</keycap></keycombo>
- (undo) a couple of times to restore it, and then we'll figure
- out what the problem is. There are a couple of possibilities. If you
- couldn't see any selection, there may have been a very tiny one, or
- even one that contained no pixels. If this was the case, it surely is
- not a selection that you wanted to keep, so why have you gotten this
- far in the first place? If you can see a selection but thought you
- were inside it, it might be inverted from what you think. The easiest
- way to tell is to hit the Quick Mask button: the selected area will be
- clear and the unselected area will be masked. If this was the problem,
- then you can solve it by toggling Quick Mask off and choosing Invert
- in the <guimenu>Select</guimenu> menu.
- </para>
- </sect3>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>The active drawable is transparent</title>
+ <figure>
+ <title>Layer opacity set to zero</title>
+ <mediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata format="PNG"
+ fileref="images/using/unstuck-layers-dialog-transparentlayer.png"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <caption>
+ <para>
+ Layers dialog with opacity set to zero for the active layer.
+ </para>
+ </caption>
+ </mediaobject>
+ </figure>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
+ When the opacity of a layer is 0, you cannot see anything you draw on it.
+ Look at the <guilabel>Opacity</guilabel> slider at the top of the
+ <link linkend="gimp-layer-dialog">Layers Dialog</link> and check the
+ value next to it. If it is 0 or another very low value, that is your
+ problem.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> Move or click on the slider to change
+ it to the desired value.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
- <sect3>
- <title>The active drawable is not visible</title>
- <figure>
- <title>Unstuck layer invisibility</title>
- <mediaobject>
- <imageobject>
- <imagedata format="PNG"
- fileref="images/using/unstuck-layers-dialog-invislayer.png"/>
- </imageobject>
- <caption>
- <para>
- Layers dialog with visibility off for the active layer.
- </para>
- </caption>
- </mediaobject>
- </figure>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
- The Layers dialog gives you ability to toggle the visibility of
- each layer on or off. Look at the Layers dialog, and see if
- the layer you are trying to act on is active (i.e., darkened) and
- has an eye symbol to the left of it. If not, this is your problem.
- </para>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis>
- If your intended target layer is not active, click on it in the Layers
- dialog to activate it. (If none of the layers are active, the
- active drawable might be a channel -- you can look at the Channels tab
- in the Layers dialog to see. This does not change the solution,
- though.) If the eye symbol does not appear, click in the Layers dialog
- at the left edge to toggle it: this should make the layer visible. See
- the Help section for the
- <link linkend="gimp-layer-dialog">Layers Dialog</link>
- if you need more help.
- </para>
- </sect3>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>You are trying to act outside the layer</title>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
+ In <acronym>GIMP</acronym>, layers don't need to have the same
+ dimensions as the image: they can be larger or smaller. If you try to
+ paint outside the borders of a layer, nothing happens. To see if this is
+ the case, look for a black-and-yellow dashed rectangle that does
+ not enclose the area you're trying to draw at.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis>
+ You need to enlarge the layer. There are two commands near the bottom of
+ the <guimenu>Layer</guimenu> menu that will let you do this:
+ <guimenuitem>Layer to Image Size</guimenuitem>, which sets the layer
+ bounds to match the image borders; and
+ <guimenuitem>Layer Boundary Size</guimenuitem>, which brings up a dialog
+ that allows you to set the layer dimensions to whatever you please.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
- <sect3>
- <title>The active drawable is transparent</title>
- <figure>
- <title>Unstuck layer transparency</title>
- <mediaobject>
- <imageobject>
- <imagedata format="PNG"
- fileref="images/using/unstuck-layers-dialog-transparentlayer.png"/>
- </imageobject>
- <caption>
- <para>
- Layers dialog with opacity set to zero for the active layer.
- </para>
- </caption>
- </mediaobject>
- </figure>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
- When the opacity is set 0 on the layer, you cannot see anything which
- you draw on it. Look the <guilabel>Opacity</guilabel> slider,
- and see which side the slider placed at. If it is at the leftmost side,
- that is your problem.
- </para>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> Move the slider.
- </para>
- </sect3>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>You are trying to act on a layer group</title>
+ <figure>
+ <title>Layer group selected</title>
+ <mediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata format="PNG"
+ fileref="images/using/unstuck-layer-group-selected.png"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <caption>
+ <para>
+ Layers dialog where a layer group is selected.
+ </para>
+ </caption>
+ </mediaobject>
+ </figure>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
+ Check the <link linkend="gimp-layer-dialog">Layers Dialog</link> to
+ see if the active layer is actually a
+ <link linkend="gimp-layer-groups">Layer group</link>. If it is, it will
+ have a <guibutton>+</guibutton> or <guibutton>-</guibutton> sign before
+ its name and icon. Most actions don't work on a layer group, in which
+ case an error message will show up: <quote>Cannot paint on layer
+ groups.</quote>
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis>
+ You need to make a layer active that is not a layer group. Select a layer
+ by clicking it in the Layers Dialog. If the active layer group has a
+ <guibutton>+</guibutton> sign in front of it, it is collapsed. You can
+ click it to expand and show the individual layers inside that group.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
- <sect3>
- <title>You are trying to act outside the layer</title>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis>
- In <acronym>GIMP</acronym>, layers don't need to have the same
- dimensions as the
- image: they can be larger or smaller. If you try to paint outside
- the borders of a layer, nothing happens. To see if this is
- happening, look for a black-and-yellow dashed rectangle that does
- not enclose the area you're trying to draw at.
- </para>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis>
- You need to enlarge the layer. There are two commands at the bottom of
- the Layer menu that will let you do this: Layer to Image Size, which
- sets the layer bounds to match the image borders; and Layer Boundary
- Size, which brings up a dialog that allows you to set the layer
- dimensions to whatever you please.
- </para>
- </sect3>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>The image is in indexed color mode.</title>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis> <acronym>GIMP</acronym> can handle
+ three different color modes:
+ <link linkend="glossary-colormodel">RGB(A), Grayscale and Indexed</link>.
+ The indexed color mode uses a colormap, where all colors used in the
+ image are indexed. The
+ <link linkend="gimp-tool-color-picker">color picker</link> in
+ <acronym>GIMP</acronym> however, lets you choose RGB colors.
+ That means, if you try to paint with a different color than is indexed
+ in the colormap, you can end up with the wrong color.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> If possible, use the RGB color mode to
+ paint on images. You can verify and select another color mode from the
+ <link linkend="gimp-image-mode">Mode</link> menuitem in the
+ <guimenu>Image</guimenu> menu. If you need to use indexed mode you can
+ pick the color you want to use from the
+ <link linkend="gimp-indexed-palette-dialog">Colormap Dialog</link>.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
- <sect3>
- <title>The image is in indexed color mode.</title>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis><acronym>GIMP</acronym> can handle
- three different color modes:
- <link linkend="glossary-colormodel">RGB(A), Indexed and Grayscale</link>.
- The indexed colormode uses a colormap,
- where all used colors on the image are indexed. The
- <link linkend="gimp-tool-color-picker">color picker</link> in
- <acronym>GIMP</acronym> however, let you choose RGB colors.
- That means, if you try to paint with a different color than
- it is indexed in the colormap, you end up in very
- undetermined results (e.g. it paints with the wrong color or
- you can't paint).
- </para>
- <para>
- <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> Always use the
- RGB Color mode to paint on images. You can verify and select
- another color mode from the
- <link linkend="gimp-image-mode">Mode</link> menuitem in the
- <guimenu>Image</guimenu> menu.
- </para>
- </sect3>
-
- <sect3><!--Bug #742256 2015-08-30-->
- <title>Eraser and brushes no longer work</title>
- <para>
- You have selected the clipboard brush and the clipboard is empty.
- </para>
- <figure>
- <title>Empty Clipboard Brush</title>
- <mediaobject>
- <imageobject>
- <imagedata format="PNG"
- fileref="images/using/empty-clipboard-brush.png"/>
- </imageobject>
- </mediaobject>
- </figure>
- </sect3>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>No visible effect when trying to use a brush, eraser or other tool</title>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis> You are trying to use the brush or eraser
+ but you are not seeing anything changing.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> Check the
+ <link linkend="gimp-tool-options-dialog">Tool Options</link> and make sure
+ that <guimenuitem>Opacity</guimenuitem> is not set to 0.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
+
+ <sect2><!--Bug #742256 2015-08-30-->
+ <title>Eraser and brushes no longer work</title>
+ <para>
+ You have selected the clipboard brush and the clipboard is empty.
+ </para>
+ <figure>
+ <title>Empty Clipboard Brush</title>
+ <mediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata format="PNG"
+ fileref="images/using/empty-clipboard-brush.png"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ </mediaobject>
+ </figure>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis> You are trying to use a brush or the
+ eraser and nothing is happening.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> Check the
+ <link linkend="gimp-brush-dialog">Brush Dialog</link> to see which
+ brush is currently in use. If it is the Clipboard Brush and it shows
+ an empty rectangle then select a different brush to use.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
+
+ <sect2><!--Bug #742256 2015-08-30-->
+ <title>Eraser does not make area transparent</title>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis> You are trying to use the eraser to
+ remove all color but instead of a transparent area appearing it turns
+ into the background color (usually white).
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> Check the active layer in the
+ <link linkend="gimp-layer-dialog">Layers Dialog</link>: right click on it
+ to open a menu and see if <guimenuitem>Add Alpha Channel</guimenuitem> is
+ enabled. If it is, then your layer has no alpha channel: click that
+ menu item to add an alpha channel. With that fixed, you will be able
+ to erase to transparency.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
+
+ <sect2>
+ <title>Unexpected colors when trying to use a brush or eraser</title>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to tell:</emphasis> You are trying to use the brush or
+ eraser but the outcome is not as you expected.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>How to fix:</emphasis> Check whether the layer you are painting
+ on has a <link linkend="gimp-layer-mask">Layer Mask</link>. If there is,
+ you may be painting on the Layer Mask instead of the Layer itself. In that
+ case click the Layer to make that the active painting area.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ Another similar possibility is that a Channel is active instead of a
+ Layer. In that case click a layer in the Layers Dialog to make a layer
+ active.
+ </para>
</sect2>
</sect1>
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