Re: [Gimp-user] Two Suggestions I want Implemented in Future Release

[Steve Kinney <admin pilobilus net>]

On 07/13/2017 01:08 PM, RackAttack wrote:
> I just made an account here, to put forth these two suggestions:
>
> I use Gimp to "paint" - like computer art.
>
> And I would like to see this implemented or at least have as a selectable
> option:
>
> MOUSE WHEEL:
>
> 1.) The roll in and out feature - I'd rather just have as a "brush thickness"
> feature that I could change on the fly while stroking on the canvas.  In other
> words, the mouse wheel roll in and out which changes the zoom, I'd rather it
> change the brush thickness.  So I could, in the same stroke, apply a line and
> roll the mouse wheel forward for it to be thicker or back to make the line
> thinner.  That would be much more useful than the zoom feature (which I could
> use + or - for very easily already).

THAT we can do right now.  Brush hardness and size can be changed on the
fly with mouse wheel + keyboard commands.  The user does have to
configure them though.  From an earlier message:

A GIMP VBR variable brush scales with "perfect" resolution and has
adjustable hardness because it is a vector, not a bitmap.  The VBR
brushes available in the basic set included with the GIMP did not suit
me, so I made a few of my own:  A circle, four ellipses with different
orientations, a square and a diamond.  Making them with the GIMP brush
editor is trivially easy, but here they are for e-z download and
installation:

http://pilobilus.net/xfer/brushes.png

http://pilobilus.net/xfer/Variable-Brushes.zip

Just extract the brushes into your local ./.gimp2.8/brushes/ directory
(or wherever yours is located), start the GIMP and open the brushes
dialog:  If you have not named any other brushes with strings of leading
zeroes, the seven new variable brushes should be at the top of the list.
(If you want them elsewhere, rename them; the GIMP sorts brushes
alphabetically by file name.)

A set of general purpose GIMP variable brushes is only useful if you can
"vary" them on demand.  For that, configure this:

Go to Edit > Preferences > Input Controllers.  Double click Main Mouse
Wheel in the right pane in the dialog window to open its configuration
dialog.  You can chose other keyboard combinations if desired, these
work well for me:

Find the Scroll Up (Alt) item in the list.  Double click on it to change
the default setting if any, and use the search box to find "Increase
Brush Size."  Double click this item in the list to set it.  The top
dialog box will close, leaving the General - Mouse Wheel one open.

As above, find and set the following options:

Scroll Down (Alt) - Increase Brush Size
Scroll Down (Alt) - Decrease Brush Size
Scroll Up (Ctrl-Alt) - Decrease Hardness
Scroll Down (Ctrl-Alt) - Increase Hardness

That's it:  Close out of the configuration menu and check out the
variable brushes by painting in black on a white canvas:  I find the
keyboard command options I list easy to remember and and use.  Your
mileage may vary and if so, you can choose different keyboard and mouse
wheel combinations.

I find the set of brushes provided above ideal for generic use (round),
getting into tight corners (the ovals), and following rectilinear
contours (the square & diamond).  You may want different brushes; check
out the GIMP brush editor and soon you will be making variable brushes
suited to your unique needs.

> 2.)  Some mice have either a mouse wheel that can "tilt" (click side-to-side). 
> For that feature, I'd like it to change the brush angle.  If some people who do
> not have a tilt-wheel mouse, maybe you can use extra buttons like the browser
> forward or browser back buttons that appear on some mice as an alternative brush
> angle selector for those without a tilt-wheel mouse.

That one's beyond scope for me; I rarely even play with brush dynamics.
But the VBR brush set mentioned above may be of some use.

:o)