GIMP WISHES
(trivial but effective changes)

I am using GIMP daily for my professional work. I have collected few
things. They are similar to TODO list, but delibrate it contains only
those with low programming effort and very significant raise of user
effectivity, and can be simply done by the "right man", who
understands good the proper code.

(please Cc replies to my e-mail)

I18n wishes:
============
-- Please do anything with the fact, that main panel menu with default
   GTK theme can contain exactly 15 letters. Too few for three items in
   most languages.

-- Other problem is about translating some splitted messages to many
   languages (gender problems etc.) Example with Czech:
   Free = Volny (Selection)
   Free = Volna (Curve)
   Brush = Stetec (Brush as tool)
   Brush = Stopa (Brush as stroke)
   See end of mail for possible (and trivial) gettext solution.

GTK look and feel:
==================
Filerequester:
-- If file requester have already some file choosen, don't clear this default
   when changing directory.
-- Add a way to return to current directory (probably in path
   selector add two extra items: "Current" and "Home").


Tools and their usage (sorted in degree of usefullity, from most to less):
======================

-- Accurate Cursor Look as alternative to symbolic ones (cursor look
   selectable in preferences dialog).
    _|_ note empty center of Accurate cursor.
     |  GTK_CROSSHAIR is NOT a good solution.
   In future maybe also alternative Cursor Look
   "From brush". (TODO lines 247-252, 305-307)

-- Add Save / Load (/ Last) buttons, at least in following tools:
   Color Balance, Hue-Saturation (, Brightness-Contrast,
   Threshold, Filter Pack...)
   User have currently three alternatives: write scripts for all
   operations, have lots of small papers with levels and balances for
   different stuff of perfectly remember them ;-)
   (Save / Load Done already in Curves and Levels. Big thanks!)
   For previous, it's potentially simple to save optionally Levels,
   Color Balance etc. in curves format.

-- More text entries for accurate entering of value, at least on
   these places: Select by Color Threshold; Layer, Brush and Channel
   opacity.

-- Jpeg: There is a problem to guess compression and some save options
   from jpeg data. So we load image compressed in 98% quality,
   and consequent Save will default to 75% quality.
   Possible solution: Look whether other applications use
   some APP marker to save info about compression quality
   and other information (float/integer algorithm), which can't be
   read from jpeg in other way.

-- Curves tool: If pointer is in drag area of any point, it would be useful
   to display its old position.

-- Save/Load Tool options on exit, and probably allow saving/loading
   tool options to/from different files.

-- Four point or eight point (xv style) crop tool usage (and maybe
   tuneable rectangle / circle select).

-- Scale image: add new option: "Lock resolution and scale" for
   un/locking of ratio and resolution will save calculating.
   -- If checked, changing resolution will cause scale change and not
      affect print size.
   -- If unchecked, changing resolution will cause only print size
      change.

-- Allow Install dialog (or at least monitor resolution calibrating
   and directory info) to be opened also after install.

-- "Save Flattened As..." (in behavior of "Save As..." It is not
   sufficient in all cases to have Export dialog with such option,
   (tiff allows channels, but one often needs to export flattened tiff
   etc.)

-- Layers -> "Load Layer(s)" (from file)

-- Allow rotated elliptical end rectangular selection (TODO lines 334-339).

-- Threshold: add "Auto" for optimal enthropic threshold

-- Plug-ins: add specialised powerfull plugin or script for
   descreening of scanned images. Currently good and fast solution is
   scan at 600 DPI -> scale to required size -> despeckle (3,0,256, sometimes
   repeated 2-3x)


-------------

Ad translation problem:

|   2. Gettext problem.
|      Sometimes you absolutelly need to translate same message differently.

Tell it the programmers; they will have to add "prifixes" to make the
strings different; e.g.:

From: Karl Eichwalder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: gettext
To: Zbigniew Chyla <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: 28 Sep 1999 07:02:12 +0200

Zbigniew Chyla <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:

|   Here's much better solution (real code ;):
|
|   #define __(s) (strchr(_(s), ':') + 1)
|   (put this macro definition somewhere in gnome-libs)
|   ...
|
|    puts(__("1:Name"));
|    ...
|    puts(__("2:Name"));

-- 
Stanislav Brabec

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