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GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

This discussion is connected to the gimp-developer-list.gnome.org mailing list which is provided by the GIMP developers and not related to gimpusers.com.

This is a read-only list on gimpusers.com so this discussion thread is read-only, too.

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GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization Michael Schumacher 04 Nov 21:55
  GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization Sven Neumann 05 Nov 09:08
GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization Michael Grosberg 05 Nov 11:23
  GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization Esteban Barahona 05 Nov 18:09
  GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization jernej@ena.si 05 Nov 20:02
   GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization Richard Hirner 05 Nov 21:38
    GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization Sven Neumann 06 Nov 08:56
    GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization jernej@ena.si 06 Nov 15:21
     GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization Michael Grosberg 06 Nov 19:45
      GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization jernej@ena.si 06 Nov 21:45
Michael Schumacher
2007-11-04 21:55:26 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

My suggestion for GIMP 2.6 - and the only thing I feel able to contribute to - is the reorganization of the user directory.

Currently, the configuration (*.rc) and resources (brushes, scripts, ...) are stored into a .gimp-x.y dir in the users HOME.

There are a few general problems with this approach, though:

- the directory is hard to reach, either because it is hidden (on unixoid systems) or at a place that is hard to access (USERPROFILE on Windows).

- while there's no big problem with the rc files being in a hidden directory (except for a few obscure options, we got an ui for them), this is bad for scripts, brushes, patterns, plugins, etc which are installed and modified by the user more frequently

There are also some platform-specific problems:

- on Windows, the actual user profile directory itself is almost meaningless to the user (and the administrator, as far as backups are concerned). The various subdirectories are far more interesting.

* the configuration is expected to be in APPDATA\ * all files the user cares about are (or should) be located in the My Documents (yes, I know that this is localized and can be obtained in another way) directory
* some files should be located in Local Settings (usually excluded from backups)

We do have some bug reports about it, providing suggestions and some background info. I'll need any information about any changes on Vista and about anything special on OS X.

The proposed steps are:

- categorize the existing directories into

* hidden config * visible user stuff
* local stuff (i.e. not part of roaming profiles)

- decide about the best directory for each group, per platform

- implement any changes necessary to have the files there (i.e. set the right paths during user install, provide new variables for the global rc templates, ...)

There is a project called CREATE which does have a spec for resource/asset directory organization, I hope to be able to use it for the visible user stuff, at least.

Regards, Michael

Sven Neumann
2007-11-05 09:08:43 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

Hi,

On Sun, 2007-11-04 at 21:55 +0100, Michael Schumacher wrote:

There is a project called CREATE which does have a spec for resource/asset directory organization, I hope to be able to use it for the visible user stuff, at least.

I suggest that you also have a look at the basedir specification at freedesktop.org. There are already utility functions in GLib to access these and other directories. If the XDG spec collides with the Create spec, then this collision should be resolved first.

Sven

Michael Grosberg
2007-11-05 11:23:55 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

Michael Schumacher gmx.de> writes:

My suggestion for GIMP 2.6 - and the only thing I feel able to contribute to - is the reorganization of the user directory.

Not sure about the standards on Linux, but in Windows, if we take a hint from the likes of Adobe or Autodesk, user-modifiable program resources (such as: brushes, maps, plugins, gradients, etc) are either in C:\program files\appname\whatever or in C:\Documents and Settings\username\application data\appname\whatever.

For photoshop, both are used - resources that come with the app are in the program files folder, and user-saved settings are in the application data folder.

Putting resources in the user's "my documents" folder is bad form - this is a folder for *documents*, not resources.

Esteban Barahona
2007-11-05 18:09:22 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

2007/11/5, Michael Grosberg :

Michael Schumacher gmx.de> writes:

My suggestion for GIMP 2.6 - and the only thing I feel able to contribute to - is the reorganization of the user directory.

Not sure about the standards on Linux, but in Windows, if we take a hint from the likes of Adobe or Autodesk, user-modifiable program resources (such as: brushes, maps, plugins, gradients, etc) are either in C:\program files\appname\whatever or in C:\Documents and Settings\username\application data\appname\whatever.

For photoshop, both are used - resources that come with the app are in the program files folder, and user-saved settings are in the application data folder.

Putting resources in the user's "my documents" folder is bad form - this is a folder for *documents*, not resources.

jernej@ena.si
2007-11-05 20:02:10 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

On Monday, November 5, 2007, 11:23:55, Michael Grosberg wrote:

Putting resources in the user's "my documents" folder is bad form - this is a folder for *documents*, not resources.

While I agree that putting resources in My Documents is a bad thing, the problem with Application Data is that it's a hidden folder, which normally isn't accessible.

Richard Hirner
2007-11-05 21:38:52 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

On Mon, Nov 05, 2007 at 08:02:10PM +0100, jernej@ena.si wrote:

While I agree that putting resources in My Documents is a bad thing, the problem with Application Data is that it's a hidden folder, which normally isn't accessible.

What about an option somewhere in the GIMP menus: "Open brushes folder" which opens the appropriate folder with Explorer / Nautilus / whatever needed?

Sven Neumann
2007-11-06 08:56:37 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

Hi,

On Mon, 2007-11-05 at 20:38 +0000, Richard Hirner wrote:

What about an option somewhere in the GIMP menus: "Open brushes folder" which opens the appropriate folder with Explorer / Nautilus / whatever needed?

There can be more than one brush folder.

Sven

jernej@ena.si
2007-11-06 15:21:18 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

On Monday, November 5, 2007, 21:38:52, Richard Hirner wrote:

What about an option somewhere in the GIMP menus: "Open brushes folder" which opens the appropriate folder with Explorer / Nautilus / whatever needed?

That would be one solution.

Michael Grosberg
2007-11-06 19:45:16 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

On Tue, 2007-11-06 at 15:21 +0100, jernej@ena.si wrote:

On Monday, November 5, 2007, 21:38:52, Richard Hirner wrote:

What about an option somewhere in the GIMP menus: "Open brushes folder" which opens the appropriate folder with Explorer / Nautilus / whatever needed?

That would be one solution.

Better yet, just put it in the program files folder. This is the Windows "norm" for such files.

Jernej, it was suggested here that the Gimp for Windows page could be updated to use the new Gimp.org look. Can I be of help with that?

Michael

jernej@ena.si
2007-11-06 21:45:34 UTC (about 17 years ago)

GIMP 2.6: user directory reorganization

On Tuesday, November 6, 2007, 19:45:16, Michael Grosberg wrote:

Better yet, just put it in the program files folder. This is the Windows "norm" for such files.

No, it isn't. User's files belong to the user's profile directory - not just that, but you can't write to Program Files as a normal user at all (this is especially enforced in Vista, where even Administrators are normally running with reduced privileges, unless the program specifically requested to be elevated, and user clicked away the UAC prompt).

Jernej, it was suggested here that the Gimp for Windows page could be updated to use the new Gimp.org look. Can I be of help with that?

I won't mind - web design just isn't my forte :)