New GIMP Release Has Working Single-Window Mode

[liam]

All new things require polish. It was ever so There was a plan to add even more features to further justify the optional single-window mode, but the functional spec wasn't ready in time for 2.8 development cycle, that's all.

As for classic toolbars, the UI folks make vertical space a priority due to dominance of 16:9 and 16:10 displays.

Finally, it's not just "taking the existing docks and stapling them to the main window". Quite a few things have changed in the docking infrastructure. Most visibly, you can now docks stuff sideways, not just top and bottom. Also, there are some changes in widgets with intention to make things more compact and useful.

You sound like you follow the development pretty closely. Do you know what the plan is for gtk3?

Best/Liam

[liam]

I'll have dialogs I don't use very much on the next desktop.



Some are broken. Kwin had issues with Gimp's hint last time I looked (for example). Windows would get mixed up with other windows from other applications. I don't know if they fixed it not since then. It was a while ago.



In practice it was pretty miserable. Each to their own, though.

You should be able to close windows/menus you don't use.
Certainly WM hints are not equally implemented everywhere. Good point. If you don't mind me asking, what WM do you use?
As for WXP WM, it seemed pretty full featured for a WM which nearly every *nixer dismissed as crap. I won't argue as to the ability/lack-there-of to assign keystrokes which would make it less usable, however.

Best/Liam

[prokoudine]

Well, it's good that issue is already fixed! However the UI really needs a ton of work. Somehow, even not counting those maximize/unmaximize issues, single-window mode doesn't feel right. Just taking the existing docks and stapling them to the main window doesn't work very well. A few classic toolbars would probably be a better approach. I was hoping the single-window mode would be an awesome new feature, but instead I ended up going back to multi-window mode.

All new things require polish. It was ever so There was a plan to add even more features to further justify the optional single-window mode, but the functional spec wasn't ready in time for 2.8 development cycle, that's all.

As for classic toolbars, the UI folks make vertical space a priority due to dominance of 16:9 and 16:10 displays.

Finally, it's not just "taking the existing docks and stapling them to the main window". Quite a few things have changed in the docking infrastructure. Most visibly, you can now docks stuff sideways, not just top and bottom. Also, there are some changes in widgets with intention to make things more compact and useful.

[devius]

Ah, I take it as fixing a related issue should offend you even more.

Well, it's good that issue is already fixed! However the UI really needs a ton of work. Somehow, even not counting those maximize/unmaximize issues, single-window mode doesn't feel right. Just taking the existing docks and stapling them to the main window doesn't work very well. A few classic toolbars would probably be a better approach. I was hoping the single-window mode would be an awesome new feature, but instead I ended up going back to multi-window mode.

PS: Haven't tried the newer 2.7.3 version. This is my opinion on how things were with 2.7.2

[prokoudine]

Yep, this almost feels like they broke single-window mode on purpose, almost like "Hey, you want single-window mode?? Here you go, you annoying pricks! Now try to use it even though we made it constantly change it's own size on every single file open/close operation! Bwahahahahaha".

Ah, I take it as fixing a related issue should offend you even more.

[devius]

ua=42: Window changing size without permission, window leaving fullscreen without permision, etc.

Yep, this almost feels like they broke single-window mode on purpose, almost like "Hey, you want single-window mode?? Here you go, you annoying pricks! Now try to use it even though we made it constantly change it's own size on every single file open/close operation! Bwahahahahaha". Multi-window mode is actually a whole lot better than single window mode in its current state. And what about the huge ass icons/tiles that adorn the open file tabs? Version 2.7 so far feels like a regression to me.

PS: Steve K is right for the most part. Right now, apart from UI issues, GIMP only needs a handful of features to become very competitive in the photo editing business.

[prokoudine]

do the GIMP UI developers even know what a tear-off menu is?

Dear Steve,

We invented it.

Sincerely yours,
GIMP team

[drag]

People say this, but I haven't seen the window manager that makes it easier to use GIMP in native mode on a small single screen. Honestly, I don't see the advantage of separate windows without multiple monitors.

I'll have dialogs I don't use very much on the next desktop.

Most WM do the same things, take the same hints.

Some are broken. Kwin had issues with Gimp's hint last time I looked (for example). Windows would get mixed up with other windows from other applications. I don't know if they fixed it not since then. It was a while ago.

As for Windows, XP had a damn good WM 10 years ago. It let you group windows in the window list, offset stacking, tiling (horizontal/vertical and fit, IIRC). That's not too bad, IMHO.

In practice it was pretty miserable. Each to their own, though.

[movieman]

If multiple windows were such a great idea, Gimp wouldn't be the only program using them. I can't think of any other program I run which splatters multiple windows all over the screen and forces them to the front so that I end up with about a quarter of the screen available to actually see the image I'm working with.

The current Gimp UI is an abomination. Maybe it's better if you have multiple windows and use it all day, but I absolutely hate it... just not quite enough to boot into Windows so I can use something better instead.

[liam]

*shrug* Single window mode is for people with shitty window managers.


take Photoshop as a example...
Photoshop for OS X uses multiple separate windows.
Photoshop for Windows uses single big window.

Single Window mode is more about making Windows users happy then anything else, IMO.

People say this, but I haven't seen the window manager that makes it easier to use GIMP in native mode on a small single screen. Honestly, I don't see the advantage of separate windows without multiple monitors.
Most WM do the same things, take the same hints.
As for Windows, XP had a damn good WM 10 years ago. It let you group windows in the window list, offset stacking, tiling (horizontal/vertical and fit, IIRC). That's not too bad, IMHO.

Best/Liam