##G'MIC Frequently Asked Questions
- Linux, Gimp Plugin: gmic_gimp_linux32.zip or gmic_gimp_version_linux32.zip
- Linux, Standalone (Console): gmic_static_version_linux32.zip
- Windows Installer, Gimp Plugin: gmic_gimp_win32.exe or gmic_gimp_version_win32.exe
- Windows ZIP (Manual Install), Gimp Plugin: gmic_version_win32.zip
- Windows ZIP (Manual Install), Gimp Plugin & Standalone (Console): gmic_version_win32_64.zip
- Mac OSX Mountain Lion, Gimp Plugin: Macgmic_version_macosx_MountainLion.dmg
- Mac OSX Lion & Snow Leopard, Gimp Plugin: Macgmic_version_macosx_Lion.dmg
- Mac OSX Leopard, Gimp Plugin: Macgmic_version_macosx_Leopard.dmg
- Source Code: gmic_version.tar.gz
For 64 bit versions look for the same file name but ending in 64
GIMP (http://www.gimp.org) is an open-source painting and image retouching software which can be extended with additional 'plug-ins'. G'MIC provides such a plug-in, named 'gmic_gimp'. To install the G'MIC plug-in for GIMP, you have to copy all the downloaded files and sub-folder into the plug-in folder of your GIMP installation.
This is usually located at:
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on Unix: '$HOME/.gimp-2.x/plug-ins/' (for local installation), or 'usr/lib/gimp/2.0/plug-ins/' (for global installation).
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on Windows: 'C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.x\lib\gimp\2.0\plugins' (for global installation All Users). or 'C:\Users%USERNAME%.gimp-2.8\plug-ins' (for a local single-user install)
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on MacOSX: '$HOME/Library/Application\ Support/Gimp/plug-ins/' (for installation from GimponOSX Gimp 2.6). '$HOME/Library/GIMP/2.8/plug-ins/' (for installation from GimponOSX Gimp 2.8+).
Note:
Because filters are in an menu they're grayed-out if you don't open a picture.
The "_gmic" sub-folder is needed to download updated filters from the internet.
You can check which plug-in folders are active under Edit/Preferences in GIMP.
The ".dll" files are Windows dynamic link libraries, they are supplied because they are required.
Windows
Programs come in two versions, Windows XP can only work with 32-bit, Windows 7 can work with either 32-bit or 64-bit. But a "plugin" must be compatible to plug into the version - so a 64-bit plugin cannot work with a 32-bit GIMP progam.
- Windows 7 users need to check which version of GIMP they use. GIMP 2.8 should be the same as the operating system, so 64-bit on Windows 7, you need the 64-bit plugin.
(if you use old GIMP version 2.7 or lower, probably you will need gmic_gimp_win32.exe instead)
- Windows XP users always use gmic_gimp_win32.exe
To install you unzip the download into a separate folder and copy files and the _gmic subfolder containing curl to one of these locations:
- For all users: C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins
- For Win7 current user: C:\Users%USERNAME%\.gimp-2.8\plug-ins
- For WinXP current user: C:\Documents and Settings%USERNAME%\.gimp-2.8\plug-ins
Ubuntu
From console:
- sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ferramroberto/gimp
- sudo apt-get update
- sudo apt-get install gmic gimp-gmic
Mac with Gimp on OS X Native
http://gimp.lisanet.de/Website/Download.html Tiger 10.4.11 / Leopard 10.5.7+ / SnowLeopard 10.6.4+ / Lion 10.7.0+ / MountainLion 10.8.0+
Since Sep 2012 it is built as a native Mac App, and includes a bundle of plug-ins built specially with the matching compatible libraries - but this may not be updated frequently.
to see installed plug-ins
- In finder, go to Applications > Gimp, then right-click & select 'view package contents'
- Navigate to Contents > Resources > Lib > Gimp > 2.0 > Plug-ins
A new gmic_gimp download for Mac could be copied here but may still be incompatible or require additional libraries. For example libgimpui, fftw3, libJPEG, libiconv might become findable by setting this environment variable at the terminal DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=/Applications/GIMP.app/Contents/Resources/lib:/System/Library/Frameworks/ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources:/usr/lib:/opt/local/lib
Mac build of Linux Gimp under MacPorts, requires X-Windows
The most frequently updated Mac plug-in is from sourceforge.net/projects/gmic/files/ but may not work with Native GIMP.
'Mountain Lion' is able to use non-native Gimp built for 'Snow Leopard' or 'Lion' but you need to suppress security by Ctrl+click to start Gimp.
MacPort expects gmic_gimp plugin to be saved in /Users/username/Library/Application Support/Gimp/plug-ins/ The Library folder is hidden in Lion, open it in Finder with: 'Go To' (Shift+Cmd+G) ~/Library/Application Support/Gimp
Other links: YouTube tutorials video Mc Zerrill - 'Gimp Tutorial - Come installare G'MIC - How to install G'MIC' video ZEAgraphics - 'G-mic per Gimp 2.8 su Ubuntu' video Billy Kerr - 'GIMP 2.8 Tutorial - How to install the G'MIC plugin' Other problems people had: Win32 run installer from downloads 9 Dec 2012 Win64 copy to AppData is a local install, single user 7 Jan 2013 Mac OS X 10.5 & 10.6 are different versions 18 Oct 2012 how to search google
GMIC scripts can be refreshed from the internet without upgrading the plugin, there is a special file name 'gmic' with no dot or extension which if it exists will be loaded on refresh, this can be used to save your personal scripts; can use the Various / Custom and save your edited version as a 'favourite' bookmark but that might get changed or deleted more easily.
Windows 7 C:\Users%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming (this is a system directory and will be hidden by default)
(note PhotoComix 'Portable-ised' build stores the files alongside the program directory to avoid access rights limitations )
Windows XP C:\Documents and Settings%USERNAME%\
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"I don't see the G'MIC option in GIMP" .. make sure you've extracted the files to the proper location. Some anti-virus/security software is known to interfere with plugin loading, try adding an exception (consult your software's documentation on how to do this).
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"The G'MIC option is grayed out" .. you will need to open an image or create a blank one before using the plugin.
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"This Filter Does Nothing" .. check it operates on a single layer, by default only the active layer is passed to the plug-in, you can change this with drop-downs.
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"Filter is very slow" .. some operations are much more complex on large images, the preview is on a reduced size version .. be careful what settings you try but if in trouble Gimp's menu Filters-Reset All Filters should forget any poisonous setting you applied to standard GMIC filters, it won't amend Faves though. (e.g. Smooth [patch-based] is more complex than it might sound)
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"I Can't Find" .. once named and categorised an effect tends to stay where it is, either ask "How Do I .." in the flick discussion or try searching the list of all plug-in filters
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"My custom filter is invisible/black/white" .. GIMP allows Grayscale and RGB images each with an optional "Alpha" transparency channel. The GMIC plugin converts the final results of your filter back into a version GIMP can read and makes assumptions: 8-bits per channel means gray or colour quantities must range 0-255, "normalize" will scale all values to that range "cut" will simply clip the range. A layer returned which has two-channels is assumed to be Grayscale+Alpha and four channels RGBA.
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"I get 'Failed to allocate memory' errors" .. images with large dimensions can cause problems for some filters, especially with the 32bit plugin. If possible switch to 64bit, otherwise you may have to scale down your images.
Passing a script on the command line then shell substitution will occur beforehand. Often $ ( { < " which would have special meaning to the shell must be quoted.
As GMIC reads each command it assumes that whatever follows might be a block of arguments. So if you fail to pass a needed argument GMIC takes your next command to be what it was looking for. Some commands have forms that don't require arguments, e.g. "-*" on it's own multiplies all images pixelwise.
gmic 10,10,1,1,u [0]x1 -* -b -+ [0]
Command 'blur': Invalid argument '-+'.