Basics - GIMP 2.6 for Photographers: Image Editing with Open Source Software - page 31

to the directory on the web page for some plug-ins or in the compressed
download archives. Always follow the instructions, please!
Generally, the plug-ins with filenames ending in .exe or .py will simply
be copied into the plug-in directory. The path for exe -iles under Windows XP,
Windows Vista, and Windows 7 is C:\Program Files\GIMP-2X\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-
ins . For py -iles it's the same path with the last directory python, respectively.
Script-fu files with names ending in .scm are copied to the following
directory: C:\Program Files\GIMP-2X\share\gimp\2.0\scripts . Alternatively,
Windows XP should be at C:\Documents and Preferences\ <username>\.gimp-
2X\scripts .
The path for copying script-fu files (filenames ending in .scm ) in Mac OS X
is Applications/GIMP.app/Contents/Resources/share/gimp/2.X/scripts .
As a matter of fact, I didn't find this path on my Mac. Initially, GIMP.app
wasn't shown to me as a file but as a program. So with the help of my search
function, I looked for a GIMP file on my hard drive. Lo and behold, the search
function immediately found a couple of GIMP files and one of them contained
the script folder. Copy the files into the script folder. Restart GIMP. Done.
In most Linux distributions, you will find that Python and PyGTK+
have already been installed. At least these files have been added to the
distributions for installation. Plug-ins or script-fus that you want to install
should be downloaded into your Home folder. Script-fu files with the filename
extension .scm should be saved at <home-folder>/.gimp-2.x/scripts . Python-
fus (filenames ending with .py ) should be added in <home-folder>/.gimp-2.x/
plug-ins .
In case you can't find the gimp-2.x home folder, it could be that your file
manager (e.g., Konqueror) doesn't display hidden files. Select View > Show
hidden iles and the hidden files should appear.
As a rule : To begin with, you download the new plug-ins, script-fus and
python-fus as exe , py and scm files and store them on your computer. Copy the
file into the appropriate subdirectory of your GIMP installation. Then you only
have to refresh the script display in the GIMP. Choose Filter >Script-Fu >Refresh
Script in GIMP or simply restart GIMP. Most plug-ins and script-fus appear in
submenus of the Filter menu or in the new Script-Fu menu.
If after an installation a script-fu or python-fu doesn't get displayed, it
is most likely that it isn't executable or it doesn't tolerate your GIMP version.
Read the instructions carefully for which version the plug-in has been written.

• NOTE
Script-fus or python-fus usually don't
have an internal preview window
or a preview function as offered by
most filter plug-ins. Therefore, you
must experiment with the settings,
see what your result is, and if
necessary, make further alterations.

• NOTE
A collection of plug-ins and script-
fus are available on the DVD
that accompanies this topic.