                               Tux Paint Config.
                                 version 0.0.26

  Configuration tool for Tux Paint

          Copyright 2002-2025 by various contributors; see AUTHORS.txt
                             https://tuxpaint.org/

                       September 22, 2004 - May 26, 2025

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                                     About

     "Tux Paint Config." is a graphical configuration tool for "Tux Paint."
     It provides a point-and-click interface that allows parents and teachers
     to alter Tux Paint's behavior -- disable sound effects, run in
     full-screen mode, etc. — without needing to manipulate a text-based
     configuration file.

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                                    License

     Tux Paint Config. is an Open Source project, Free Software released
     under the GNU General Public License (GPL). It is free, and the
     'source code' behind the program is available. (This allows others to
     add features, fix bugs, and use parts of the program in their own GPL'd
     software.)

     See COPYING.txt for the full text of the GPL license.

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                              Other Documentation

     Other documentation included with Tux Paint Config. (in the "docs"
     folder/directory) include:
       * AUTHORS
         List of authors and contributors
       * CHANGES
         Summary of changed between releases
       * INSTALL
         Instructions on how to compile and install
       * COPYING
         Copying license (The GPL)
       * README
         (This file)
       * TODO
         A list of pending features or bugs needing fixed

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                            Using Tux Paint Config.

     Tux Paint Config.'s interface is divided into seven (7) tabs, each
     containing a different category of options that you can change in
     Tux Paint. (For full details on Tux Paint's options, we recommend
     reading Tux Paint's own documentation.)

     At the bottom of the screen are three buttons:

       * Defaults - This sets the options shown on the current tab to their
         default settings. (In other words, how Tux Paint would operate if
         you didn't make any changes to the options.)
       * Apply - This saves settings of all the options, on all the tabs, to
         your Tux Paint configuration file. (On Linux and Unix, this is
         "~/.tuxpaintrc". On Windows, this is "tuxpaint.cfg". On macOS, it is
         "~/Library/Application Support/TuxPaint/tuxpaint.cfg".)
       * Reset - This discards all unsaved changes on all the tabs. It loads
         whatever settings are currently stored in your Tux Paint
         configuration file.

     Also at the bottom are two additional options:

       * Settings for: - This lets you change which configuration file
         Tux Paitn Config. tries to save to when you click "Apply": either
         the Current User's, or All Users' (the system-wide config. file).
       * Use "All Users" Settings - Checking this option causes all
         configuration options in Tux Paint Config. to be greyed out. When
         you click "Apply", the current user's config. file will be deleted,
         causing them to use only the system-wide ("All users") config. file!

     The various tabs, and the options found within, are described below:

About

       This tab simply contains some information about Tux Paint Config.

Video & Sound

  Video

           * Fullscreen - This causes Tux Paint to (attempt to) run in
             fullscreen mode, rather than in a window on your desktop. It
             causes Tux Paint to display across your entire screen (or as
             much as it can, with a border around the outside), in essense
             turning your monitor into a Tux Paint-only display.
                * Native - This causes Tux Paint to run using your current
                  desktop resolution when you run in fullscreen mode.
                  Example: If you have Tux Paint set to run in a 800x600
                  window on your 1280x800 laptop, but you have this option
                  enabled, it will run at 1280x800 when you launch Tux Paint
                  in fullscreen mode (rather than dropping your laptop's LCD
                  display down to 800x600, which might not look right).
           * Window Size - By default, Tux Paint creates a relatively small
             window (800 pixels across by 600 pixels high). Since many people
             prefer a larger drawing canvas, or have screens at different
             aspect ratios or larger sizes, Tux Paint can be told to create a
             larger window, instead. If running in fullscreen, this also
             determines the monitor resolution Tux Paint will try to switch
             into, unless the "Native" option is set.
           * Rotate Orientation - This option swaps the width and height
             values given in the "Window Size" setting, which can be useful
             for displays with portrait aspect ratios (e.g., a tablet PC in
             the tablet orientation, vs. the laptop orientation).
           * Allow Screensaver - By default, the underlying system that
             Tux Paint uses for graphics disables your screensaver. You can
             set this option to allow your screensaver to appear, even while
             Tux Paint is running.

  Sound

           * Enable Sound Effects - By default, Tux Paint plays sounds for
             practically every action that takes place... drawing with the
             brush, displaying a pop-up dialog, painting a rainbow. By
             un-checking this option, you can turn sounds off.
           * Enable Stereo Sound - By default, Tux Paint plays many sounds
             (especially when painting on the canvas) in stereo left/right
             panning. This may be disabled, which can be useful for users
             with a hearing impairment or situations where only one speaker
             or headphone is available.

  Interface Size

           * Button Size - Allows you to change the size of the buttons in
             Tux Paint's user interface (which default to 48x48 pixels), to
             better suit your display. For example, full-screen on a high-DPI
             monitor benefits from larger buttons.
           * Automatic button size - This has Tux Paint choose an appropriate
             button size, based on the overall size of the Tux Paint window,
             or resolution of the screen.
           * Color palette rows - How many rows of color palette buttons to
             display below the canvas. The default is 1; increasing it
             spreads the colors out, providing larger buttons which can be
             easier to hit with coarser input devices (such as eyegaze
             trackers).

Mouse & Keyboard

  Cursor

           * Fancy Cursor Shapes - Normally, Tux Paint changes the shape of
             your mouse pointer when the mouse is inside the Tux Paint
             window. It turns into a large brush when painting, and a
             cross-hair when drawing lines, for example. However, the large
             brushes can cause problems on some systems, so you can disable
             this option if the brushes don't work right for you.
           * Hide Cursor - Completely hides the mouse pointer in Tux Paint.
             Useful when using a touchscreen (such as a tablet PC or handheld
             device), rather than a mouse or drawing tablet.

  Keyboard

           * Enable Keyboard Shortcuts - Tux Paint supports some keyboard
             shortcuts ('accelerators'), like Control + S to Save and
             Control + Z to Undo. If your child hits the keyboard
             accidentally, you can disable these shortcuts to prevent them
             from being used accidentally.

  Mouse

           * Grab Mouse Pointer - If you'd rather not run Tux Paint in
             fullscreen mode, but you want to keep children from getting at
             your desktop files or other applications, you can have Tux Paint
             'grab' the mouse pointer, which prevents it from leaving the
             Tux Paint window.
           * Mouse Wheel Support - If your mouse has a scroll wheel,
             Tux Paint will let you use it to scroll up and down through the
             selection menu on the right (e.g., the brush or stamp
             collections). However, if your child still lacks dexterity with
             the mouse, they may hit the scroll wheel accidentally, and get
             frustrated. You can tell Tux Paint to ignore the mouse wheel, if
             that is the case.
           * No Button Distinction - Tux Paint notices if the user is
             accidentally clicking with the middle or right button on a
             mouse, and after a number of clicks, pops up a window explaining
             which button should be used. If this option is enabled, the
             pop-up does not appear, and the middle and right mouse button
             can be used (they act the same as the left button).

Simplification

       These options can help make Tux Paint more accessible to users who are
       new to computers or have difficulty using some of Tux Paint's
       controls.

  Interface Simplification

           * Disable Shape Rotation - Tux Paint's 'Shape' tool works in three
             steps: (1) click where you want the center of your shape to be,
             (2) drag out from the center to determine the size of the shape,
             and (3) move the mouse to rotate the shape, and click once more
             to finalize it. The third step (rotation) can be tricky to get
             the hang of, and very young children are more interested in the
             shapes themselves, not the angles they can be drawn at. Hence,
             you can disable shape rotation by selecting this option.
           * Simple Stamp Outlines - If your computer is very slow, or you're
             using Tux Paint on a thin client (displaying over a network),
             you can simplify the outlines drawn around stamps to help speed
             up the display.
           * Show Uppercase Text Only - If your child is just learning to
             read, and hasn't yet mastered the lowercase alphabet, you can
             tell Tux Paint to display everything in uppercase. (LIKE THIS.)

  Initial Stamp Size

           * Initial Stamp Size - This lets you set a default size for all
             Stamps in Tux Paint. Normally, it picks a size based on the
             stamp's size, your canvas size, and/or settings provided
             specifically for the stamp.

  Control Simplification

           * Disable Quit Button - This greys out the 'Quit' button in
             Tux Paint. The Escape key and the close button in the window's
             toolbar still work (though the latter can be made inaccessible
             by running Tux Paint in fullscreen mode, or in mouse-grab mode.)
           * Disable Stamps Tool - This prevents Tux Paint from loading any
             stamps at start-up, this speeding up the load process and, of
             course, causing the 'Stamps' tool button to be greyed out.
           * Disable Stamp Controls - Tux Paint allows stamps to be shrunk
             and grown, and many stamps can be flipped and/or mirrored. This
             feature uses four buttons in the Stamp tool's selector, however,
             which can confuse the younger users. Disable those controls with
             this option.
           * Disable Stamp Rotation - Tux Paint allows stamps to be
             optionally rotated after placing them. These options deactivates
             that feature.
           * Disable Magic Controls - Some of Tux Paint's Magic tools work as
             a painting tool, some apply their effect to the entire canvas,
             and some can do both. This option removes the buttons that
             select which mode Magic tools run in. (If this option is set,
             tools will default to painting mode, unless they do not support
             it.)
           * Disable Magic Sizes - Some of Tux Paint's Magic tools offer
             sizing options. This option removes the buttons that choose the
             sizes. Tools will use their default size.
           * Ungroup Magic Tools - Place all Magic tools in one big scrolling
             list; remove the left/right buttons used to access different
             groups of tools.
           * Disable Shape Controls - Shapes drawn with Tux Paint's Shape
             tool can be expanded from the center (the default, and the only
             method available prior to version 0.9.25) or from the corner.
             This option removes the buttons that select which method the
             Shape tool provides. (If this option is set, tools will default
             to center-based expansion.)
           * Disable Label Tool - This option disables the Label tool, which
             is similar to the Text tool, but provides textual labels which
             may be edited, moved, or removed after the fact.
           * Disable Brush spacing - The brush selector, used by the Paint
             and Line tool, offers a way to set the spacing with the brush
             tool. This disables that feature.
           * Disable 'Make Template' - It's possible to create new Templates
             — images found in the "New" dialog which can be used as the
             basis of (the background for) new drawings — directly from the
             "Open" dialog. This disables that feature.
           * Disable Erase (file deletion) - Disallow deletion of drawings
             from the "Open" dialog, by removing that dialog's "Erase"
             button.
           * Complexity Level - Choose the user's expertise level which will
             cause some complex Magic tools to operate differently, or be
             inaccessible. The default is "advanced".

Languages

  Language

           * Language - Tux Paint has been translated into dozens of
             languages. While it can use your system's global language
             preference, you may prefer to run your desktop in one language,
             and have your children use Tux Paint in another. Select the
             language you want Tux Paint to run in from the pull-down menu.
             (Select "Use system's setting" to use your system's global
             language preference.)
           * Mirror Stamps - Some people are used to things going
             right-to-left, rather than left-to-right. (Hebrew is written
             right-to-left, for example.) Most stamps are oriented
             left-to-right, and many can be mirrored using the 'Mirror' stamp
             control. You can tell Tux Paint to mirror all such stamps, by
             default, when it starts up.

  Fonts

           * Load System Fonts - This causes Tux Paint to look around typical
             locations on your hard drive for fonts, and adds ones that seem
             useful to the fonts available in the "Text" and "Label" tools.
           * Load All Locale Fonts - This loads all fonts bundled with
             Tux Paint, even those specific to certain locales, regardless of
             which locale Tux Paint is running under.
           * UI Font - Allows you to override the font used by Tux Paint's
             user interface (UI) — the button labels, pop-up dialog box text,
             and tips and instructions provided at the bottom. Select a font
             for Tux Paint to use (e.g., "DejaVu Sans", "Times New Roman",
             "Helvetica", etc.). Other options:
                * Select "[no change]" to not override the font.
                * Select "[manual]" to enter the name of a font not shown in
                  the list. Enter it in the field below. (If any font has a
                  similar name, the selection menu will scroll to it.)
                * Select "default" to force use of the default font (depends
                  on the locale; DejaVu Sans for most).

Printing

  Print Permissions

           * Allow Printing - If you wish to disable the 'Print' button in
             Tux Paint, un-check this option.
           * Print Delay - If you wish to allow printing in Tux Paint, but
             limit it to, say, only once every 5 minutes, you can enter a
             delay value (in seconds). After printing, Tux Paint will wait
             that long before the 'Print' button works again.

  Show Printer Dialog

         On supported platforms, Tux Paint can bring up a system printer
         dialog if the [Alt] key is held while the "Print" button is clicked.
         These options allow you to disable this feature (never show a
         dialog), or to always show a dialog, even when [Alt] isn't being
         held.

           * Only when [Alt] modifier key is held - Show the dialog if the
             [Alt] key is pressed while clicking "Print"
           * Always show printer dialog - Always show; no need to hold the
             [Alt] key
           * Never show printer dialog - Never show; even when [Alt] key is
             pressed

  Save printer configuration

           * Save Printer Configuration - Causes Tux Paint to record any
             changes to printer configuration (via printer dialog; see above)
             to be recorded for use during subsequent launches of Tux Paint.
             (Windows and macOS only.)

  Print Commands

           * Use Alternative Print Command / Alternative Print Command -
             (Advanced! Unix/Linux only!) By default, Tux Paint under Linux
             and Unix uses the external program 'lpr' for printing pictures.
             You can specify a different command here. The command you
             specify must accept PostScript format on it's standard input
             (STDIN).
           * Use Alternative Print Dialog - (Advanced! Unix/Linux only!) By
             default, Tux Paint under Linux and Unix uses the extnernal
             program 'kprinter' (KDE, the K Desktop Environment's printer
             tool). You can specify a different command here. The command you
             specify must accept PostScript format on it's standard input
             (STDIN).
           * Paper Size - This lets you choose the size of paper that you're
             using with Tux Paint. You can use your system's default, or
             override it with a specific paper size (e.g., "A4" or
             "US Letter").

Saving

  Save Over Earlier Work

         Tux Paint has one 'Save' command, which works with one click. If
         you're done drawing a picture, click 'Save' and it is saved, no
         questions asked!

         However, if you're re-saving a picture that you loaded using the
         'Open' command, Tux Paint needs to know whether you want to save
         over the original, or save a new image. (In most other programs,
         this would be 'Save' versus 'Save As...', respectively.)

         By default, Tux Paint will pop up a prompt asking whether to 'save
         over the older version of [the] picture.' Choosing 'Yes' will wipe
         out the old version, replacing it with the updated drawing. Choosing
         'No' will preserve the old version, and save a completely new file.

         To simplify the 'Save' process by never asking the 'save over?'
         question, you can tell Tux Paint what to do ahead of time:

           * Ask Before Overwriting - This is the default behavior, described
             above. (Ask whether to save over, or not.)
           * Always Overwrite Older Version - This will always wipe out the
             old version, replacing it with any updates to the drawing. (It's
             like 'Save' in other desktop applications.)
           * Always Save New Picture - This will never wipe out older work,
             this preserving every single change that's ever been saved.
             (It's like always using 'Save As...' in other desktop
             applications.) Warning: Using this option obviously creates the
             potential for many files being stored in Tux Paint! You may want
             to go in and manually remove files for your child. (Tux Paint's
             'Open' dialog uses thumbnails to show the saved pictures, and
             includes an 'Erase' button, so you can do this from within
             Tux Paint.)

  Starting Out

           * Start with Blank Canvas - This option tells Tux Paint to always
             start with a blank (white) drawing canvas, rather than
             re-loading the last-saved picture (its default behavior).
           * Colors last in 'New' dialog - This option causes Tux Paint to
             display Starter and Template images first (at the top) in the
             'New' dialog, and place the solid color options at the end.

  Save Directory & Export Directory

         Since Tux Paint never asks where to save pictures (or what filename
         to use when creating the files), it keeps all of its pictures in its
         own special directory, and its 'Export' and 'Export GIF' options
         save them in a standard location (e.g., "Pictures").

         If you wish to change where Tux Paint saves pictures (and, of
         course, where it looks for them when the 'Open' command is used),
         you can do so here.

         This can be useful in a school lab where all of the computers are
         shared by students, and students must log into a special network
         drive to save their files. You can tell Tux Paint to save on the
         mapped network drive, rather than on the local hard drive.

         See Tux Paint's own documentation for more on the subject.

  More Saving Options

           * Disable 'Save' Button - If you wish for Tux Paint to be used
             only as a 'scratch pad' for drawing, you may disable the 'Save'
             button. Obviously, this makes it impossible to save any
             drawings, so most people will have no use for this option.
           * Auto-save on Quit - This tells Tux Paint not to ask whether you
             wish to save the current picture (if unsaved) when you quit. It
             will assume you always do. (If it needs to ask about saving over
             an old copy, it will still do so.)
           * Reverse Sorts - Causes the Open dialog and Slideshow picture
             selector to show newest files first, and oldest last, which is
             the opposite of the default.

Data

  Lockfile

           * Don't use lockfile - Normally, when Tux Paint is launched it
             creates a small data file called a 'lockfile.' If this file
             exists, and Tux Paint is launched again, the second copy will
             quit immediately. This was done to prevent multiple copies of
             Tux Paint from loading when children over-eagerly and/or
             impatiently click the launcher icon. However, if you're using
             Tux Paint on a networked filesystem, and all users share the
             same folder, this may prevent more than one computer from
             running Tux Paint. Enable this setting to ask Tux Paint to not
             use lockfiles, and ignore any that may be there.

  Data Directory

           * Use Alternative Data Directory - Similar to "Use Alternative
             Save Directory," above, this option lets you specify a different
             location for Tux Paint to look for its data files: brushes,
             stamps, etc. (This can be good if you have school-specific data
             for Tux Paint stored on a network drive that you'd like all your
             students to use, rather than Tux Paint's default data files,
             located on the local hard disk.)

  Data Directory

           * Use Alternative Color Palette - This allows you to specify a
             file containing colors that Tux Paint should provide to the
             user. (See Tux Paint's documentation for details on the format.)

Accessibility

  Mouse

           * Sticky mouse clicks - When enabled, alters how mouse actions
             work for drawing. Normally, you click, drag, and release. With
             this option set, first click and release to start painting, then
             move, then click and release again to stop.

  Keyboard

                  * Keyboard controls the mouse pointer - When enabled, arrow
                    keys or numeric keypad may be used to control the
                    pointer.
                       * [Insert], or [F5] to click
                       * [5], [Space] to click (except when "Text" or "Label"
                         tool is in use)
                       * [F4] to warp the pointer around the interface,
                         cycling between "Tools", "Colors", and the drawing
                         canvas.
                       * [F7], [F8], [F11], and [F12] to move
                         down/up/left/right within the tool boxes.

  Onscreen Keyboard

                  * Show a keyboard on the screen - When enabled, an onscreen
                    keyboard appears whenever the "Text" and "Label" tools
                    are in use. The layout may be set during configuration
                    (e.g., "abcde..." vs QWERTY), or within the program. The
                    option to change layouts within the program may be
                    disabled.
                  * Disable layout changes - The keyboard offers multiple
                    layouts (e.g., QWERTY, "ABCDE..."). This disables the
                    ability to cycle through layouts.

Joystick

               These options allow Tux Paint to be operated by an input
               device that appears as a joystick (e.g., joysticks, gamepads,
               etc.). For more information, consult Tux Paint's "OPTIONS"
               documentation.

  Main device

                    * Device number - Which device Tux Paint should read
                      from.
                    * Joystick slowness - Increase this value for people with
                      slow reactions.
                    * Threshold - Input under this value will be discarded,
                      useful to ignore accidental unwanted movements.
                    * Limit speed when moving - Maximum speed to move the
                      mouse pointer.

  Hat

                 Some joysticks include a digital directional pad, called a
                 "hat". Tux Paint can use this input to move the mouse
                 pointer. You can configure how it responds to such input.

                    * Hat slowness - Sets a delay at each automatic motion,
                      allowing you to slow the speed of the hat.
                    * Hat timeout - Sets the delay after wich the pointer
                      will start moving automatically if the hat is being
                      held in one direction.

  Buttons to disable

                 If any buttosn on the controller are posing problems, you
                 can disable them; enter a comma-separated list of button
                 numbers.

  Button shortcuts

                 You may configure controller buttons so they activate
                 different Tux Paint tools, when posssible, or the [Esc] key.

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                                More Information

               For more information, see the other documentation files that
               come with Tux Paint.

               If you need help, feel free to contact the development team:

                 https://tuxpaint.org/contact/

               You may also wish to participate in the numerous Tux Paint
               mailing lists:

                 https://tuxpaint.org/lists/
