Util(3)

NAME
 Gimp::Util - some handy routines for Gimp-Perl users

SYNOPSIS
 use Gimp;
 use Gimp::Util;

DESCRIPTION
Gimp-Perl is nice, but when you have to write everytime 10 lines just to get some simple functions done, it very quickly becomes tedious :-/

This module tries to define some functions that aim to automate frequently used tasks, i.e. its a sort of catch-all-bag for (possibly) useful macro functions. If you want to add a function just mail the author of the Gimp-Perl extension (see below).

In Gimp-Perl (but not in Gimp as seen by the enduser) it is possible to have layers that are NOT attached to an image. This is, IMHO a bad idea, you end up with them and the user cannot see them or delete them. So we always attach our created layers to an image here, too avoid memory leaks and debugging times.

These functions try to preserve the current settings like colors, but not all do.

These functions can also be handled in exactly the same way as PDB-Functions, i.e. the (hypothetical) function "gimp_image_xyzzy" can be called as $image->xyzzy, if the module is available.

The need to explicitly "use Gimp::Util" will go away in the future.

FUNCTIONS

"get_state ()", "set_state state"
    "get_state" returns a scalar representing most of gimps global state (at the moment foreground colour, background colour, active gradient, pattern and brush). The state can later be restored by a call to "set_state". This is ideal for library functions such as the ones used here, at least when it includes more state in the future.

"layer_create image,name,color,pos"
    create a colored layer, insert into image and return layer

"text_draw image,layer,text,font,size,fgcolor"
    Create a colored text, draw over a background, add to img, ret img.

"image_create_text text,font,size,fgcolor,bgcolor"
    Create an image, add colored text layer on a background layer, return img.

"layer_add_layer_as_mask image,layer,layermask"
    Take a layer and add it as a mask to another layer, return mask.

"gimp_text_wh $text,$fontname"
    returns the width and height of the "$text" of the given font (XLFD format)

"gimp_image_layertype $alpha"
    returns the corresponding layer type for an image, alpha controls wether the layer type is with alpha or not. Example: imagetype: RGB -> RGB_IMAGE (or RGBA_IMAGE).

"gimp_layer2imagetype $layertype"
    returns the corresponding layer type for an image, alpha controls wether the layer type is with alpha or not. Example: imagetype: RGB -> RGB_IMAGE (or RGBA_IMAGE).

"gimp_image_add_new_layer $image,$index,$fill_type,$alpha"
    creates a new layer and adds it at position $index (default 0) to the image, after filling it with gimp_drawable_fill $fill_type (default BG_IMAGE_FILL). If $alpha is non-zero (default 1), the new layer has alpha.

"gimp_image_set_visible $image,@layers", "gimp_image_set_invisible $image,@layers"
    mark the given layers visible (invisible) and all others invisible (visible).

"gimp_layer_get_position $layer"
    return the position the layer has in the image layer stack.

"gimp_layer_set_position $layer,$new_index"
    moves the layer to a new position in the layer stack.

AUTHOR
Various, version 1.000 written mainly by Tels (http://bloodgate.com/). The author of the Gimp-Perl extension (contact him to include new functions) is Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com>