What's new in the GIMP 2.2
Often when a new version of a program comes out, people tend to ask "Is it really better? What does it do that the old version doesn't?" This article presents the 7 major feature editions and evolutions of the GIMP since the version 2.0 came out in March.
== Interoperability and standards support ==
You can drag & drop and copy & paste image data from the GIMP to any application which support image/png drops (currently Abiword is the only one we know of) and image/xml+svg drops (Inkscape support this one). So you can copy & paste curves into the GIMP from Inkscape, and then drag a selection into Abiword to include it inline in your document.
Patterns can now be any GtkPixbuf supported format, including png, jpeg, xbm and others.
We can load gradients from SVG files, and palettes from ACT and RIFF files.
Drag & drop support has been extended. You can now drop file and URIs onto an image window, where they will be opened in the existing image as new layers.
== Shortcut editor ==
You can now edit your shortcuts in a dedicated dialog, as well as continue to use the little-known dynamic shortcuts feature (which has been there since 1.2).
== Plug-in previews ==
We have provided a standard preview widget for plug-in authors which greatly reduces the amount of code required to support previews. David Odin has integrated this widget into all the current filters, so that now most filters in the GIMP include a preview which updates in real time.
== GNOME Human Interface Guide conformance ==
A lot of work has been done on making the GIMP's interface simpler and more usable for newcomers. Most dialogs now follows the GNOME HIG to the best of our knowledge. In addition, dialogs have separated out or removed many "Advanced" options, and replaced them with sane defaults or hidden them in an expander.
== GTK+ 2.4 migration ==
Menus use the GtkUIManager to generate menu structure dynamically from XML data files
GtkFileChooser is used everywhere in the GIMP
Support ARGB cursors when they are available on the system
== Better vector support ==
Using the GFig plug-in, the GIMP now supports the basic functionality of vector layers. The GFig plug-in supports a number of vector graphics features such as gradient fills, Bezier curves and curve stroking. It is also the easiest way to create regular or irregular polygons in the GIMP. In the GIMP 2.2, you can create GFig layers, and re-edit these layers in GFig afterwards.
== Real-time previews of transform operations ==
The transform tools (shear, scale, perspective and rotate) now show a real-time preview of the result of the operation when the tool is in "Traditional" mode.
There are many other smaller user-visible features. A rapid-fire list of some of those features is below.
It is now possible to run the GIMP in batch mode without an X server.
We have a GIMP binary (gimp-console) which is not linked to GTK+ at all.
Improved interface for extended input devices
Editable toolbox
Histogram overlays R, G and B histograms on the Value histogram
Shortcuts are shared across all GIMP windows