2.2.2. Image Window Menu File

2.2.2.1. New
Overview

This function is found in Image>File/New and also in Toolbox>File/New.

It allows you to create a new image window and to set its specifications. You may have more than one image on your screen.

Options
From Template

The scrolling list allows you to select a template, mainly page or resolution format.

Image Size
  • Width and Heigth can be set using input boxes, in pixels or in the unit you can select.

    On the right, two buttons allow to select either Portrait or Landscape mode. Under buttons, file size in MegaBytes is displayed.

    Resolution in width (X) and heigth (Y) can be set in the unit you can select. Default value is 72 ppi (72 pixels/inch), which is enough for Web images, you can set this value in Preferences dialog. But if you want to print your image, more than 72 ppi will be necessary. Several measure units are available: pixels/inch, /mm, /point,/pica and you have also a More... button which offers more choice. I would advise you to use ppi (pixels per inch) as it is the usual norm for images. You may have a different resolution for X and Y axis by "breaking" the chain, but this is not recommended.

Image Type
  • RGB: The image will be in Red, Green, Blue color system, that of your screen.

  • Grayscale: The image will be in black and white, with many gray shades. Besides its artistic interest, this image type may be necessary for some plug-ins. Nevertheless, Gimp offers you the possibility to change a RGB image into grayscale.

Fill Type
  • ForeGround and BackGround are colors you can find in the Toolbox color selector.

  • White is the color the more used.

  • Transparent gives a transparent background to your image. It appears as a black and white checkerboard. An Alpha channel is created.

Image Comment

You can add there some comment about the image.

2.2.2.2. Open
Overview

This function is found in Image>File/Open and also in Toolbox/File/Open.

It allows you to load an existing image.

File browsing
Folders, Files, Preview

Three windows are displayed. In the Folders window, you can select the folder (the directory) to be explored. You can go back up the folder hierarchy by using "../". If you want to refresh the current directory, clicK on "./". In the Files window, the selected folder files are displayed. You select a file by a single left click (a double left click opens the image directly). The selected file is displayed in the Preview if it is an image recognized by Gimp. Clic in the preview to generate or update the preview.

With Ctrl+click you can select more than one file and so, you can open several images at the same time.

File size, resolution and composition are displayed under Preview.

Selection

After clicking on this text box, you can input a file name. You enjoy autocompletion: you enter first letters of the file and press TAB key. Only files beginning by these letters will be displayed in Files window, and if only one file has these letters, its name will automatically be displayed in text box. It's a handy way to find a file out of a large list.

Determine File Type

Automatic option allows file type to be determined automatically. With Linux, file extensions (.bmp, .png...) is not priority. File type is determined according to proper file characteristics. In some exceptionnal cases, when Gimp doesn't recognize file type, you can set it by selecting it in the dropping list. Only files with this type can then be openned.

Three buttons at top

Three buttons at top of window: Create a file, Delete File and Rename File are self-explanatory.

2.2.2.3. Open Recent
Overview

This function is found in Image>File/Open Recent and also in Toolbox/File/OpenRecent.

It allows you to select an image among these you have worked on recently.

Document History

See the Document History dialog chapter

2.2.2.4. Save
Overview

This function is found in Image>File/Save and also in Toolbox>File/Save.

If your image is named already, this function saves your image without asking you any question. In the Preferences/Environment dialog, you can decide whether the image must be saved systematically or only if it has been changed.

If your image is new, "untitled", the Save dialog will be displayed.

You may want not to save your image. In that case click on the exit cross, or File/Exit, or Ctrl-Q. If your image has a name and has been changed, a message will ask you for confirmation.

The Save Dialog
Folders, Files

Two windows are displayed. In the Folders window, you can select the folder (the directory) to be explored. You can go back up the folder hierarchy by using "../". If you want to refresh the current directory, clicK on "./". In the Files window, the files already saved in this directory are displayed.

Determine File Type

With the Determine File Type option, file type will be that you will write following your file name, for instance myfile.bmp. If you forget this extension, an error message will call you to order.

You can also scroll the extension list and select the one you like. Consult the file formats chapter for more informations.

[Warning] Warning
The nativ format of Gimp is XCF. To keep all your datas in the source files always choose the .xcf format
Selection

After clicking on this text box, you can input a file name. You enjoy autocompletion: you enter the first letters of the file and press TAB key. Only files beginning by these letters will be displayed in Files window, and if only one file has these letters, its name will automatically be displayed in the text box. It's a handy way if you have to save many files whose names are slightly different.

Three buttons at top

Three buttons at top of window: Create a file, Delete File and Rename File have an evident meaning and need no explanation.

2.2.2.5. Save as
Overview

This function is found in Image>File/Save as and also in Toolbox>File/Save as.

It is identical to Save, but a file name is systematically requested, even if the file is named yet, so that you can change it, may be with a new extension.