gimp dialoge boxes

[manutdfan2850]

how can i set up GIMP so that its dialog boxes (layers and toolbox) will be integrated to the main thing, so intead of 3 separate things, it becomes 1?

[jem7v]

You mean so everything, image included, ends up in one window? I don't know - I haven't figured out how to do that quite yet, but here's what I do instead:

Step 1: I combine EVERY TOOL WINDOW into one mega window. Start by closing the big tool window that is Not labeled "The GIMP." Then look down at the remaining The GIMP window. Somewhere near the middle there's the name for whatever tool is selected right now, and off to the right of that there is a sideways triangle and an X. Click the triangle button and go to Add Tab. It gives you a list of all the little palates and mini-windows available, and lets you add them to the main tool window as tabs. As you can see, I usually include Tool Options, Brushes, Colors, Layers, and Channels. That gives me access to most of what I need. Take note that this now-mega-tool window can be resized by clicking on the corner and dragging the border (just like any window).
Step 2: Also just like any window, you can set it so it's always on top. Click the box in the top left corner (above File) and choose On Top. That means it'll stay where you can see it instead of hiding behind your image window every time you start working. (This automatically turns off when you close The GIMP though, so you'll have to set that every time you open it.)

Included is a screenshot of how I've got The GIMP set up, so you can see what I'm talking about.
Also, here is a link to change the keyboard shortcuts to closer to what they are in Photoshop. They aren't all the same, but it's an improvement if that's what you're used to. There's also a handy table to show what becomes what! http://epierce.freeshell.org/gimp/gimp_ps.php

Also, if you hear about and subsequently consider changing to it, the difference between GIMP and GimpShop is where things are in the menus (i.e., the Edit, Select, Image, Layers, etc ones... not the toolbars). Things are just moved into the sub-menus and groupings the way they're organized in Photoshop. If I remember right, nothing else is different. I stuck with The GIMP... didn't seem worth the trouble to switch.

[jem7v]

Oops, forgot to put up the attachment.

Also, if you right-click in your image window, you get a menu with all the File, Edit, Select, Image, etc headings in it, and if you'll notice, there's also a tools heading in there! So sometimes you could probably make do without any of the tool palates floating around. If you had to. Um, I probably wouldn't work that way though, because it would be frustrating trying to set tool options.

Also, if you just don't like having all those GIMP windows filling up your window list at the bottom of the screen, open The GIMP in a different workspace from your other windows to keep things tidy. That's what I usually do. (It's really the only way to survive The GIMP when you're running 1024x768 and can only have about 3 windows open before things get too crowded.)

[manutdfan2850]

Also, if you just don't like having all those GIMP windows filling up your window list at the bottom of the screen, open The GIMP in a different workspace from your other windows to keep things tidy. That's what I usually do. (It's really the only way to survive The GIMP when you're running 1024x768 and can only have about 3 windows open before things get too crowded.)

thanks for your adivce, this seems like the best option. I always wondered what I'd do with my workspaces . i don't think switiching to gimpshop is worth it. and when the windows are set to "stay on top" its not so bad anyway.

thanks again