Additional page for GIMP-doc: "Files and folders"

directory.xml

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<!DOCTYPE sect2 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.3//EN"
          "http://www.docbook.org/xml/4.3/docbookx.dtd">
<!--  section history:
    2011-05-20 liangtai: initial version
-->
<sect2 id="gimp-directory">
  <title>Files and folders for <acronym>GIMP</acronym></title>

  <indexterm>
    <primary>Setup</primary>
    <secondary>Directories</secondary>
  </indexterm>

  <para>
    When you install <acronym>GIMP</acronym> on your computer, it stores many
    files that include system files (executables and libraries), and bundled
    resource items (brushes, patterns, gradients, etc.).  You don't have to
    manage them for general usage, but it may be important that
    <acronym>GIMP</acronym> also places a directory
    <filename class="directory">.gimp-2.6</filename> on your
    <emphasis>personal</emphasis> storage after the first run, while creating
    a tree of directories underneath of it where you can add items, as well
    as several setting files to record what you customise.
  </para>
  <para>
    Therefore <acronym>GIMP</acronym> is a multi-platform application, the
    actual location of these files depends on what system runs on your
    computer.  This section also discusses about where it goes on almost
    popular systems, including <productname>Apple Mac OS X</productname>,
    <productname>Microsoft Windows</productname>, and
    <productname>GNU</productname>.
  </para>

  <sect3 id="gimp-personal-directory">
    <title>Overview of personal directory and files</title>
    <para>
      Almost modern operating systems provide multiple user accounts for
      easily keeping user's individual settings and preferences information.
      <acronym>GIMP</acronym> uses this feature for creating user's folder
      on each personal directory.  Any settings are recorded in text files
      that are named as <filename><replaceable>*</replaceable>rc</filename>.
    </para>
    <para>
      If you get brushes, patterns, gradients, palettes, fonts, themes,
      <link linkend="gimp-plugins-install">plug-ins</link>,
      <link linkend="install-script-fu">script-fus</link>, or modules from
      somewhere, the subdirectories under your
      <filename class="directory">.gimp-2.6</filename> directory gives
      the most suitable places to store them respectively.  Of course you may
      store them at any other place for use by <acronym>GIMP</acronym>, so
      far as you register the path where they are installed by using
      <link linkend="gimp-prefs-folders-data">Preference</link> Dialog.
      Incidentially speaking, these preference information you set is also
      placed at this directory as a human readable text file
      <filename>gimprc</filename>.
    </para>
    <para>
      Images to display as splash screen should be placed on the subdirectory
      <filename class="directory">splashes</filename>.  For more detailed
      information, see
      <xref linkend="customize-splashscreen"/>.
    </para>
  </sect3>

  <sect3 id="gimp-system-directory">
    <title>Overview of system directory and files</title>
    <note>
      <para>
        Almost discussion on this section is unnecessary exept for the
    
      </para>
    </note>
    <para>
      * main executable, i.e. <command>gimp-2.6</command> and other commands
    </para>
    <para>
      * bundled items
      plug-ins at <filename class="directory">libexec/gimp/2.2/</filename> or
      <filename class="directory">libexec/gimp/2.0/</filename>,
      others in <filename class="directory">share/gimp/</filename>
      <filename class="directory">share/gimp/2.0/</filename> and what????
    </para>
    <para>
      * default setting files, tips of recover messed-out personal rc_files
      <filename class="directory">etc/gimp/2.2/</filename>
    </para>
    <para>
      * destination of GIMP-help :)
      <filename class="directory">share/gimp/2.0/help/</filename>
    </para>
    <para>
      * catalog files of translation, tips of reducing disk space by removal
      <filename>share/locale/<replaceable>&lt;LOCALE&gt;</replaceable>/LC_MESSAGES/gimp20*.mo</filename>
    </para>
    <para>
      * libraries
      <filename class="directory">lib/</filename>
      * optionally headers and api-docs
      <filename class="directory">include/gimp-2.0/</filename>
      <filename class="directory">share/doc/gimp/</filename>
    </para>
  </sect3>

  <sect3 id="gimp-directory-location">
    <title>Location of directories on almost popular systems</title>
    <para>
      As usual of almost free softwares, <acronym>GIMP</acronym> source codes
      come with autoconf tools which allow to change destination to install
      system files and bundled items.  This section describes about default
      settings, as well as pre-built packages supplied on several popular
      operating systems.
    </para>
    <tip>
      <para>
        * introduce how to use script to show paths
      </para>
    </tip>
    <variablelist>
      <varlistentry>
        <term>
          <productname>GNU/Linux</productname> or other
          <productname>UNIX</productname>-like system
        </term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            The personal folder is <filename class="directory">~/.gimp-2.6<!--
            --></filename>, while <quote>~</quote> represents your
            <envar>HOMEDIR</envar> that is defined at the system password
            file, but usually this path is set in the form in <filename
            class="directory">/home/</filename> directory followed by the
            user's account id.  For more detailed information about definition
            of home directory, see online manual of
            <command>passwd(5)</command> file format on your system.
          </para>
          <para>
            * gimpdatadir, gimpplugindir, gimpsysconfdir, gimplocaledir what
              you can set at configuration
            * hier(7)
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><productname>Apple Mac OS X</productname></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            blah blah
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><productname>Microsoft Windows</productname></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            <ulink url="http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/">GIMP for
            Windows</ulink>
            supplies pre-built package of <acronym>GIMP</acronym> with
            auto-installer.  This installer stores whole system files under
            the program's folder <filename role="html" class="directory"><!--
            -->C:\Program&nbsp;Files\GIMP-2.0\</filename><filename role="tex"
            class="directory">C:\\Program&nbsp;Files\\GIMP-2.0\\</filename>
            in default settings.
          </para>
          <para>
            Beside of <acronym>GIMP</acronym> components and items, this
            installer may also place <acronym>GTK+</acronym>,
            <acronym>BABL</acronym>, and <acronym>GEGL</acronym> libraries.
          </para>
          <caution>
            <para>
              troubles on multibyte user name caused by gtk2-unicode bug
            </para>
          </caution>
          <variablelist>
            <varlistentry>
              <term><productname>Windows XP</productname></term>
              <listitem>
                <para>
                  blah blah
                </para>
              </listitem>
            </varlistentry>
            <varlistentry>
              <term><productname>Windows Vista</productname></term>
              <listitem>
                <para>
                  The personal directory is usually <filename role="html"
                  class="directory">>C:\Users\<replaceable><!--
                  -->&lt;your_account&gt;</replaceable>\.gimp-2.6</filename>
                  <filename role="tex" class="directory">>C:\\\\Users\\\\<!--
                  -->{\\rm\\langle{}your_account\\rangle}\\\\.gimp-2.6<!--
                  --></filename>, while <quote>C:</quote> is the system drive.
                </para>
                <para>
                  If the installer run with default setting, or if you choose
                  the destination for installing the application to <filename
                  role="html" class="directory">C:\Program&nbsp;Files<!--
                  --></filename><filename role="tex" class="directory"><!--
                  -->C:\\Program&nbsp;Files</filename>, the program's folder
                  become <filename role="html" class="directory"><!--
                  -->C:\Program&nbsp;Files\GIMP-2.0</filename><filename
                  role="tex" class="directory">C:\\Program&nbsp;Files<!--
                  -->\\GIMP-2.0</filename>.
                </para>
              </listitem>
            </varlistentry>
            <varlistentry>
              <term><productname>Windows 7</productname></term>
              <listitem>
                <para>
                  blah blah
                </para>
              </listitem>
            </varlistentry>
            <varlistentry>
              <term><application>GIMP portable</application></term>
              <listitem>
                <para>
                  Portableapps.com supplies <acronym>GIMP</acronym> package
                  for install in <acronym>USB</acronym> memory stick.
                  * Where should I install GIMP help package?
                </para>
              </listitem>
            </varlistentry>
          </variablelist>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
  </sect3>
</sect2>