BIMP — GIMP Plugin. Built with AI Help

[QRestd]

Hello everyone! I’m new to this forum and EasyOS. Recently, I got curious about compiling software from source, and here’s my first result — a BIMP SFS package for EasyOS. I’d like to share it with you and show that even without being a programming pro, you can make it work.

A few times a year, I need to process a bunch of images at once. Scripts could do it, but I wanted something universal. BIMP is a GIMP plugin for batch processing: resizing, adding watermarks, and more. Perfect for EasyOS, where it’s all about lightness and ease. I couldn’t find it in the repos, and the official site (https://alessandrofrancesconi.it/projects/bimp/) only offers installers for Windows and Mac. For Linux, it’s source code only. So, I built an SFS for EasyOS Scarthgap64 (VERSION=6.6.3).

My method wasn’t perfect — I later found the official guide (https://easyos.org/dev/coding-for-easyos.html), but I’d already started. Here’s the result: bimp-2.6.sfs. It’s an archive that mounts with a click (and unmounts with another). Inside: the binary, README.txt, and an install.sh script. Run install.sh in a terminal for a dialog checking dependencies, or just click it for a silent install. It places the plugin in /usr/lib/gimp/2.0/plug-ins/bimp. To uninstall, delete that file manually. After installation, you’ll see "Batch Image Manipulation" in GIMP’s "File" menu.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I2X4xg ... sp=sharing

Now, the main part — how I did it. My friend Grok (https://grok.com), an AI from xAI, guided me step-by-step, fixed errors, and tracked down dependencies. We used EasyOS’s devx tools. There were hiccups: missing libraries for compilation and a linker going crazy due to EasyOS’s unique filesystem. I’d have been lost alone, but Grok helped set up soft links and sort it out. It took two evenings, but it worked! This proves compiling from source isn’t impossible, even with basic skills.

Give my SFS a try and let me know what you think! Any tips for improvement are welcome.

[Thanos]

The current stable release of GIMP is 3.0.2 (2025-03-23).

https://www.gimp.org/downloads/

Can you Build a Plugin for it?

[backi]

Hi @Thanos :
Just went to the Gimp Download Site.......and downloaded newest Gimp AppImage.........made it executable .....runs fine.

[QRestd]

The current stable release of GIMP is 3.0.2 (2025-03-23).

https://www.gimp.org/downloads/

Can you Build a Plugin for it?

Hi Thanos, thanks for your question! I’d love to build a BIMP plugin for GIMP 3.0.2 (2025-03-23), but there are some challenges I’ve identified with my AI friend Grok. Here’s my perspective on the situation, the hurdles, and possible ways forward:

Challenges:
GIMP 3.0.2 Isn’t in EasyOS Scarthgap64 Repositories:
The latest stable GIMP 3.0.2 isn’t available as a native package in EasyOS yet. It’s distributed as an AppImage on the official site (https://www.gimp.org/downloads/), which could work, but it’s not integrated into EasyOS’s package system.
No Official BIMP Support for GIMP 3.0.2:
The BIMP site (https://alessandrofrancesconi.it/projects/bimp/) lists version 2.6 as the latest, with no mention of GIMP 3.0.x compatibility. GIMP 3.0 has a new API (GTK3-based), and older plugins like BIMP (designed for GIMP 2.x) likely won’t work without code updates.
AppImage and Plugin Format:
While GIMP 3.0.2 comes as an AppImage, plugins don’t need to be AppImage files — they’re usually binaries (e.g., .so). However, integrating a plugin with an AppImage setup might require extracting it or tweaking paths, which adds complexity in EasyOS’s layered filesystem.
API Compatibility:
GIMP 3.0’s API has changed significantly, and BIMP’s current code might need rewriting to work with it. This is a big hurdle if the source code isn’t updated by the developer.
Dependencies and Compilation:
Compiling BIMP for GIMP 3.0.2 would require matching libraries (e.g., GTK3, GIMP 3.0 libs), and EasyOS’s unique structure could make this tricky without the right tools and soft links.

Possible Solutions:
Run GIMP 3.0.2 AppImage: Download and use the AppImage in EasyOS to bypass the repo issue.
Test Current BIMP: Try the existing BIMP 2.6 binary with GIMP 3.0.2 (though it’s unlikely to work).
Update BIMP Code: Grab the source from GitHub (https://github.com/alessandrofrancescon ... lugin-bimp), adapt it to GIMP 3.0’s API, and compile it using EasyOS’s devx tools.
Integrate with AppImage: Extract the AppImage and add the plugin to its plugin folder, or configure GIMP to use an external plugin path.

My Thoughts:
This looks like a pretty tough task for me right now. Adapting BIMP to GIMP 3.0.2 requires coding skills I’m still developing, and the process could take a while—especially with EasyOS’s quirks. I’m willing to give it a shot and work on it, but don’t expect a quick result. For now, if you need batch processing, sticking with GIMP 2.x and the current BIMP plugin might be the practical choice.

If anyone has suggestions, clarifications, or insights on this, Grok and I would be grateful! It could really help us tackle this. I’ll keep you posted if I make progress.

[QRestd]

I downloaded the GIMP-3.0.2-x86_64 AppImage and tested it out. It promises some interesting features like non-destructive editing, improved performance, support for modern file formats, and better integration with newer systems. The idea of editing without losses sounds great, and the performance boosts plus modern format support could be useful for some workflows, especially on newer hardware. However, personally, it didn’t leave a strong positive impression on me. That lossless editing goal feels like it’s still a work in progress rather than a fully realized feature. The other advantages don’t really matter to me right now in terms of practical use. On the downside, it lacks support for older plugins, which is a bummer — the previous GIMP versions could use Photoshop plugins, and that was super handy. Also, the reference GIMP in EasyOS is lightning-fast, always impressing me with its load times, while this version feels a bit heavy and sluggish in comparison. That’s just my subjective take, though.

Anyway, I’ve created a GIMP 3.0.2 AppImage with the Batcher plugin pre-installed for batch image processing. It works on EasyOS Scarthgap64 (and likely other Linux distros). Here’s how I did it: Downloaded GIMP-3.0.2-x86_64.AppImage from gimp.org. Extracted it with `./GIMP-3.0.2-x86_64.AppImage --appimage-extract`. Added the Batcher plugin (version 1.0.2) from https://github.com/kamilburda/batcher/releases to `squashfs-root/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gimp/3.0/plug-ins/batcher/`. Repackaged it into a new AppImage using `appimagetool`. The "Batch Process" option is available in the "File" menu. You can download it here:

**Download**:https://mega.nz/file/fwZB0D4D#rGL80_h1C ... HfpRkP__Rw

Tested on EasyOS, should work elsewhere too. Let me know if you have any issues!

[Thanos]

Hi @Thanos :
Just went to the Gimp Download Site.......and downloaded newest Gimp AppImage.........made it executable .....runs fine.

I know this. I want a BIMP Plugin for it.

[Thanos]

I downloaded the GIMP-3.0.2-x86_64 AppImage and tested it out. It promises some interesting features like non-destructive editing, improved performance, support for modern file formats, and better integration with newer systems. The idea of editing without losses sounds great, and the performance boosts plus modern format support could be useful for some workflows, especially on newer hardware. However, personally, it didn’t leave a strong positive impression on me. That lossless editing goal feels like it’s still a work in progress ra ther than a fully realized feature. The other advantages don’t really matter to me right now in terms of practical use. On the downside, it lacks support for older plugins, which is a bummer — the previous GIMP versions could use Photoshop plugins, and that was super handy. Also, the reference GIMP in EasyOS is lightning-fast, always impressing me with its load times, while this version feels a bit heavy and sluggish in comparison. That’s just my subjective take, though.

Anyway, I’ve created a GIMP 3.0.2 AppImage with the Batcher plugin pre-installed for batch image processing. It works on EasyOS Scarthgap64 (and likely other Linux distros). Here’s how I did it: Downloaded GIMP-3.0.2-x86_64.AppImage from gimp.org. Extracted it with `./GIMP-3.0.2-x86_64.AppImage --appimage-extract`. Added the Batcher plugin (version 1.0.2) from https://github.com/kamilburda/batcher/releases to `squashfs-root/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gimp/3.0/plug-ins/batcher/`. Repackaged it into a new AppImage using `appimagetool`. The "Batch Process" option is available in the "File" menu. You can download it here:

**Download**:https://mega.nz/file/fwZB0D4D#rGL80_h1C ... HfpRkP__Rw

Tested on EasyOS, should work elsewhere too. Let me know if you have any issues!

Thank you! It works wonderful! on easyos 6.6.5.