Filters and FX-Foundry

Blowinup · February 13, 2023, 3:48pm

I’m having a lot of problems trying to do simple things like adding a border to text. About the only effects I can do is add a drop shadow. Just about everything else i try fails and/or produces an error.

For instance:

When I try to apply any of any of the FX-Foundry effects it produces an error like this…

Error while executing script-fu-layer-effects-inner-shadow:

Error: eval: unbound variable: WHITE-MASK

I’m get that using FX-Foundry not Script-Fu. When I try to find help with this error the only results I get are for Script-Fu. And that error message does not help me understand what went wrong.

I am able to apply a drop shadow to text from the Filter menu. But when I try to apply a border or outer shadow from the Filter menu inner, it applies it to the background image instead of the text. I’m 100% sure that the text layer is selected and not the background image layer.

Also, when the border I’m trying to apply to the text layer is instead applied to the background image layer, there is no way to undo it. I can delete the border layer that gets created, but it also deletes that part of the background image leaving a blank space around the image. Control-Z doesn’t work. I even tried to step it back in the history but, no matter how far back I go, the boarder that was deleted does not get restored.

I tried to render the text layer because i recall from having used Photoshop that some effects can only be applied to an image. I could only find render by doing a search as it did not seem to appear in any menus. What happened was that the render tool started flashing a bunch of stuff I could not even identify, appeared to get stuck in a loop that could not be canceled and then produced a new layer with that was just a narrow vertical line.

It’s all quite perplexing to me.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

rich2005 · February 13, 2023, 4:13pm

Don’t use fx-foundry scripts. It was last updated for Gimp 2.6 and many changes in script-fu syntax since then.

Use the GEGL drop shadow filter in Light & Shadow. Set x/ y to zero. Blur radius = zero Set the color and adjust the grow radius to suit. Bump the Opacity up to max.

Allways best if you give the OS and Gimp version.

There are some scripts that have been updated. Have a look at GIMP scripts info and download

Blowinup · February 13, 2023, 4:43pm

Thank you for your reply. My bad not providing versions.

I’m using Ubuntu Studio version 22.04.1 LTS and GIMP version 2.10.30

As I mentioned, I’m not having a problem with drop shadow. The problems are with the other effects like border, inner glow, outer glow, etc.

I figured out a way to use drop shadow to create a crude version of these other effects. But I don’t understand why the effects in Filters/Decor are being applied to the background image layer instead of the text layer that is selected.

paperdigits · February 13, 2023, 4:49pm

This person has made a bunch of gegl text effects.

rich2005 · February 13, 2023, 5:56pm

The example I showed was an outline using the GEGL drop shadow filter.

By all means try those GEGL add-on filters, they are mainly for use on text so should be ok for you. I find some of them a bit on the fuzzy side.

From your post (inner glow / outer glow etc) are you using an old script layerfx.scm which only partially works. There is an updated python version.

That leads to the next problem. No python support in 'buntu 22.04 / Gimp 2.10.30

It is possible to add python support with a linux appimage. Some details here: New Ubuntu 22.04 I use the appimage with my kubuntu 22.04, work well.

Blowinup · February 13, 2023, 5:57pm

Thank you rich. I failed to notice that your screen shot demonstrated the boarder i was trying to achieve. I appreciate the effort you put into both replies.

I’ll check out the GEGL add-on filters and Python support you suggested.

I was able to achieve this using the Drop Shadow from the Filters/Light and Shadow sub-menu…

Thanks again for your help.