By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 04:07 pm:

I've installed FilmGimp on my Mac, and it works! Yippee!!! I share my experiences below, in case you are brave enough to follow.

What is so special about FilmGimp?
It's an image editor / paint program similar to Photoshop. However FilmGimp differs in that it is designed to handle 16-bit-per-channel (bpc) and floating point images. It is also designed to work with image sequences.

What is Gimp?
Gimp is a different application designed to handle 8bpc images. It is not the same application to FilmGimp.

What is wrong with Photoshop?
Photoshop is not very suitable for professional video or film work, as it only really can edit 8bpc images. You can load up a 16bpc image in Photoshop, but you can't use masks, layers or most of the filters. This makes it practically useless. Film work demands 16bpc images to take advantage of the full dynamic range of film. Video work requires 16bpc as if you create 8bpc images with soft gradients they may look OK on your computer monitor, but when you transfer them to Y-UV video you'll get ugly banding artifacts every time. For this reason, Photoshop should be avoided.

So if you are working with video or film, ditch Photoshop and go with FilmGimp. Scroll down for my instructions on how to install FilmGimp on Mac OS X 10.2.3 (Jaguar). You may also want to cross-reference an article which has just been posted on Creative Mac magazine, which describes a similar process:
http://www.creativemac.com/2003/01_jan/tutorials/filmgimpx11030109.htm




One day the installation of FilmGimp will be simpler than what it is now. Later in the year there will be a version of FilmGimp released than runs natively in OS X's Aqua interface. However, until that happens, you'll need to do it the hard way and run it in Apple's X11 environment.

This is the most difficult installation I've tried, and it cannot be described as easy. Anyone who tries this should have a cable or DSL modem (rather than a dial-up internet connection), Mac OSX 10.2.3 (Jaguar) + Developer Tools, as well as many hours of free time. This will take hours. Also, all important data on your hard drive should be backed up, as it is beta software you are installing.

There are 6 components you'll need to install on your computer:

Apple Developer Tools
Xfree86 4.2
Xfree86 4.2.1.1 updater
Fink
MacFilmGimp
X11

You must install these components in the order that I list below. This is because the installation of some components destroys other components. For example, installing Xfree86 will overwrite essential components of X11 and vice versa. It will also overwrite any previous installations of FilmGimp. So if you installed FilmGimp or X11 first, they would need reinstalling later in the process. If you have previously installed any of the above components, or are doing this for the second time, erase the installations and start again.


Step 1

OK, here we go. The first thing to do is install a new version of Apple Developer Tools. This exists as a separate disk in the box that Jaguar came in. You must use the new version of Developer Tools. I tried this with the Developer Tools that came with the original Mac OSX (10.0) and it prevented the installation of FilmGimp.


Step 2

The next thing to download and install is Xfree86. You can get it from here:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/xonx/XInstall_10.1.sit
Note: This is a 53MB download, so it may take a while.


Step 3

After installing Xfree86 4.2, you need to update it to 4.2.1.1. The 4.2.1.1 updater can be found here:
http://www.xdarwin.org/files/XFree86_4.2.1.1.zip
This link will immediately start downloading the file, which is a couple of MB in size. Download and install it.


Step 4

Download and install Fink. You can get it from here:
http://fink.sourceforge.net/download/index.php

If you want to find out more information about Fink, there are some FAQs here:
http://fink.sourceforge.net/faq/index.php


Step 5

After installing Fink, launch the Terminal application, which is located in the Utilities folder on your hard drive.


Step 6

In the Terminal window, type the following:
pico .cshrc
Note the space in the middle. You may want to copy and paste it. Press the Return key. This will bring up the text editor window.


Step 7

If there is any text in the text editor window first clear it by using the arrow and delete keys, then type the following (but do not hit Return yet):
source /sw/bin/init.csh
Note the space after 'source'.


Step 8
To get out of the editor, press control-O, return, control-X. Quit the Terminal application.


Step 9

Download the MacFilmGimp from this address:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=57007
I downloaded the 'binary' version called:
MacFilmGimp-0.13-1.dmg.gz
The installation may also work with the source version, though I haven't tested it. The FilmGimp application has a blue aqua-style icon. Drag it to your applications folder, or wherever you want to keep it.


Step 10

Launch the Terminal application again, then launch the FilmGimp by clicking on its blue icon. This is the crazy bit. It initiates an incredibly long download and installation process which takes at least an hour, maybe two hours or more. The terminal window will keep spewing out endless text. At one stage it will stop and ask if you want to install more things (Y/N?). Hit the y key (yes) and return. It will continue for another half hour or so. If all went to plan, this will finish with the line "setting up filmgimp (0.13-1)".


Step 11

Download and install Apple's new X11 beta software. You can get it here:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/x11/download/
You have to give Apple an email address before it'll let you download, but you can enter anything if you like.


Step 12

Launch X11. In the Xterm window, type the following:
filmgimp
Then hit return. If the Xterm window doesn't show up, you may need to install X11 again.


Step 13

Launch FilmGimp and select X11 in the dialog box that comes up. It will ask you to install some extra stuff... say yes and install it.


Done! Hopefully you now have FilmGimp working on your Mac. FilmGimp has more windows and menus than is first obvious, so spend some time exploring it! Post your experiences below on this thread.

By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 04:10 pm:

By John A. Johnson (Johnny) (67.73.169.153) on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 04:26 pm:

good gravy..I feel like such a peanut!
can't wait til the OSX-native/easy method is ready...

J

By guy pensart (Pensart) (217.136.101.188) on Monday, January 13, 2003 - 12:30 am:

Looks promising, but i'm also gonna wait on the osx native version, hopfully it wont take long.

By Thomas Lawergren (Thomas) (194.198.106.212) on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 04:16 am:

Works like a charm!

Thanks a lot Beam...

By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 04:24 am:

Ah, you're the brave one, Thomas! Now you have a tool that the big Hollywood studios use, for free!!!

(Photoshop is for desktop publishing)

By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 04:54 am:

Actually, I must dedicate this thread to Arthur Argote, who's previous posts were the inspiration for me to give FilmGimp a go, and also the catalyst for the Creative Mac story!

Our fearless Photoshop avenger!

By Arnie Cachelin (Arnie) (65.184.20.249) on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 02:29 pm:

I think you could replace steps 6, 7, and 8 with:

In the Terminal window, type the following:

echo >.cshrc "source /sw/bin/init.csh"

And hit return.

By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 05:43 pm:

Thanks Arnie. I'm not an expert with the Terminal application, so your informed input is appreciated.

By John A. Johnson (Johnny) (199.4.18.2) on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 12:36 pm:

Is there an alternate link for MacFilmGimp?
I've been blasting away at the one below for an hour, and I can't get thru. I'm using a T1 at work to try to nab it.

I'm going to do the installation described above, dang it!

Johnny
==http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=57007==

By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 02:21 pm:

Set aside some hours to do the installation. It's not like installing a regular program. Apart from the download time, your computer will sit there for over an hour going through the installation process.

FilmGimp is free and it's 16-bit. I don't think there's anything else out there that meets these criteria.

By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 06:37 pm:

In an alternative thread, Johnny A Johnson said:

"OK..I finally downloaded all of the components Beam lists in his 'how to install MacFilmGimp' instructions.

However, the MacFilmGimp thing I end up with is 74kb; inside, there's a blue apple icon, which I'm supposed to drop into Applications, launch and follow the instructions. But where does the code form MacFilmGimp come from?

It *looks* as though I'm on the right track, but may be missing some key info or file here..

Thanks for any help (inching my way along..)

Johnny "

As mentioned earlier on, the trick is to install each component in the correct order. Don't install the FilmGimp before you install XFree86 or it'll be overwritten.

If you want more information on each component, go to Julian Johnson's Mac Lightwave website, and scoll down the page to an entry titled Mac Film Gimp from December 23. In there, Arthur Argote has posted some links which will describe the various components.

By arthur argote (Archiea) (68.164.235.107) on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 04:52 pm:

Thanks for the post and keeping the torch lit, Beam. I told you the jump is worth it!! I've been to busy Job hunting the last couple of weeks! Got some good news, now waiting for some great news...

As far as the GIMP/X11 stuff, let me redirect you guys to apple's site for X11. Truens aout you can get Xwindows beta with a nice aqua window in an apple sanctioned installation...

http://www.apple.com/macosx/x11/

You need to install the SDK from apple that you get with your jaguar disk. You can go to the apple site to get the latest SDK

To get FilmGimp, goto..
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=57007

Êfilmgimp-0.13 is the latest.

The isntallation can take 20 mins for film gimp alone, if not longer, so be patient.

If you are just starting in this, i suggest David's article in creative mac
http://creativemac.com/HTM/HomeSet1.htm
it really walks you through it, it even walks you through setting up your root user password for the faint of heart...


While Film Gimp is no Combustion or AE, its free, and it offers features that would cost you hundreds. its support for cineons alone is worth the time to install...


For the propeller heads, this site details the technology behind the endevours for a Aqua native film gimp
http://gtk-osx.sourceforge.net/index.html

By Mark Nutter (Manutter51) (24.154.236.94) on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 09:57 am:

Arnie, just a quibble:

::I think you could replace steps 6, 7, and 8 with:
::
::In the Terminal window, type the following:
::
::echo >.cshrc "source /sw/bin/init.csh"
::
::And hit return.

In the unlikely event that someone already had a .cshrc file, the above will delete it and replace it with a new file. I would recommend using

echo "source /sw/bin/init.csh" >> .cshrc

This will append the "source..." line to any existing .cshrc file, or create the file if it doesn't already exist.

It is unlikely that an OS X user would have any reason to have a .cshrc file in place already, but I can't help being a geek. ;-)

By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 06:26 pm:

Hey, this is cool. Dave Nagel at Creative Mac is at it again, and has made a collection of natural media brushes for FilmGimp. They are free to download. Brilliant! You can read more here:

http://www.creativemac.com/2003/01_jan/features/download13030117.htm

By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 07:41 pm:

FilmGimp has been updated to version 0.14. This adds support for Wacom tablets (pressure sensitive brushes) as well as Industrial Light & Magic's new OpenEXR file format.

Beamtracer's tip: Are you someone who doesn't think 16-bit-per-channel images relate to what you're doing? Are you currently using Photoshop to make your Lightwave bump maps? Switch to FilmGimp and your bump maps will be far more accurate. Photoshop's 8-bit bump maps limit you to a maximum of only 256 levels of bump. FilmGimp is 16-bit, so will give you 65536 possible levels of bump (if I did my calculations right!). This makes for a much smoother bump!

By ingo (Ingo) (62.109.71.148) on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 08:05 am:

Hi all for that nice overview. Because of my confusion on archiving i'm not able to find the Developer Tools you mentioned. I've found so far two 10.2 disks and one 10.1 and one 10.0 disk, do i miss anythink ? On the two 10.2 disks there was no Developer Tools Installer. Do i need the newest version ?

TIA

ingo

By Beam Tracer (Beamtracer) (203.109.241.109) on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 03:07 am:

I tried it with the original developer tools and the FilmGimp installation would not work. Tried it with the latest one and it works. I seem to have a developer tools disk with Jaguar. This is the one I used.

Developeer tools may be downloadable from Apple, though I haven't checked, and I'm sure it's a big file.

By ingo (Ingo) (62.109.70.88) on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 03:31 am:

Yes i've found the dev disc for 10.0, but still no sign from the third disc of 10.2. You can only download the dev tools from Apple if you are an adc member. So the search continues.