<!DOCTYPE Article PUBLIC "-//Davenport//DTD DocBook V3.0//EN">

<Article id=pygimp>

  <ArtHeader>

    <Title>GIMP Python Documentation</Title>
    <AUTHOR>
      <FirstName>James</FirstName>
      <surname>Henstridge</surname>
      <affiliation>
	<address>
          <email>james@daa.com.au</email>
        </address>
      </affiliation>
    </AUTHOR>

    <PubDate>v0.4, 5 July 1999</PubDate>

    <Abstract>

      <Para>This document outlines the interfaces to Gimp-Python,
      which is a set of Python modules that act as a wrapper to
      <filename>libgimp</filename> allowing the writing of
      plug-ins for GIMP.  In this way, Gimp-Python is similar to
      Script-Fu, except that you can use the full set of Python
      extension modules from the plug-in.</Para>

    </Abstract>
    
  </ArtHeader>

  <Sect1 id=introduction>
    <Title>Introduction</Title>

    <Sect2 id=what-is-it>
      <Title>What is it?</Title>

      <Para>Gimp-Python is a scripting extension for GIMP, similar to
      Script-Fu.  The main difference is in what is called first.  In
      Script-Fu, the script-fu plugin executes the script, while in
      Gimp-Python the script is in control.</Para>

      <Para>In fact, you will find that the Gimp-Python scripts start
      with the line <Literal>&num;!/usr/bin/python</Literal>.  The
      gimp extension is loaded with the familiar
      <Literal>import</Literal> command.</Para>

      <Para>Another point of difference between Gimp-Python and
      Script-Fu is that Gimp-Python stores images, layers, channels
      and other types as objects rather than just storing their ID.
      This allows better type checking that is missing from Script-Fu,
      and allows those types to act as objects, complete with
      attributes and methods.</Para>

      <Para>Also, Gimp-Python is not limited to just calling
      procedures from the PDB.  It also implements the rest of
      <filename>libgimp</filename>, including tiles and pixel regions,
      and access to other lower level functions.</Para>
      
    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=installation>
      <Title>Installation</Title>

      <Para>Gimp-python consists of a Python module written in C and
      some native python support modules.  You can build pygimp with
      the commands:</Para>
<programlisting>
./configure
make
make install
</programlisting>

      <Para>This will build and install gimpmodule and its supporting
      modules, and install the sample plugins in gimp's plugin
      directory.</Para>

    </Sect2>

  </Sect1>

  <Sect1 id=structure-of-plugin>
    <Title>The Structure Of A Plugin</Title>

    <Para>The majority of code in this package resides in
    <filename>gimpmodule.c</filename>, but this provides a poor
    interface for implementing some portions of a plugin.  For this
    reason, there is a python module called
    <filename>plugin.py</filename> that sets out a structure for
    plugins and implements some things that were either too dificult
    or impossible to do in C.</Para>

    <Para>The main purpose of <filename>plugin.py</filename> was to
    implement an object oriented structure for plug-ins.  As well as
    this, it handles tracebacks, which are otherwise ignored by
    <filename>libgimp</filename>, and gives a method to call
    other Gimp-Python plug-ins without going through the procedural
    database.</Para>

    <Sect2 id=example-plugin>
      <Title>An Example Plugin</Title>

      <Para>As in a lot of manuals, the first thing you examine is an
      example, so here is an example.  I have included it before
      explaining what it does to allow more advanced programmers to
      see the structure up front.  It is a translation of the clothify
      Script-Fu extension:</para>

<example>
<title>A sample python plugin</title>
<ProgramListing role="python">
#!/usr/bin/python
import math
from gimpfu import *

have_gimp11 = gimp.major_version > 1 or \
	      gimp.major_version == 1 and gimp.minor_version >= 1

def python_clothify(timg, tdrawable, bx=9, by=9,
		    azimuth=135, elevation=45, depth=3):
	bx = 9 ; by = 9 ; azimuth = 135 ; elevation = 45 ; depth = 3
	width = tdrawable.width
	height = tdrawable.height
	img = gimp.image(width, height, RGB)
	layer_one = gimp.layer(img, "X Dots", width, height, RGB_IMAGE,
			       100, NORMAL_MODE)
	img.disable_undo()
	if have_gimp11:
		pdb.gimp_edit_fill(layer_one)
	else:
		pdb.gimp_edit_fill(img, layer_one)
	img.add_layer(layer_one, 0)
	pdb.plug_in_noisify(img, layer_one, 0, 0.7, 0.7, 0.7, 0.7)
	layer_two = layer_one.copy()
	layer_two.mode = MULTIPLY_MODE
	layer_two.name = "Y Dots"
	img.add_layer(layer_two, 0)
	pdb.plug_in_gauss_rle(img, layer_one, bx, 1, 0)
	pdb.plug_in_gauss_rle(img, layer_two, by, 0, 1)
	img.flatten()
	bump_layer = img.active_layer
	pdb.plug_in_c_astretch(img, bump_layer)
	pdb.plug_in_noisify(img, bump_layer, 0, 0.2, 0.2, 0.2, 0.2)
	pdb.plug_in_bump_map(img, tdrawable, bump_layer, azimuth,
			     elevation, depth, 0, 0, 0, 0, TRUE, FALSE, 0)
	gimp.delete(img)

register(
	"python_fu_clothify",
	"Make the specified layer look like it is printed on cloth",
	"Make the specified layer look like it is printed on cloth",
	"James Henstridge",
	"James Henstridge",
	"1997-1999",
	"&lt;Image&gt;/Filters/Artistic/Clothify",
	"RGB*, GRAY*",
	[
		(PF_INT, "x_blur", "X Blur", 9),
		(PF_INT, "y_blur", "Y Blur", 9),
		(PF_INT, "azimuth", "Azimuth", 135),
		(PF_INT, "elevation", "elevation", 45),
		(PF_INT, "depth", "Depth", 3)
	],
	[],
	python_clothify)

main()
</ProgramListing>
</example>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=important-modules>
      <Title>Import Modules</Title>

      <Para>In this plugin, a number of modules are imported.  The
      important ones are:</para>

      <ItemizedList>
	<ListItem>
	  <para><filename>gimpfu</filename>: this module provides a
	  simple interface for writing plugins, similar to what
	  script-fu provides.  It provides the GUI for entering in
	  parameters in interactive mode and performs some sanity
	  checks when registering the plugin.</para>

	  <para>By using "from gimpfu import *", this module also
	  provides an easy way to get all the commonly used symbols
	  into the plugin's namespace.</para>
	</ListItem>
	<ListItem>
	  <Para><filename>gimp</filename>: the main part of the gimp
	  extension.  This is imported with gimpfu.</Para>
	</ListItem>
	<ListItem>
	  <Para><filename>gimpenums</filename>: a number of useful
	  constants.  This is also automatically imported with
	  gimpfu.</Para>
	</ListItem>
      </ItemizedList>

      <para>The pdb variable is a variable for accessing the
      procedural database.  It is imported into the plugin's namespace
      with gimpfu for convenience.</para>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=plugin-framework>
      <Title>Plugin Framework</Title>

      <Para>With pygimp-0.4, the gimpfu module was introduced.  It
      simplifies writing plugins a lot.  It handles the run mode
      (interactive, non interactive or run with last values),
      providing a GUI for interactive mode and saving the last used
      settings.</Para>

      <Para>Using the gimpfu plugin, all you need to do is write the
      function that should be run, make a call to
      <function>register</function>, and finally a call to
      <function>main</function> to get the plugin started.</Para>

      <Para>If the plugin is to be run on an image, the first
      parameter to the plugin function should be the image, and the
      second should be the current drawable (do not worry about the
      run_mode parameter).  Plugins that do not act on an existing
      image (and hence go in the toolbox's menus) do not need these
      parameters.  Any other parameters are specific to the
      plugin.</Para>

      <Para>After defining the plugin function, you need to call
      <function>register</function> to register the plugin with gimp
      (When the plugin is run to query it, this information is passed
      to gimp.  When it is run interactively, this information is used
      to construct the GUI).  The parameters to
      <function>register</function> are:</Para>
      <SimpleList>
	<member>name</member>
	<member>blurb</member>
	<member>help</member>
	<member>author</member>
	<member>copyright</member>
	<member>date</member>
	<member>menupath</member>
	<member>imagetypes</member>
	<member>params</member>
	<member>results</member>
	<member>function</member>
      </SimpleList>

      <Para>Most of these parameters are quite self explanatory.  The
      menupath option should start with &lt;Image%gt;/ for image
      plugins and &lt;Toolbox&gt;/ for toolbox plugins.  The remainder
      of the menupath is a slash separated path to its menu item.</Para>

      <Para>The params parameter holds a list parameters for the
      function.  It is a list of tuples.  Note that you do not have to
      specify the run_type, image or drawable parameters, as gimpfu
      will add these automatically for you.  The tuple format is
      (type, name, description, default [, extra]).  The allowed type
      codes are:</Para>
      <SimpleList>
	<member>PF_INT8</member>
	<member>PF_INT16</member>
	<member>PF_INT32</member>
	<member>PF_INT</member>
	<member>PF_FLOAT</member>
	<member>PF_STRING</member>
	<member>PF_VALUE</member>
	<member>PF_INT8ARRAY</member>
	<member>PF_INT16ARRAY</member>
	<member>PF_INT32ARRAY</member>
	<member>PF_INTARRAY</member>
	<member>PF_FLOATARRAY</member>
	<member>PF_STRINGARRAY</member>
	<member>PF_COLOR</member>
	<member>PF_COLOUR</member>
	<member>PF_REGION</member>
	<member>PF_IMAGE</member>
	<member>PF_LAYER</member>
	<member>PF_CHANNEL</member>
	<member>PF_DRAWABLE</member>
	<member>PF_TOGGLE</member>
	<member>PF_BOOL</member>
	<member>PF_SLIDER</member>
	<member>PF_SPINNER</member>
	<member>PF_ADJUSTMENT</member>
	<member>PF_FONT</member>
	<member>PF_FILE</member>
	<member>PF_BRUSH</member>
	<member>PF_PATTERN</member>
	<member>PF_GRADIENT</member>
      </SimpleList>

      <Para>These values map onto the standard PARAM_* constants.  The
      reason to use the extra constants is that they give gimpfu more
      information, so it can produce a better interface (for instance,
      the PF_FONT type is equivalent to PARAM_STRING, but in the GUI
      you get a small button that will bring up a font selection
      dialog).</Para>

      <Para>The PF_SLIDER, PF_SPINNER and PF_ADJUSTMENT types require
      the extra parameter.  It is of the form (min, max, step), and
      gives the limits for the spin button or slider.</Para>

      <Para>The results parameter is a list of 3-tuples of the form
      (type, name, description).  It defines the return values for the
      function.  If there is only a single return value, the plugin
      function should return just that value.  If there is more than
      one, the plugin function should return a tuple of results.</Para>

      <Para>The final parameter to <function>register</function> is
      the plugin function itself.</Para>

      <Para>After registering one or more plugin functions, you must
      call the <function>main</function> function.  This will cause
      the plugin to start running.  A GUI will be displayed when
      needed, and your plugin function will be called at the
      appropriate times.</Para>

    </Sect2>

  </Sect1>

  <Sect1 id=procedural-database>
    <Title>The Procedural Database</Title>

    <Para>The procedural database is a registry of things gimp and its
    plugins can do.  When you install a procedure for your plugin, you
    are extending the procedural database.</Para>

    <Para>The procedural database is self documenting, in that when
    you install a procedure in it, you also add documentation for it,
    its parameters and return values.</Para>

    <Sect2 id=gimp-python-model>
      <Title>The Gimp-Python Model</Title>

      <Para>In Gimp-Python, the procedural database is represented by
      the object <parameter>gimp.pdb</parameter>.  In most of my
      plugins, I make an assignment from <parameter>gimp.pdb</parameter>
      to <parameter>pdb</parameter> for convenience.</Para>

      <Para>You can query the procedural database with
      <parameter>pdb</parameter>'s method <function>query</function>.  Its
      specification is:</para>

<Screen>
pdb.query(name, [blurb, [help, [author, [copyright, [date, [type]]]]]])
</Screen>

      <Para>Each parameter is a regular expression that is checked
      against the corresponding field in the procedural database.  The
      method returns a list of the names of matching procedures.  If
      <function>query</function> is called without any arguments, it will
      return every procedure in the database.</Para>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=pdb-procedures>
      <Title>Procedural Database Procedures</Title>

      <Para>Procedures can be accessed as procedures, or by treating
      <parameter>pdb</parameter> as a mapping objest.  As an example,
      the probedure <function>gimp_edit_fill</function> can be
      accessed as either <function>pdb.gimp_edit_fill</function> or
      <function>pdb['gimp_edit_fill']</function>.  The second form is
      mainly for procedures whose names are not valid Python names (eg
      in script-fu-..., the dashes are interpreted as minuses).</Para>

      <Para>These procedure objects have a number of attribute:</para>
      <VariableList>

	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>proc_name</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The name of the procedure.</Para>
	  </ListItem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>proc_blurb</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>A short peice of information about the procedure.</Para>
	  </ListItem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>proc_help</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>More detailed information about the procedure.</Para>
	  </ListItem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>proc_author</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The author of the procedure.</Para>
	  </ListItem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>proc_copyright</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The copyright holder for the procedure (usually the
            same as the author).</Para>
	  </ListItem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>proc_date</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The date when the procedure was written.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>proc_type</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The type of procedure.  This will be one of
            PROC_PLUG_IN, PROC_EXTENSION or PROC_TEMPORARY.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>nparams</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The number of parameters the procedure takes.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>nreturn_vals</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The number of return values the procedure gives.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>params</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>A description of parameters of the procedure.  It
            takes the form of a tuple of 3-tuples, where each 3-tuple
            describes a parameter.  The items in the 3-tuple are a
            parameter type (one of the PARAM_* constants), a
            name for the parameter, and a description of the
            parameter.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <term>return_vals</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>A description of the return values.  It takes the
            same form as the <literal>params</literal>
            attribute.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
      </VariableList>

      <Para>A procedure object may also be called.  At this point,
      Gimp-Python doesn't support keyword arguments for PDB
      procedures.  Arguments are passed to the procedure in the normal
      method.  The return depends on the number of return values:</para>

      <ItemizedList>
	<ListItem>
	  <Para>If there are zero return values,
	  <literal>None</literal> is returned.</Para>
	</ListItem>
	<ListItem>
	  <Para>If there is only a single return value, it is
	  returned.</Para>
	</ListItem>
	<ListItem>
	  <Para>If there are more return values, then they are
	  returned as a tuple.</Para>
	</ListItem>
      </ItemizedList>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=more-information>
      <Title>More Information</Title>
      
      <Para>For more information on invoking PDB procedures, please
      see the example plugins.  For information on individual
      procedures, please see the PDB Browser plugin (in the Xtns
      menu).  It alows you to peruse to the database
      interactively.</Para>

    </Sect2>

  </Sect1>
  
  <Sect1 id=gimp-module-procedures>
    <Title>GIMP Module Procedures</Title>

    <Para>The <filename>gimp</filename> module contains a number of
    procedures and functions, as well as the definitions of many gimp
    types such as images, and the procedural database.  This section
    explains the base level procedures.</Para>

    <Sect2 id=constructors-and-destructors>
      <Title>Constructors and Object Deletion</Title>

      <Para>There are a number of functions in the
      <filename>gimp</filename> module that are used to create the objects
      used to make up an image in GIMP.  Here is a set of descriptions
      of these constructors:</para>

      <VariableList>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.image</function>(<parameter>width</parameter>,
	  <parameter>height</parameter>,
	  <parameter>type</parameter>)</term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>This procedure creates an image with the given
            dimensions and type (type is one of
            <literal>RGB</literal>, <literal>GRAY</literal> or
            <literal>INDEXED</literal>).</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.layer</function>(<parameter>img</parameter>,
	  <parameter>name</parameter>, <parameter>width</parameter>,
	  <parameter>height</parameter>, <parameter>type</parameter>,
	  <parameter>opacity</parameter>,
	  <parameter>mode</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Create a new layer called
            <parameter>name</parameter>, with the given dimensions and
            <parameter>type</parameter> (one of the
            <literal>*_IMAGE</literal> constants),
            <literal>opacity</literal> (float between 0 and 100) and
            a <literal>mode</literal> (one of the
            <literal>*_MODE</literal> constants).  The layer can
            then be added to the image with the
            <function>img.add_layer</function> method.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.channel</function>(<parameter>img</parameter>,
	  <parameter>name</parameter>, <parameter>width</parameter>,
	  <parameter>height</parameter>,
	  <parameter>opacity</parameter>,
	  <parameter>colour</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Create a new channel object with the given
            dimensions, <parameter>opacity</parameter> and
            <parameter>colour</parameter> (one of the
            <literal>*_CHANNEL</literal> constants).  This channel can
            then be added to an image.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.display</function>(<parameter>img</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Create a new display window for the given image.
            The window will not be displayed until a call to
            <function>gimp.displays_flush</function> is made.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.parasite(name, flags, data)</function></Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Create a new parasite.  The parasite can then be
	    attached to gimp, an image or a drawable.  This is only
	    available in gimp >= 1.1</Para>
	  </ListItem>
	</VarListEntry>
      </VariableList>

      <Para>When any of these objects get removed from memory (such as
      when their name goes out of range), the gimp thing it represents
      does not get deleted with it (otherwise when your plugin
      finished running, it would delete all its work).  In order to
      delete the thing the Python object represents, you should use
      the <function>gimp.delete</function> procedure.  It deletes the
      gimp thing associated with the Python object given as a
      parameter.  If the object is not an image, layer, channel,
      drawable or display <function>gimp.delete</function> does
      nothing.</Para>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=configuration-information>
      <Title>Configuration Information</Title>

      <Para>There are a number of functions that can be used to gather
      information about the environment the plugin is running in:</para>

      <VariableList>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.color_cube</function>() or
	  <function>gimp.colour_cube</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns the current colour cube.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.gamma</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns the current gamma correction.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.install_cmap</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns non-zero if a colour map has been
	    installed.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.use_xshm</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns non-zero if GIMP is using X shared
	    memory.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.gtkrc</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns the file name of the GTK configuration
	    file.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
      </VariableList>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=palette-operations>
      <Title>Palette Operations</Title>

      <Para>These functions alter the currently selected foreground
      and background.</para>

      <VariableList>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.get_background</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns a 3-tuple containing the current background
	    colour in RGB form.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.get_foreground</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns a 3-tuple containing the current foreground
	    colour in RGB form.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.set_background</function>(<parameter>r</parameter>,
	  <parameter>g</parameter>, <parameter>b</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Sets the current background colour.  The three
            arguments can be replaced by a single 3-tuple like that
            returned by <function>gimp.get_background</function>.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.set_foreground</function>(<parameter>r</parameter>,
	  <parameter>g</parameter>, <parameter>b</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Sets the current foreground colour.  Like
            <function>gimp.set_background</function>, the arguments may
            be replaced by a 3-tuple.</para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
      </VariableList>
      
    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=gradient-operations>
      <Title>Gradient Operations</Title>

      <Para>These functions perform operations on gradients:</para>

      <VariableList>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.gradients_get_active</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns the name of the active gradient.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.gradients_set_active</function>(<parameter>name</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Sets the active gradient.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.gradients_get_list</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns a list of the names of the available
	    gradients.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.gradients_sample_uniform</function>(<parameter>num</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns a list of <parameter>num</parameter>
            samples, where samples consist of 4-tuples of floats
            representing the red, green, blue and alpha values for the
            sample.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.gradients_sample_custom</function>(<parameter>pos</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Similar to
            <function>gimp.gradients_sample_uniform</function>, except
            the samples are taken at the positions given in the list
            of floats <parameter>pos</parameter> instead of uniformly
            through the gradient.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
      </VariableList>

    </Sect2>
    
    <Sect2 id=pdb-registration-functions>
      <Title>PDB Registration Functions</Title>

      <Para>These functions either install procedures into the PDB or
      alert gimp to their special use (eg as file handlers).</Para>

      <Para>For simple plugins, you will usually only need to use
      <function>register</function> from gimpfu.</Para>

      <VariableList>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.install_procedure</function>(<parameter>name</parameter>,
          <parameter>blurb</parameter>, <parameter>help</parameter>,
          <parameter>author</parameter>,
          <parameter>copyright</parameter>,
          <parameter>date</parameter>,
          <parameter>menu_path</parameter>,
          <parameter>image_types</parameter>,
          <parameter>type</parameter>, <parameter>params</parameter>,
          <parameter>ret_vals</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>This procedure is used to install a procedure into
            the PDB.  The first eight parameters are strings,
            <parameter>type</parameter> is a one of the
            <literal>PROC_*</literal> constants, and the last two
            parameters are sequences describing the parameters and
            return values.  Their format is the same as the param and
            ret_vals methods or PDB procedures.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.install_temp_proc</function>(<parameter>name</parameter>,
          <parameter>blurb</parameter>, <parameter>help</parameter>,
          <parameter>author</parameter>,
          <parameter>copyright</parameter>,
          <parameter>date</parameter>,
          <parameter>menu_path</parameter>,
          <parameter>image_types</parameter>, <parameter>type,
          params</parameter>, <parameter>ret_vals</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>This procedure is used to install a procedure into
            the PDB temporarily.  That is, it must be added again
            every time gimp is run.  This procedure will be called the
            same way as all other procedures for a plugin.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.uninstall_temp_proc</function>(<parameter>name</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>This removes a temporary procedure from the
	    PDB.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.register_magic_load_handle</function>r(<parameter>name</parameter>,
	  <parameter>extensions</parameter>,
	  <parameter>prefixes</parameter>,
	  <parameter>magics</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>This procedure tells GIMP that the PDB procedure
            <parameter>name</parameter> can load files with
            <parameter>extensions</parameter> and
            <parameter>prefixes</parameter> (eg http:) with magic
            information <parameter>magics</parameter>.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.register_load_handler</function>(<parameter>name</parameter>,
	  <parameter>extensions</parameter>,
	  <parameter>prefixes</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>This procedure tells GIMP that the PDB procedure
            <parameter>name</parameter> can load files with
            <parameter>extensions</parameter> and
            <parameter>prefixes</parameter> (eg http:).</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.register_save_handler</function>(<parameter>name</parameter>,
	  <parameter>extensions</parameter>,
	  <parameter>prefixes</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>This procedure tells GIMP that the PDB procedure
            <parameter>name</parameter> can save files with
            <parameter>extensions</parameter> and
            <parameter>prefixes</parameter> (eg http:).</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
      </VariableList>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=other-functions>
      <Title>Other Functions</Title>

      <Para>These are the other functions in the
      <filename>gimp</filename> module.</para>

      <VariableList>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.main</function>(<parameter>init_func</parameter>,
	  <parameter>quit_func</parameter>,
	  <parameter>query_func</parameter>,
	  <parameter>run_func</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>This function is the one that controls the execution
            of a Gimp-Python plugin.  It is better to not use this
            directly but rather subclass the plugin class, defined in
            the <XRef LinkEnd="gimpplugin-module">.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><parameter>gimp.pdb</parameter></Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The procedural database object.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.progress_init</function>(<parameter>[label]</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>(Re)Initialise the progress meter with
            <parameter>label</parameter> (or the plugin name) as a
            label in the window.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.progress_update</function>(<parameter>percnt</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Set the progress meter to
	    <parameter>percnt</parameter> done.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.query_images</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Returns a list of all the image objects.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.quit</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Stops execution imediately and exits.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.displays_flush</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Update all the display windows.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.tile_width</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The maximum width of a tile.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.tile_height</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The maximum height of a tile.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.tile_cache_size</function>(<parameter>kb</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Set the size of the tile cache in kilobytes.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.tile_cache_ntiles</function>(<parameter>n</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Set the size of the tile cache in tiles.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.get_data</function>(<parameter>key</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Get the information associated with
            <parameter>key</parameter>.  The data will be a string.
            This function should probably be used through the <XRef
            LinkEnd="gimpshelf-module">.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.set_data</function>(<parameter>key</parameter>,
	  <parameter>data</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Set the information in the string
            <parameter>data</parameter> with
            <parameter>key</parameter>.  The data will persist for the
            whole gimp session.  Rather than directly accessing this
            function, it is better to go through the <XRef
            LinkEnd="gimpshelf-module">.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.extension_ack</function>()</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Tells gimp that the plugin has finished its work,
            while keeping the plugin connection open.  This is used by
            an extension plugin to tell gimp it can continue, while
            leaving the plugin connection open.  This is what the
            script-fu plugin does so that only one scheme interpretter
            is needed.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
	<VarListEntry>
	  <Term><function>gimp.extension_process</function>(<parameter>timeout</parameter>)</Term>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Makes the plugin check for messages from gimp.
            generally this is not needed, as messages are checked
            during most calls in the gimp module.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</VarListEntry>
      </VariableList>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=parasites>
      <Title>Parasites</Title>

      <Para>In gimp >= 1.1, it is possible to attach arbitrary data to
      an image through the use of parasites.  Parasites are simply
      wrappers for the data, containing its name and some flags.
      Parasites have the following parameters:</Para>
      <VariableList>
	<varlistentry>
	  <term>data</term>
	  <listitem>
	    <Para>The data for the parasite -- a string</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
	  <term>flags</term>
	  <listitem>
	    <Para>The flags for the parasite</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
	  <term>is_persistent</term>
	  <listitem>
	    <Para>True if this parasite is persistent</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
	  <term>is_undoable</term>
	  <listitem>
	    <Para>True if this parasite is undoable</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
	  <term>name</term>
	  <listitem>
	    <Para>The name of the parasite</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</varlistentry>
      </VariableList>

      <Para>Parasites also have the methods <function>copy</function>,
      <function>is_type</function> and
      <function>has_flag</function>.</Para>

      <Para>There is a set of four functions that are used to
      manipulate parasites.  They exist as functions in the
      <filename>gimp</filename> module, and methods for image and
      drawable objects.  They are:</Para>
      <VariableList>
	<varlistentry>
	  <term><function>parasite_find</function>(<parameter>name</parameter>)</term>
	  <listitem>
	    <Para>find a parasite by its name.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
	  <term><function>parasite_attach</function>(<parameter>parasite</parameter>)</term>
	  <listitem>
	    <Para>Attach a parasite to this object.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
	  <term><function>attach_new_parasite</function>(<parameter>name</parameter>, <parameter>flags</parameter>, <parameter>data</parameter>)</term>
	  <listitem>
	    <Para>Create a new parasite and attach it.</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
	  <term><function>parasite_detach</function>(<parameter>name</parameter>)</term>
	  <listitem>
	    <Para>Detach the named parasite</Para>
	  </listitem>
	</varlistentry>
      </VariableList>

    </Sect2>

  </Sect1>

  <Sect1 id=gimp-objects>
    <Title>GIMP Objects</Title>

    <Para>Gimp-Python implements a number of special object types that
    represent the different types of parameters you can pass to a PDB
    procedure.  Rather than just making these place holders, I have
    added a number of members and methods to them that allow a lot of
    configurability without directly calling PDB procedures.</Para>

    <Para>There are also a couple of extra objects that allow low
    level manipulation of images.  These are tile objects (working)
    and pixel regions (not quite finished).</Para>

    <Sect2 id=image-object>
      <Title>Image Object</Title>

      <Para>This is the object that represents an open image.  In this
      section, <replaceable>image</replaceable> represents a generic
      image object.</Para>

      <Sect3 id=image-object-members>
	<Title>Image Members</Title>

	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>active_channel</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>This is the active channel of the image.  You can
              also assign to this member, or
              <parameter>None</parameter> if there is no active
              channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>active_layer</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>This is the active layer of the image.  You can
              also assign to this member, or
              <parameter>None</parameter> if there is no active
              layer.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>base_type</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>This is the type of the image (eg RGB, INDEXED).</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>channels</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>This is a list of the channels of the image.
              Altering this list has no effect, and you can not assign
              to this member.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>cmap</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>This is the colour map for the image.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>filename</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>This is the filename for the image.  A file load
              or save handler might assign to this.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>height</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>This is the height of the image.  You can't assign
              to this member.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>floating_selection</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The floating selection layer, or
              <parameter>None</parameter> if there is no floating
              selection.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>layers</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>This is a list of the layers of the image.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>selection</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The selection mask for the image.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<parameter>width</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>This is the width of the image.  You can't assign
              to this member.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

      <Sect3 id=image-object-methods>
	<Title>Image Methods</Title>

	<Para></Para>
	<VariableList>

	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>add_channel</function>(<parameter>channel</parameter>,
	    <parameter>position</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Adds <parameter>channel</parameter> to
              <replaceable>image</replaceable> in position
              <parameter>position</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>add_layer</function>(<parameter>layer</parameter>,
	    <parameter>position</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Adds <parameter>layer</parameter> to
              <replaceable>image</replaceable> in position
              <parameter>position</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>add_layer_mask</function>(<parameter>layer</parameter>,
	    <parameter>mask</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Adds the mask <parameter>mask</parameter> to
	      <parameter>layer</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>clean_all</function>()</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Unsets the dirty flag on the image.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>disable_undo</function>()</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Disables undo for
	      <replaceable>image</replaceable>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>enable_undo</function>()</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Enables undo for <replaceable>image</replaceable>.
              You might use these commands round a plugin, so that the
              plugin's actions can be undone in a single step.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>flatten</function>()</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Returns the resulting layer after merging all the
              visible layers, discarding non visible ones and
              stripping the alpha channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>get_component_active</function>(<parameter>component</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Returns true if <parameter>component</parameter>
              (one of the <literal>*_CHANNEL</literal> constants) is
              active.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>get_component_visible</function>(<parameter>component</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Returns true if <parameter>component</parameter>
              is visible.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>set_component_active</function>(<parameter>component</parameter>,
	    <parameter>active</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Sets the activeness of
	      <parameter>component</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>set_component_visible</function>(<parameter>component</parameter>,
	    <parameter>active</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Sets the visibility of
	      <parameter>component</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>lower_channel</function>(<parameter>channel</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Lowers <parameter>channel</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>lower_layer</function>(<parameter>layer</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Lowers <parameter>layer</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>merge_visible_layers</function>(<parameter>type</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Merges the visible layers of
              <replaceable>image</replaceable> using the given merge
              type.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>pick_correlate_layer</function>(<parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Returns the layer that is visible at the point
              <parameter>(x,y)</parameter>, or
              <parameter>None</parameter> if no layer matches.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
<Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>raise_channel</function>(<parameter>channel</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Raises <parameter>channel</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>raise_layer</function>(<parameter>layer</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Raises <parameter>layer</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>remove_channel</function>(<parameter>channel</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Removes <parameter>channel</parameter> from
	      <replaceable>image</replaceable>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>remove_layer</function>(<parameter>layer</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Removes <parameter>layer</parameter> from
	      <replaceable>image</replaceable>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>remove_layer_mask</function>(<parameter>layer</parameter>,
	    <parameter>mode</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Removes the mask from
              <parameter>layer</parameter>, with the given
              <parameter>mode</parameter> (either APPLY or
              DISCARD).</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>image</replaceable>.<function>resize</function>(<parameter>width</parameter>,
	    <parameter>height</parameter>, <parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Resizes the image to size <parameter>(width,
              height)</parameter> and places the old contents at
              position <parameter>(x,y)</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=channel-object>
      <Title>Channel Objects</Title>

      <Para>These objects represent a GIMP Image's colour channels.
      In this section, <replaceable>channel</replaceable> will refer
      to a generic channel object.</Para>

      <Sect3 id=channel-object-members>
	<Title>Channel Members</Title>

	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>colour</parameter>
	    or
	    <replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>color</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The colour of the channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>height</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The height of the channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>width</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The width of the channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>image</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The image the channel belongs to, or
              <parameter>None</parameter> if it isn't attached
              yet.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>layer</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The channel's layer (??) or
              <parameter>None</parameter> if one doesn't exist.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>layer_mask</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if the channel is a layer mask.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>name</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The name of the channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>opacity</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The opacity of the channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>show_masked</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The show_masked value of the channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<parameter>visible</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non-zero if the channel is visible.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

      <Sect3 id=channel-object-methods>
	<Title>Channel Methods</Title>

	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>channel</replaceable>.<function>copy</function>()</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>returns a copy of the channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>
      
    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=layer-object>
      <Title>Layer Objects</Title>

      <Para>Layer objects represent the layers of a GIMP image.  In
      this section I will refer to a generic layer called
      <replaceable>layer</replaceable>.</Para>

      <Sect3 id=layer-object-members>
	<Title>Layer Members</Title>

	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>apply_mask</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The apply mask setting. (non zero if the layer
              mask is being composited with the layer's alpha
              channel).</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>bpp</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The number of bytes per pixel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>edit_mask</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The edit mask setting.  (non zero if the mask is
              active, rather than the layer).</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>height</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The height of the layer.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>image</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The image the layer is part of, or
              <parameter>None</parameter> if the layer isn't
              attached.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>is_floating_selection</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if this layer is the image's floating
	      selection.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>mask</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The layer's mask, or <parameter>None</parameter>
	      if it doesn't have one.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>mode</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The mode of the layer.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>name</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The name of the layer.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>opacity</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The opacity of the layer.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<parameter>preserve_transparency</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The layer's preserve transparency setting.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

      <Sect3 id=layer-object-methods>
	<Title>Layer Methods</Title>

	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<function>add_alpha</function>()</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Adds an alpha component to the layer.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<function>copy</function>(<parameter>[alpha]</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Creates a copy of the layer, optionally with an
	      alpha layer.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<function>create_mask</function>(<parameter>type</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Creates a layer mask of type
	      <parameter>type</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<function>resize</function>(<parameter>w</parameter>,
	    <parameter>h</parameter>, <parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Resizes the layer to <parameter>(w,
              h)</parameter>, positioning the original contents at
              <parameter>(x,y)</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<function>scale</function>(<parameter>h</parameter>,
	    <parameter>w</parameter>,
	    <parameter>origin</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Scales the layer to <parameter>(w, h)</parameter>,
              using the specified <parameter>origin</parameter> (local
              or image).</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<function>set_offsets</function>(<parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Sets the offset of the layer, relative to the
	      image's origin</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>layer</replaceable>.<function>translate</function>(<parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Moves the layer to <parameter>(x, y)</parameter>
              relative to its current position.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=drawable-object>
      <Title>Drawable Objects</Title>

      <Para>Both layers and channels are drawables.  Hence there are a
      number of operations that can be performed on both objects.
      They also have some common attributes and methods.  In the
      description of these attributes, I will refer to a generic
      drawable called <replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.</Para>

      <Sect3 id=drawable-object-members>
	<Title>Drawable Members</Title>

	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>bpp</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The number of bytes per pixel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>is_colour</parameter>
	    or
	    <replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>is_color</parameter>
	    or
	    <replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>is_rgb</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if the drawable is colour.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>is_grey</parameter>
	    or
	    <replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>is_gray</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if the drawable is greyscale.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>has_alpha</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if the drawable has an alpha channel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>height</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The height of the drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>image</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The image the drawable belongs to.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>is_indexed</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if the drawable uses an indexed colour
	      scheme.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>mask_bounds</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The bounds of the drawable's selection.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>name</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The name of the drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>offsets</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The offset of the top left hand corner of the
	      drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>type</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The type of the drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>visible</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if the drawable is visible.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<parameter>width</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The width of the drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

      <Sect3 id=drawable-object-methods>
	<Title>Drawable Methods</Title>

	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>fill</function>(<parameter>fill_type</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Fills the drawable with given
	      <parameter>fill_type</parameter> (one of the
	      <literal>*_FILL</literal> constants).</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>flush</function>()</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Flush the changes to the drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>get_pixel_rgn</function>(<parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>, <parameter>w</parameter>,
	    <parameter>h</parameter>, [<parameter>dirty</parameter>,
	    [<parameter>shadow</parameter>])</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Creates a pixel region for the drawable.  It will
              cover the region with origin
              <parameter>(x,y)</parameter> and dimensions <parameter>w
              x h</parameter>.  The <parameter>dirty</parameter>
              argument sets whether any changes to the pixel region
              will be reflected in the drawable (default is TRUE).
              The <parameter>shadow</parameter> argument sets whether
              the pixel region acts on the shadow tiles or not
              (default is FALSE).  If you draw on the shadow tiles,
              you must call
              <replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>merge_shadow</function>()
              for changes to take effect.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>get_tile</function>(<parameter>shadow</parameter>,
	    <parameter>row</parameter>,
	    <parameter>col</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Get a tile at <parameter>(row,
	      col)</parameter>. Either on or off the
	      <parameter>shadow</parameter> buffer.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>get_tile2</function>(<parameter>shadow</parameter>,
	    <parameter>x</parameter>, <parameter>y</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Get the tile that contains the pixel
	      <parameter>(x, y)</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>merge_shadow</function>()</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Merge the shadow buffer back into the
	      drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>update</function>(<parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>, <parameter>w</parameter>,
	    <parameter>h</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Update the given portion of the drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>
      
    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=tile-object>
      <Title>Tile Objects</Title>

      <Para>Tile objects represent the way GIMP stores information.  A
      tile is basically just a 64x64 pixel region of the drawable.
      The reason GIMP breaks the image into small pieces like this is
      so that the whole image doesn't have to be loaded into memory in
      order to alter one part of it.  This becomes important with
      larger images.</Para>

      <Para>In Gimp-Python, you would use Tiles if you wanted to
      perform some low level operation on the image, instead of using
      procedures in the PDB.  This type of object gives a Gimp-Python
      plugin the power of a C plugin, rather than just the power of a
      Script-Fu script.  Tile objects are created with either the
      <replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>get_tile</function>()
      or
      <replaceable>drawable</replaceable>.<function>get_tile2</function>()
      functions.  In this section, I will refer to a generic tile
      object named <replaceable>tile</replaceable>.</Para>

      <Sect3 id=tile-object-members>
	<Title>Tile Members</Title>

	<Para>All tile members are read only.</Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>tile</replaceable>.<parameter>bpp</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The number of bytes per pixel.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>tile</replaceable>.<parameter>dirty</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>If there have been changes to the tile since it
	      was last flushed.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>tile</replaceable>.<parameter>drawable</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The drawable that the tile is from.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>tile</replaceable>.<parameter>eheight</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The actual height of the tile.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>tile</replaceable>.<parameter>ewidth</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The actual width of the tile.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>tile</replaceable>.<parameter>ref_count</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The reference count of the tile.  (this is
	      independent of the Python object reference
	      count).</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>tile</replaceable>.<parameter>shadow</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if the tile is part of the shadow
	      buffer.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

      <Sect3 id=tile-object-methods>
	<Title>Tile Methods</Title>

	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>tile</replaceable>.<function>flush</function>()</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Flush any changes in the tile.  Note that the tile
	      is automatically flushed when the Python object is
	      deleted from memory.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>
      
      <Sect3 id=tile-object-mapping>
	<Title>Tile Mapping Behaviour</Title>

	<Para>Tile objects also act as a mapping, or sequence.  You
	can access the pixels in the tile in one of two ways.  You can
	either access them with a single number, which refers to its
	position in the tile
	(eg. <replaceable>tile</replaceable><literal>[64]</literal>
	refers to the first pixel in the second row of a 64x64 pixel
	tile).  The other way is with a tuple, representing the
	coordinates on the tile
	(eg. <replaceable>tile</replaceable><literal>[0, 1]</literal>
	refers to the first pixel on the second row of the
	tile).</Para>

	<Para>The type of these subscripts is a string of length
	<replaceable>tile</replaceable>.<parameter>bpp</parameter>.
	When you assign to a subscript, the dirty flag is
	automatically set on the tile, so you don't have to explicitly
	set the flag, or flush the tile.</Para>

      </Sect3>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=pregion-object>
      <Title>Pixel Regions</Title>

      <Para>Pixel region objects give an interface for low level
      operations to act on large regions of an image, instead of on
      small 64x64 pixel tiles.  In this section I will refer to a
      generic pixel region called <replaceable>pr</replaceable>.  For
      an example of a pixel region's use, please see the example
      plugin <filename>whirlpinch.py</filename>.</Para>

      <Sect3 id=pregion-object-members>
	<Title>Pixel Region Members</Title>

	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<parameter>drawable</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The drawable this pixel region is for.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<parameter>bpp</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The number of bytes per pixel for the drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<parameter>rowstride</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The rowstride for the pixel region.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<parameter>x</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The x coordinate of the top left hand corner.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<parameter>y</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The y coordinate of the top left hand corner.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<parameter>w</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The width of the pixel region.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<parameter>h</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>The height of the pixel region.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<parameter>dirty</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if changes to the pixel region will be
	      reflected in the drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<parameter>shadow</parameter></Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Non zero if the pixel region acts on the shadow
	      tiles of the drawable.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

      <Sect3 id=pregion-object-methods>
	<Title>Pixel Region Methods</Title>
	
	<Para></Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>.<function>resize</function>(<parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>, <parameter>w</parameter>,
	    <parameter>h</parameter>)</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>resize the pixel region so that it operates on the
	      the region with corner <parameter>(x, y)</parameter>
	      with dimensions <parameter>w x h</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

      <Sect3 id=pregion-object-mapping>
	<Title>Pixel Region Mapping Behaviour</Title>

	<Para>The pixel region acts as a mapping.  The index is a
	2-tuple with components that are either integers or slices.
	The subscripts may be read and assigned to.  The type of the
	subscripts is a string containing the binary data of the
	requested region.  Here is a description of the posible
	operations:</Para>

	<VariableList>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>[<parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>]</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Get/Set the pixel at
	      <parameter>(x,y)</parameter></Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>[<parameter>x1</parameter>:<parameter>x2</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y</parameter>]</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Get/Set the row starting at <parameter>(x1,
	      y)</parameter>, width <parameter>x2 -
	      x1</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>[<parameter>x</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y1</parameter>:<parameter>y2</parameter>]</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Get/Set the column starting at <parameter>(x,
	      y1)</parameter>, height <parameter>y2 -
	      y1</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	  <VarListEntry>
	    <Term><replaceable>pr</replaceable>[<parameter>x1</parameter>:<parameter>x2</parameter>,
	    <parameter>y1</parameter>:<parameter>y1</parameter>]</Term>
	    <ListItem>
	      <Para>Get/Set the rectangle starting at <parameter>(x1,
	      y1)</parameter>, width <parameter>x2 - x1</parameter>
	      and height <parameter>y2 - y1</parameter>.</Para>
	    </listitem>
	  </VarListEntry>
	</VariableList>

      </Sect3>

    </Sect2>

  </Sect1>

  <Sect1 id=support-modules>
    <Title>Support Modules</Title>

    <Para>This section describes the modules that help make using the
    <filename>gimp</filename> module easier.  These range from a set
    of constants to storing persistent data.</Para>

    <Sect2 id=gimpenums-module>
      <Title>The gimpenums Module</Title>

      <Para>This module contains all the constants found in the header
      <filename>libgimp/gimpenums.h</filename>, as well as some extra
      constants that are available in Script-Fu.</Para>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2>
      <Title>The gimpfu Module</Title>

      <Para>This module was fully described in an earlier section.  It
      provides an easy interface for writing plugins, where you do not
      need to worry about run_modes, GUI's and saving previous values.
      It is the recommended module for writing plugins.</Para>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id=gimpplugin-module>
      <Title>The gimpplugin Module</Title>

      <Para>This module provides the framework for writing GIMP
      plugins in Python.  It gives more flexibility for writing
      plugins than the gimpfu module, but does not offer as many
      features (such as automatic GUI building).</Para>

      <Para>To use this framework you subclass
      <function>gimpplugin.plugin</function> like so:</Para>

<ProgramListing>
import gimpplugin
class myplugin(gimpplugin.plugin):
	def init(self):
		# initialisation routines
		# called when gimp starts.
	def quit(self):
		# clean up routines
		# called when gimp exits (normally).
	def query(self):
		# called to find what functionality the plugin provides.
		gimp.install_procedure("procname", ...)
	# note that this method name matches the first arg of
	# gimp.install_procedure
	def procname(self, arg1, ...):
		# do what ever this plugin should do
</ProgramListing>

    </Sect2>

    <Sect2 id="gimpshelf-module">
      <Title>The gimpshelf Module</Title>

      <Para>This module gives a nicer interface to the persistent
      storage interface for GIMP plugins.  Due to the complicated
      nature of Python objects (there is often a lot of connections
      between them), it can be dificult to work out what to store in
      gimp's persistent storage.  The python interface only allows
      storage of strings, so this module wraps pickle and unpickle to
      allow persistentstorage of any python object.</Para>

      <Para>Here is some examples of using this module:</Para>

<Screen>
&gt;&gt;&gt; from gimpshelf import shelf
&gt;&gt;&gt; shelf['james'] = ['forty-two', (42, 42L, 42.0)]
&gt;&gt;&gt; shelf.has_key('james')
1
&gt;&gt;&gt; shelf['james']
['forty-two', (42, 42L, 42.0)]
</Screen>

      <Para>Anything you store with
      <function>gimpshelf.shelf</function> will exist until GIMP
      exits.  This makes this interface perfect for when a plugin is
      executed with the run mode
      <literal>RUN_WITH_LAST_VALS</literal>.</Para>

    </Sect2>

  </Sect1>

  <Sect1 id=script-fu-interface>
    <Title>Script-Fu Invocation</Title> 

    <Sect2>
    <Title>The Script-Fu to GIMP Python Interface</Title>

        <Para>As all other plug-ins, the ones written with GIMP Python are
	registered in the procedural database (See <XRef
	LinkEnd="procedural-database">).  As such, they can be easily interfaced
	using Script-Fu; let's consider this GIMP Python plug-in:</Para>

<ProgramListing role="python">
#! /usr/bin/env python
from gimpfu import *

def echo(*args):
  """Print the arguments on standard output"""
  print "echo:", args

register(
  "console_echo", "", "", "", "", "",
  "&lt;Toolbox&gt;/Xtns/Languages/Python-Fu/Test/_Console Echo", "",
  [
  (PF_STRING, "arg0", "argument 0", "test string"),
  (PF_INT,    "arg1", "argument 1", 100          ),
  (PF_FLOAT,  "arg2", "argument 2", 1.2          ),
  (PF_COLOR,  "arg3", "argument 3", (0, 0, 0)    ),
  ],
  [],
  echo
  )

main()
</ProgramListing> 

     	<Para>Using Script-Fu, one could easily invoke the correct Scheme
	function call: <Literal>(python-fu-console-echo RUN-NONINTERACTIVE
	"another string" 777 3.1416 '(1 0 0))</Literal>. There are a couple of
	details worth mentioning:</Para>

     	<ItemizedList>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The registered procedure name (first parameter of the
	    <Literal>register()</Literal> function) is mangled: all underscores
	    are converted to hypens, to better match the usual Scheme syntatic
	    style (here, <Literal>console_echo</Literal> becomes
	    <Literal>console-echo</Literal>). Moreover, a
	    <Literal>python-fu-</Literal> prefix is automatically added; it is
	    better not to explicitely add it ourselves, as it will makes the
	    often useful <Literal>(plug-in-script-fu-eval ...)</Literal>
	    evaluation fail.</Para>
	  </ListItem>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>The mandatory first parameter to any pdb call (Script-Fu
	    constant <Literal>RUN-INTERACTIVE</Literal>, or
	    <Literal>RUN-NONINTERACTIVE</Literal>) discriminates between
	    user-driven or scripted calls. In the case of gimpfu-based plug-ins,
	    it is automatically taken care of internally -- interactive calls
	    will dismiss all the remaning arguments, and an interface will be
	    presented (when possible) to the user. The plug-in core Python
	    function (<Literal>echo()</Literal> in this case), never has to deal
	    with it.</Para>
	  </ListItem>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>Script-Fu is able to process strings, integer and floats
	    literals, and pass them as corresponding first-class objects to
	    Python. It can also pass compound arguments such as colors as tuples
	    in Python by expressing them as Scheme lists (in the
	    <Literal>(python-fu-console-echo ...)</Literal> call above, fourth
	    argument to the pythonic <Literal>echo()</Literal> function will be
	    a 3-tuple of integers representing a pure red color).</Para>
	  </ListItem>
	  <ListItem>
	    <Para>All other special purposes gimpfu parameter types
	    (<Literal>PF_FILE</Literal>, etc.) can be constructed using those
	    simple literals and list constructs, and received as appropriate
	    objects in Python. If you need booleans, pass them as
	    integers.</Para>
	  </ListItem>
       </ItemizedList>
     </Sect2>

     <Sect2>
     <Title>GIMP Python Invocation from the Shell</Title>

       <Para>All this means that you could easily invoke a GIMP Python plug-in
       such as the one above directly from your shell using the
       <Literal>(plug-in-script-fu-eval ...)</Literal> evaluator:</Para>

<programlisting>
gimp --no-interface --batch='(python-fu-console-echo RUN-NONINTERACTIVE "another string" 777 3.1416 (list 1 0 0))' --batch='(gimp-quit 1)'
</programlisting>

       <Para>The invocation here was done without an interface since this specific
       procedure didn't need any.</Para>

       <Para>See the GIMP Script-Fu Documentation to learn more about it.</Para>

    </Sect2>

    </Sect1>

  <Sect1 id=end-note>
    <Title>End Note</Title>

    <Para>This package is not yet complete, but it has enough in it to
    be useful for writing plugins for GIMP.  If you write any plugins
    that might be useful as examples, please mail me at <ULink
    URL="mailto:james@daa.com.au" >james@daa.com.au</ULink>.</Para>

  </Sect1>

</Article>
