Graphics Tools

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GNOME, KDE, and the X Window System support an impressive number of graphics tools, including image viewers, window grabbers, image editors, and paint tools. On the KDE and GNOME desktops, these tools can be found under either a Graphics submenu or the Utilities menu.

KDE Graphics Tools

The KView program is a simple image viewer for GIF and JPEG image files. The KSnapshot program is a simple screen grabber for KDE, which currently supports only a few image formats. The KFourier program is an image-processing tool that uses the Fourier transform to apply several filters to an image at once. The KuickShow program is an easy-to-use, comfortable image browser and viewer supporting slide shows and numerous image formats, based on imlib. The KPaint program is a simple paint program with brushes, shapes, and color effects, and supports numerous image formats. Krita is the KOffice professional image paint and editing application, with a wide range of features including creating Web images and modifying photographs (formerly known as Krayon and KImageShop).

GNOME Graphics Tools

Image Shaker is a digital image-processing tool that includes an extensive set of graphic filters, such as alpha blending and median. It uses a stream-like approach that allows batch processing.

Electric Eyes is a simple image viewer. Right-click its window to display a pop-up menu with options. You can load images and also move back and forth through previously viewed ones. You can even make an image your background.

gThumb is a thumbnail image viewer that lets you browse images using thumbnails, display them, and organize them into catalogs for easy reference. See sourceforge.net for more information.

GQview is a simple image viewer supporting features such as click file viewing, thumbnail preview, zoom, drag and drop, and external editor support, as well as slideshow and full-screen options. Multiple files can be selected for moving, copying, deleting, renaming, or dragging. See sourceforge.net for more information.

GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program, a sophisticated image application much like Adobe Photoshop. You can use GIMP for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring. It supports features such as layers, channels, blends, and gradients. GIMP makes particular use of the GTK+ widget set. You can find out more about GIMP and download the newest versions from its Web site at www.gimp.org. GIMP is freely distributed under the GNU Public License.

The gPhoto project provides software for accessing digital cameras (www.gphoto.org). Several front-end interfaces are provided for a core library, called libgphoto2, consisting of drivers and tools that can access numerous digital cameras. gtKam is a GNOME digital camera tool that can load, select, and edit photos from a digital camera connected to your system. It operates as a GNOME interface for the libgphoto2 libraries. With gtKam, you can generate thumbnail images to let you select and organize your photos. You can also process photos, changing their orientation. gPhoto2 is the command line interface for the libgphoto2 library, performing operations similar to gtKam.

X Window System Graphic Programs

The Xpaint program is a painting program, much like MacPaint. You can load paint pictures or photographs, and then create shapes, add text, and add colors. You can use brush tools with various sizes and colors. The Xfig program is a drawing program, and Xmorph enables you to morph images, changing their shapes. ImageMagick lets you convert images from one format to another such as changing a TIFF image to a JPEG image. The xv program is a screen capture and image editing program.

Table 12-2: Graphics Tools for Linux

Tools	Description
KDE
KView	Simple image viewer for GIF and JPEG image files
KSnapshot	Screen grabber
KFourier	Image processing tool that uses the Fourier transform
KuickShow	Image browser and viewer
KPaint	Paint program
Krita	Image editor
GNOME
gThumb	Image browser, viewer, and cataloger
GQview	Image viewer
Image Shaker	Digital image processing
GIMP	GNU Image Manipulation Program
Electric Eyes	Image viewer
gtKam	GNOME Digital camera application, front end to libgphoto2 library
X Window System
xv	Screen grabber and image converter
Xpaint	Paint program
Xfig	Drawing program
Xmorph	Tool that morphs images
Xfractals	Fractal image generator
ImageMagick	Image format conversion and editing tool

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