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Preferences panel
In GroIMP the preferences (from java preferences) are the software options.
Most GroIMP options are managed by the Preference panel, which can be open from the menu at Panel>Preferences. By default, options are managed globally. i.e. when an option is set, every workbench will use it. There is an exception though. It is possible to setup an option file for a workbench, thus, using options defined in that file instead of the global ones.
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Global options
Usually when a user change the options of GroIMP, he changes the global options. These options are stored when set in the java preferences (in ~/.java/.userPrefs/de/grogra/options/ + path of the option). This enables the options to be persistent between GroIMP uses. It also makes the options persistent when an other version of GroIMP is installed.
Global options are used by every workbenches that do not include an option file.
The panel of global options can be open if the currently used workbench do not have an option file. In that case, when the preference panel is open (with Panel>Preferences) you can see the Label on the bottom right that tells the current panel is Global (see the red circle on the Image 1.).
Image 1: Global preference panel
Workbench options
GroIMP also support options specific for a given workbench (since version 2.1.4). The option file (called “workbench.options”) is shipped with the GroIMP project (at the root of the project.gs file, or in the .gsz archive). It enables to share a project with a specific set of options.
When the option file exists in a project, GroIMP will use its options instead of the global ones. If an option file contains more options than the current instance of GroIMP, these options are kept but not use. If the option miss some options that the current instance of GroIMP defined, these options are added to the option file when saved.
The option file can be added in a workbench from the preference panel (Panel>Preferences). On the menu bar (see Image 2) file>options>Create current workbench option file.
Image 2: menu options
Once the option file is added, the view of the preference panel will change into the workbench option view (see Image 3). In that view the name of the workbench whose options are managed is displayed in the red circle 1. On the bottom right a button to open the global options is available (see the red circle 2).
Image 3: workbench option panel
When a option file is created and added to the project it is automatically setup with all the existing current global options. When modifying workbench options, the options new value is directly updated, however the option file is not automatically updated. To push the modification to the option file the project needs to be saved.
To stop using the option file of a workbench, it can be deleted from the menu option (see Image 2): file>options>Delete current option file.
The file can be modified outside of GroIMP as plain text. To add an option file in a project outside of GroIMP, the file needs to be added and the registry item OptionsSource needs to be added to the project.gs. Same when deleting the option file from outside of GroiMP: both the both the file and the registry item needs to be deleted. The MANIFEST.MF file must be updated as well.
Options for the Swing User Interface
The group UI Toolkit/Swing UI in the Preferences panel lets you choose the Look & Feel of the Swing user interface and whether window decorations (title bar, borders, etc.) should be provided by Swing or by the native window manager of your system. The set of available Look & Feels depends on your Java and GroIMP installations: GroIMP's binary distribution is bundled with the Kunststoff, Liquid and Tonic Look & Feels, the web page Javootoo provides a rich set of Look & Feels together with instructions how to install them. “Preferences Panel (Metal Look & Feel)” displays Java's default Look & Feel, Metal.
If you switch to another Look & Feel in the Preferences panel, the user interface will be redrawn immediately. However, changing the window decorations option only takes effect when a new window is opened. Also, there are Look & Feels which do not support window decorations.
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