[SOLVED] Gimp crashes when selecting font

[AndyDC]

I'm new to Linux, Mint and Gimp - so apologies in advance if there are crass errors in what follows..

I'm trying to create a simple brochure for a charity I support. I began using Gimp 2.8.16, and created the basic template for my project.

Then I realized I needed to use a specific family of fonts, which don't come as part of the standard list.

I located the fonts online and downloaded them. Having researched how to add new fonts, I then go into gimp /edit / preferences / folders / fonts .

There I create a new pathway to steer the font editor to my new fonts.

Then I go back and refresh the font editor. The 5 new fonts are there, but 2 of them are only partly labelled - missing the second word of the font name - eg. 'light'or regular. The others seem fine, and seem to work ok

So I figure I could put the individual fonts into separate folders each with its own pathway, instead of putting them all in one folder and refresh font editor etc.

Now none of my new fonts appear in the font list. And when I try to scroll the font editor, Gimp crashes.

So I remove the link to my new fonts and reset to default. But Gimp still crashes as soon as I scroll the font editor near to the place in the alphabet where my fonts would have been ! It's the same if I write the font name into the font window.

So I hunt for advice online and tried the following:

Re-boot computer. Reset font folder to default settings and try again with new name for personal folder. Uninstall Gimp entirely then reinstall. Uninstall Gimp and replace with updated Gimp 2.8.22. Uninstall Gimp using Terminal commands including Purge command, then reinstall. Nothing works.

I've been going at this for many hours and still cannot get a stable font editor even without my new fonts. I don't know if it has any relevance, but below is the list of warnings I get in the terminal. Any help gratefully received !

(gimp-2.8:13880): GEGL-gegl-operation.c-WARNING **: Cannot change name of operation class 0x55774DA30D90 from "gimp:point-layer-mode" to "gimp:hardlight-mode"

(gimp-2.8:13880): GEGL-gegl-operation.c-WARNING **: Cannot change name of operation class 0x55774DA31150 from "gimp:point-layer-mode" to "gimp:softlight-mode"

(gimp-2.8:13880): GEGL-gegl-operation.c-WARNING **: Cannot change name of operation class 0x55774DA31590 from "gimp:point-layer-mode" to "gimp:grain-extract-mode"

(gimp-2.8:13880): GEGL-gegl-operation.c-WARNING **: Cannot change name of operation class 0x55774DA31950 from "gimp:point-layer-mode" to "gimp:grain-merge-mode"

(gimp-2.8:13880): GEGL-gegl-operation.c-WARNING **: Cannot change name of operation class 0x55774DA31D80 from "gimp:point-layer-mode" to "gimp:color-erase-mode"

(gimp-2.8:13880): GEGL-gegl-operation.c-WARNING **: Cannot change name of operation class 0x55774DA32120 from "gimp:point-layer-mode" to "gimp:erase-mode"

(gimp-2.8:13880): GEGL-gegl-operation.c-WARNING **: Cannot change name of operation class 0x55774DA32580 from "gimp:point-layer-mode" to "gimp:replace-mode"

(gimp-2.8:13880): GEGL-gegl-operation.c-WARNING **: Cannot change name of operation class 0x55774DA32920 from "gimp:point-layer-mode" to "gimp:anti-erase-mode"

[stormryder]

Hi Andy welcome to Mint,

So I figure I could put the individual fonts into separate folders each with its own pathway, instead of putting them all in one folder and refresh font editor etc.

You need to undo the changes, even using the purge command does not remove the configuration files in your home folder. You will need to go into the home folder in the file manager and Ctrl+h or right click and select make hidden files visible. You should have a .gimp2.8 folder that holds all your config settings. Delete this folder and try reinstalling gimp, this should reset all config settings to default.

Having researched how to add new fonts, I then go into gimp /edit / preferences / folders / fonts .

You really shouldn't have to do that, unless there is some reason you don't want those fonts to be available to programs other than gimp. Otherwise I recommend you just put those fonts in a .fonts folder in your home (if you don't have one make one) and see what happens.
If those two fonts still don't show up properly in gimp you may try to open your template with libre office and see if they work there.

[Flemur]

I located the fonts online and downloaded them.

What kind of fonts? IOW, what the complete filename including the extension?

Although gimp has it's own special place for fonts, they generally get installed somewhere else, like

Code: Select all

/usr/share/fonts

or better, for truetype (.ttf) fonts

Code: Select all

/usr/share/fonts/truetype/font-name

or in your home (personal) directory:

Code: Select all

~/.fonts

("~" = $HOME = /home/username)
or better -

Code: Select all

~/.fonts/fontname

then running

Code: Select all

sudo fc-cache -fv

More info, though they make it sound more complicated than it is
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Fonts#Manually

[AndyDC]

Thanks for all replies - much appreciated!

Stormryder - I did as you suggested and deleted the hidden Gimp folder in Home. Then I emptied my rubbish bin and restarted the computer. Then I removed Gimp using Software Manager, then re installed it. Same problem I'm afraid - Gimp crashes as soon as I touch font editor. NB this is still without the new fonts that I'd like to add.

Flemur - The fonts I had been trying to add were .ttf fonts. for example omnes-regular-webfont.ttf
Can you clarify if your instructions were in reference to fixing my current crash problem, or to correctly installing the new additional fonts ?

[AndyDC]

Hey ! I just wanted to say that having followed first Stormryder then Flemur's suggestions, I am now back up and running !

Many thanks to both !

[AndyDC]

I'm still struggling with fonts for my charity project !

Having solved my crash problem (Thanks Stormryder and Flemur!), I'm still struggling to have Gimp recognize the new fonts I need to use for this project.

When I put individual font files into my Home/me/.fonts folder, and then attempt to use them in Gimp, the font editor shows the new fonts, but has renamed them - so Omnes Extra Light becomes Omnes Light. And Omnes Thin also appears as Omnes Light. If I load the whole font range and open Gimp, though the number of new fonts added is correct, some font names are missing entirely, and others have identical names.

When I create a line of text, sometimes the font that should be Omnes Extra Light looks as it should. But sometimes it comes out more like Omnes regular, which I haven't loaded. The font that should be Omnes Thin never looks as it should, but instead either looks like the Light or regular version.

I used Font Viewer to view both fonts - and they both appear exactly as they should when displayed as an alphabet. In Font Viewer/Properties I note that while the actual font file name is correct - eg. 'omnes-thin.ttf' and the Postscript name is correct eg. 'Omnes Thin', the font properties say that it is 'regular' weight. Though perhaps that may not be significant.

I have tried installing both .otf and .ttf versions and the problem is the same.

I'm going crazy here! Any suggestions ?

[AndyDC]

An update..

I am trying to work with 2 new .ttf fonts installed via Font Viewer. When I come to use them, Gimp has given them both the same name.

So Omnes Thin becomes Omnes Light

And Omnes Extra Light also becomes Omnes Light.

So when I try to select one it's hit and miss which I get. And worse.. sometimes Gimp will only allow me to use one font, and not the other.

Aaargh!