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Is it possible to create an alternative User Profile folder (Windows c:\Users\{your_id}\AppData\Roaming\GIMP\2.10, Unix's ~/.config/GIMP/2.10, MacOS /Users/{your_id}/Library/Application Support/GIMP/2.10/) for plugin development purposes in the style of Visual Studios Experimental Instances designed for plugin development?

Visual Studio has this automated, but all I want, for now, is a manual approach, with a possibility later to automate this.

My solution right now on windows is was to create a new user {GimpDebugger} and use that gimp instance from my normal account to install and debug the experimental plugins, so my precious GIMP profile does not get too polluted. But that approach does not automate, neither port, very well.

Edit: Nah, creating new user to debug was to much of a hassle. I just backup my gimp profile for now and code on. But still would like a solution.

Henrik Jensen
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1 Answers1

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You can set the GIMP2_DIRECTORY environment variable before starting Gimp (in a .BAT or else) to have Gimp use a completely different user profile.

For plugin development if you just want to alter the plug-in-path that Gimp uses (to add a directory with your own plugins at the beginning) you can just replace the gimprc file:

gimp --gimprc /path/to/alternate/gimprc

Another option that can be useful is --new-instance because without it if you already have a running Gimp instance with your regular profile, issuing the Gimp command will only activate the running one.

xenoid
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  • I know it's against the rules to show appreciation of a solution and thanking people, but I couldn't help it,- it's **human nature** so sue me stackoverflow . So @xenoid +1000 – Henrik Jensen May 09 '22 at 06:32
  • Thx. In the end what was the best, complete profile or just gimprc? – xenoid May 09 '22 at 07:24
  • Well I am still working on setting up a Gimp plugin debug workflow system (with vscode and an old python ptvsd deprecated debug module (vscode/microsoft has deprecated support for py27 :-( ). Have only used the "complete" but my guess is that '--gimprc' option probably will be enough and will putt less strain on my poor ssd's so I'll probably end using that. Though with GIMP2_DIRECTORY you are working on a "clean" system so finding culprits to blame might be easier, I guess?!!! Edit: Promise to link to a github page where I can share my experience with this "project" when I got the time. – Henrik Jensen May 09 '22 at 18:14
  • I'm on Linux, so I have a specific directory which I added to Gimp's plugin path, and to test stuff I make a link in that directory to whatever I want to test. I also start Gimp with a "secret" environment variable and my plugins test for it and behave a bit differently to be easier to test (different menu, debug printing). – xenoid May 09 '22 at 19:47