Hi,

I use the script-fu-server and came across this remark at http://people.westminstercollege.edu/students/d-b1649/linux/gimp_server.html

Adding a Queue

Because the Gimp was not originally designed as a server, it does not follow some conventions that are necessary for such a mode. This includes the issue of managing shared resources among different threads of execution. A few of the resources that are not 'thread-safe' include the current foreground/background color and brush shape.

An example of the severity of this problem is if you are running two Perl scripts at once on the same Gimp server. Let's say that the first script needs to write some white text on a black background, and the second one needs to write black text on a white background. Because the two are running at the same time, the following sequence of events may occur:

1. #1 sets the foreground color to white. 2. #2 sets the foreground color to black. 3. #1 writes some text to its black image, using the current foreground color (which is now black.)
4. #2 writes some text to its white image, using the current foreground color (still black.)

Obviously, script #1 ends up with an image that has the incorrect color of text. The solution to this problem is to only allow the Gimp server to run one script at a time. This is easier said than done, especially if you have multiple scripts that run every few minutes. What you need to do is create a queue system that maintains a list of scripts that need to be run and have a separate program feed them into the Gimp, one by one. When a script wants to run, it is submitted to the queue and waits for its turn. This kind of system is almost identical to print queues, where multiple computers share one printer.

On the other hand I took a look at the gimp sources and it seems there is some kind of queuing mechanism build inside gimp.

I have also read the post "http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=gimp-developer&m=103142913407902&w=2" about queuing (for perl-fu, but I guess it's the same for script-fu)

From this post it seems that I can safely sent multiple concurrent requests to

the script-fu-server (apart the problem of memory consumption raised by the initial poster of that thread).

What is the reality in this regard? Do I have to build my own queue or is it handled by gimp.

I use v 1.2.3 but plan to upgrade to gimp 2.0. Is there a difference in that respect between the two versions?

Thanks.

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My solution is not yet implemented. But a lot of what needs to be done is in GIMP 2.0 already. There's really no good reason not to use GIMP 2.0.

I would love to. I tried to install the rpm for fedora core 1 but it didn't work. I also tried to compile it but I've very busy now. I will try again as soon as I have some time.

Did you mean to send this mail to the mailing-list? I'd prefer to have such discussions on the list so please respect that and move the discussion back to the list.

It was intended for the list. I'm just realizing that the list address doesn't appear on the "To" field, unlike other lists I use, so the "reply" instinct doesn't work here.

Oscar

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