played a little bit with the python version tonight, because i wanted to get to know it better

found a german documentary of all the functions here:
http://gimp-atelier.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=785

so my question: do you use that script/plug-in a lot ?
as far as i know, layer effects is something you have in photoshop...

was this created to please photoshop users or to make Gimp more respectable in the eyes of photoshop users ?

i must say, i was a bit disappointed with what it does
i would have made most things by hand, instead of using the script (outer shine for example, or fill with pattern) - its a lot more intuitive than pushing sliders around and typing in numbers

also stuff like 'Stroke' grows a selection around your text, so that you get rounded edges, which might not be what you want

For the most part, the steps needed for the available effects require just a few simple steps that a quite intuitive (actually much of it can be done with Drop Shadow), though the Emboss effect can be a bit tedious.

Also, by doing things manually it is possible to do things such as having the shadow falling on a contoured object, and controlling the apparent distance between the shadow and the object casting it.

The one I use the most is the stroke; I feel like it gives cleaner lines and is easier than doing it manually. Other than that, no, I don't really use them THAT much, although I know that that script is one of the most frequently downloaded scripts...

For stroking, I always convert the selection to a path then stroke that. Always gives far better results than the basic stoke selection, IMOO.

-Rob A>

me too, worth going the extra step.

Hmmm, never even thought of that. I shall have to give it a try.

I began really studying the Python based Layer Effects filter a few weeks ago and have started using it a lot more ever since. It is now my 'go to' filter kinda like G'MIC. I like to surf for PS tutorials and convert them to Gimp or at the very least learn a few new tricks. While PS allows you to apply several effects to a layer in a grouping, and then copy that same combination to another layer, Gimp has to do them one at a time and then repeat the process if you want the same effects on a different layer. At least that's the case with 2.6.

The Bevel and Emboss filter is the king of all the effects that Layer Effects has to offer and yes it is supposed to provide the same set of effects in PS. This is obvious from the appearance of the dialogs although they sometimes are not exactly the same. Some entries are made on a different value system like 0 to 65 instead of 0 to 360 degrees. This makes it a bit confusing at first until you get a feel for it.

The Satin filter can give you some really unusual effects when used after the Inner shadow and Bevel and Emboss filters. Getting the filters in the right order, then merging before the next step is critical in achieving the effect you want as some work on the combined result of the ones that came before in order to get the desired effect. With a little practice, the Bevel and Emboss filter will do everything that he Bump Map and the Selection bevel filter will do combined but in one operation instead of several. I love the way you can 'shape' your layer and also apply a different 'shape' to the gloss at he same time.

All in all, I'm using this filter more and more and finding a whole lot of difference in being able to render an effect that would otherwise be very difficult and complicated with other filters.

interesting read, Draconian !

is that because of some programming related fact ? i think it would help if some of the scripts were a tiny bit more user friendly

Shape Paths for example was a bit difficult to understand at first, because you have to type in all the values
a little diagram beneath the sliders would have made this a lot easier

I have no idea regarding the programming. That would be a question for the author. Never used the shape path before so can't comment on that. I do agree that some filters could use a little tweaking to be more user friendly but it is my understanding that in order to have a preview window it has to be written in Python. I could be wrong though, I don't have a clue how to write one. I'm not sure how an interactive points plotting thing would work unless it was something like the curves filter grid.

after translating the script into german and by doing that, learning a bit more about layerfx, i feel that i still wouldnt use most features

if you have a look at what i mostly do with Gimp, you will see that i do use a lot of text and text effects, but i could never apply them in one go with layerfx

the way i work is a lot more organic, as i have to try several things until the whole picture is working
i do use stroke, pattern overlay and such stuff, but that can be better applied the manual way and a lot of layers are deleted at some point in the creation process because they just dont work

what im wondering is, if layerfx is a tool that gives you some standard tool, to make text quickly that is a bit more complex than just plain text
you know a tool for professionals who exactly know what they want and how to get there
and layerfx is obviously a way of doing it a lot quicker than manually

Esper - I think you have actually nailed it on the head as far as what this collection of filters is for. Not just for text but any object that needs a set of operations to be performed quickly. Text would most likely what it would be used on the most given the nature of the filters. Shadows, highlights and bevels are not something one thinks of for photography applications.

These filters were obviously intended to emulate Photoshops' set of "Blending Options" filters. Using them definitely sames time vs doing things "organicaly" as you so aptly put it. However, it does take time to get use to and yes, you need to know them well enough to "know" exactly what you are after in order for them to be really useful and efficient.

If I am after a certain appearance as a basis for some text I am working on, I will most likely use one or more of the Layer Effects filters first, then go back to the regular filters. Sometimes I use other filters to tweak the outcome of the Layer Effect filters. I think they are all useful and worth the effort to learn.