Hi & why

DaveX · **Joined:** Feb 22, 2026 **Posts:** 3

Hi All,

I'm a US-based scientist, and I've been using GIMP badly for many years, and signed up because I have some questions, which led to other questions.

The motivating Q is "How do I de-activate the color picker inside the foreground/background color setter?" My frustration is that I'll go to set the foreground color, then choose the color picker, pick a color, and then pick OK, and it changes the color to the color of the OK button, or if I try the cancel, close window buttons or even try to close the app, it chooses the colors of the button. Sometimes I'm lucky and I happen to exit the mode, but I'm not sure how I do it.

That led to the Help Documents on color picker, (url of gimp doc removed bc too spammy) gimp-tool-color-picker.html which doesn't seem to work quite like the one in the foreground/background color setter, and had nothing on de-activating the picking. I think the page should document this differently working other color picker tool.

Then I found this forum, which looked like it might have an answer, but the search box doesn't seem to exist unless you sign up, which seems to make it unnecessarily difficult for casual users like me to find prior answers. (see image below) I think this forum's search tool should be available to non-logged in users. Trying https://gimpchat.com/ right now in a Chrome Incognito Window, there is a fairly simple page, with some recent posts and links to register and to a Faq that talks about how to search: faq.php#f7r0 which assumes there is a search box. Either the search box should open for non-logged in folks, or the FAQ on search should say Search is only open for logged in members.

So those are my current frustrations with GIMP, and I look forward to finding answers in the chats.

sallyanne · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2026 10:22 pm **(#2)**

Welcome to Gimp Chat Dave.
Don't think there are many people here who actually create the gimp program, so this might be the wrong place for that kind of feedback.
We are mostly users.
But there are some here who can answer questions - let you know if what you experience is a bug or not / are more well versed in the gimp program.
As for trying to search you can do that in google and it just might refer you back to a topic here.
Also you need to make 5 posts before you can post links or pictures (rule was to try to stop spammers)

When you do ask a question ask in the 'gimp help' forum of this site, state your OS and gimp version. You will be asked all of those things when you open a post there anyhow.
By the way there is in the tool options box for colour picker to set foreground or background colour - did that not work for you?

Glad you worked out the problem you had and hope to see what you can do in gimp

diagrajamal1 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 23, 2026 5:51 am **(#3)**

First, you need to read what these two are used for.

:bucket

https://docs.gimp.org/2.10/en/gimp-tool-bucket-fill.html

:colpick

https://docs.gimp.org/3.0/en/gimp-tool-color-picker.html

quietreader · **Joined:** Apr 11, 2024 **Posts:** 306

Quote:

Then I found this forum, which looked like it might have an answer, but the search box doesn't seem to exist unless you sign up, which seems to make it unnecessarily difficult for casual users like me to find prior answers.

I guess it's thanks to all those spammers and ai-bots.

Wallace · **Posted:** Mon Feb 23, 2026 10:02 am **(#5)**

Hello DaveX
Welcome to Gimp Chat.
:jumpclap

After selecting your color,
press Esc (or switch tools) to exit picker mode before clicking OK.

If you click OK while it’s still active,
it samples the button color.
This seems to be the issue you’re seeing.

Yes,
the search function on Gimp Chat has only been available for logged-in users.
Your suggestion to have the search function available to guests has been implemented.