Gimp 2.10.8 color picker issue

[Alyana]

Hello everyone,

I don't know if it's gimp or KDE related, but since Kubuntu 19.04 and Gimp 2.10 I have been experiencing an issue when trying to pick a color from somewhere on the screen.

Within the text tool (Update: and also the normal foreground color changer) there is a color picker icon to pick the color of the font from somewhere on the screen and use that color then.

This isn't working anymore for me. Instead the Pipette I get a crosshair and no matter where I click, it doesn't return the color, it's always 000000 (black).

Just to try it out, I installed Ubuntu Mate 19.10 on a different machine, same Gimp version, and there it works flawlessly.

I can use the normal Color Picker that can be accessed from the main menu, but the picker from the tools windows isn't working. And when having a tool window open, I can't access the normal color picker from the menu until having closed the tool window again. Right now I have to note the color when just picking it, then re-opening the tool, and then manually write it into the color code box. This is not very handy.

Could maybe anyone here confirm this behaviour and maybe even know a workaround?

Thanks and greetings
Alyana

[bobbicat]

Confirm !!

I have gimp 2.10 installed on Kubuntu 19.10. I checked and discovered the same issue you report.

The Gimp colour picker tool itself works okay within a Gimp image. The Colour Picker widget from 'Add Widgets' works screen-wide, as it should.

However within Gimp the tool options colour picker gives the same 'black' that you describe Alyana.

I'm no programmer so I can't supply a suggestion for dealing with the issue but as a temporary measure the Color Picker widget I mentioned above might be useful until the problem is fixed. It also will pick any displayed colour screen wide which can be very useful on occasions.

[I keep timing out as I write this post, then have to repeatedly log in again and rewrite. Using a forum that behaves like this is very tedious.]

[Alyana]

Thank you for the confirmation bobbicat, then I now, at least, know that it's not my fault

This might affect everyone then, who is using GIMP in Kubuntu. Who would have to be contacted regarding this issue? Seems it's either a KDE issue or a bug within GIMP that only occurs when running GIMP in KDE.

[MoonRise]

That affects me the same here.

[Dave Rove]

I've been meaning to get around to asking about this myself. I use the colour-picker tool in the "change foreground colour" dialog box on occasion, and it didn't work in Kubuntu 19.04 either. It did work in Gimp 2.8 on Kubuntu 18.04.

I've done a few tests now, and it does seem to be KDE related. It works OK on Gnome X. (It also works on Gnome Wayland, but the Wayland security confines it to the GIMP window.)

If Gimp is started in Konsole, it outputs these errors when the colour-picker fails:

(gimp:6901): GLib-CRITICAL **: 09:25:15.651: the GVariant format string '(u)' has a type of '(u)' but the given value has a type of '((u))'
(gimp:6901): GLib-CRITICAL **: 09:25:15.651: g_variant_get: assertion 'valid_format_string (format_string, TRUE, value)' failed:

If Gimp is started in a terminal on Gnome, it outputs this message when the colour-picker works:

gimp_color_transform_new: using babl for 'PL1906' -> 'GIMP built-in sRGB'

(The workaround I'm using, as already mentioned, is to pick a colour with the plasma widget, then paste it into the colour dialog's "HTML notation" window, delete the "#", and hit return.)

[Dave Rove]

A bit of Googling tells me how to get a backtrace, and Gimp can be made to break on a warning with the option --g-fatal-warnings. Problem is, I've no idea what any of this means. Maybe it means something to somebody here:

#0  [COLOR=#7F7F00]_g_log_abort[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]breakpoint[/COLOR]=1) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../glib/gmessages.c[/COLOR]:554
#1  [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7064bb9[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_logv[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]log_domain[/COLOR]=0x7ffff70ab00e "GLib", [COLOR=#007F7F]log_level[/COLOR]=G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL, [COLOR=#007F7F]format[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]args=args@entry[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffcb80)
 at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../glib/gmessages.c[/COLOR]:1373
#2  [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7064d83[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_log[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]log_domain=log_domain@entry[/COLOR]=0x7ffff70ab00e "GLib", [COLOR=#007F7F]log_level=log_level@entry[/COLOR]=G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL, 
 [COLOR=#007F7F]format=format@entry[/COLOR]=0x7ffff710cac0 "the GVariant format string '%s' has a type of '%s' but the given value has a type of '%s'") at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../glib/gmessages.c[/COLOR]:1415
#3  [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff709a66f[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]valid_format_string[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]format_string=format_string@entry[/COLOR]=0x7ffff7f8745e "(u)", [COLOR=#007F7F]single=single@entry[/COLOR]=1, [COLOR=#007F7F]value=value@entry[/COLOR]=0x555559a522c0)
 at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../glib/gvariant.c[/COLOR]:4587
#4  [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff709b073[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_variant_get[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]value[/COLOR]=0x555559a522c0, [COLOR=#007F7F]format_string[/COLOR]=0x7ffff7f8745e "(u)") at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../glib/gvariant.c[/COLOR]:5434
#5  [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7f7c8c9[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]_gimp_pick_button_kwin_pick[/COLOR] () from /usr/lib/libgimpwidgets-2.0.so.0
#6  [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff71486e2[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_closure_invoke[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]closure[/COLOR]=0x5555586c5f00, [COLOR=#007F7F]return_value[/COLOR]=0x0, [COLOR=#007F7F]n_param_values[/COLOR]=1, [COLOR=#007F7F]param_values[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffcfd0, [COLOR=#007F7F]invocation_hint[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffcf50)
 at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gclosure.c[/COLOR]:810
#7  [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff715c692[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]signal_emit_unlocked_R[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]node=node@entry[/COLOR]=0x5555586c5f30, [COLOR=#007F7F]detail=detail@entry[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]instance=instance@entry[/COLOR]=0x5555598209f0, 
 [COLOR=#007F7F]emission_return=emission_return@entry[/COLOR]=0x0, [COLOR=#007F7F]instance_and_params=instance_and_params@entry[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffcfd0) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gsignal.c[/COLOR]:3571
#8  [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7165327[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_signal_emit_valist[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]instance[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]signal_id[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]detail[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]var_args=var_args@entry[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd180)
 at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gsignal.c[/COLOR]:3397
#9  [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff71659b3[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_signal_emit[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]instance[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]signal_id[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]detail[/COLOR]=<optimised out>) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gsignal.c[/COLOR]:3453
#10 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7b5022e[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]??[/COLOR] () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
#11 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff71486e2[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_closure_invoke[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]closure[/COLOR]=0x5555586c5eb0, [COLOR=#007F7F]return_value[/COLOR]=0x0, [COLOR=#007F7F]n_param_values[/COLOR]=1, [COLOR=#007F7F]param_values[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd440, [COLOR=#007F7F]invocation_hint[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd3c0)
 at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gclosure.c[/COLOR]:810
#12 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff715c692[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]signal_emit_unlocked_R[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]node=node@entry[/COLOR]=0x555555d92760, [COLOR=#007F7F]detail=detail@entry[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]instance=instance@entry[/COLOR]=0x5555598209f0, 
 [COLOR=#007F7F]emission_return=emission_return@entry[/COLOR]=0x0, [COLOR=#007F7F]instance_and_params=instance_and_params@entry[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd440) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gsignal.c[/COLOR]:3571
#13 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7165327[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_signal_emit_valist[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]instance[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]signal_id[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]detail[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]var_args=var_args@entry[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd5f0)
 at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gsignal.c[/COLOR]:3397
#14 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff71659b3[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_signal_emit[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]instance[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]signal_id[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]detail[/COLOR]=<optimised out>) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gsignal.c[/COLOR]:3453
#15 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7b4f0a9[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]??[/COLOR] () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
#16 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7bf8b9b[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]??[/COLOR] () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
#17 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff71486e2[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_closure_invoke[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]closure[/COLOR]=0x555555d51900, [COLOR=#007F7F]return_value[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd870, [COLOR=#007F7F]n_param_values[/COLOR]=2, [COLOR=#007F7F]param_values[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd8d0, [COLOR=#007F7F]invocation_hint[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd850)
 at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gclosure.c[/COLOR]:810
#18 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff715bcc6[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]signal_emit_unlocked_R[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]node[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]detail=detail@entry[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]instance=instance@entry[/COLOR]=0x5555598209f0, 
 [COLOR=#007F7F]emission_return=emission_return@entry[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd9f0, [COLOR=#007F7F]instance_and_params=instance_and_params@entry[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffd8d0) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gsignal.c[/COLOR]:3679
#19 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff716499e[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_signal_emit_valist[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]instance[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]signal_id[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]detail[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]var_args=var_args@entry[/COLOR]=0x7fffffffdaa0)
 at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gsignal.c[/COLOR]:3407
#20 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff71659b3[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_signal_emit[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]instance[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]signal_id[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]detail[/COLOR]=<optimised out>) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../gobject/gsignal.c[/COLOR]:3453
#21 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7d1422d[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]??[/COLOR] () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
#22 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7bf6ccc[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]gtk_propagate_event[/COLOR] () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
#23 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7bf70c3[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]gtk_main_do_event[/COLOR] () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
#24 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff7a5f6d0[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]??[/COLOR] () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
#25 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff705d84d[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_main_dispatch[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]context[/COLOR]=0x555555db8510) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../glib/gmain.c[/COLOR]:3179
#26 [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_main_context_dispatch[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]context=context@entry[/COLOR]=0x555555db8510) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../glib/gmain.c[/COLOR]:3844
#27 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff705dad0[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_main_context_iterate[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]context[/COLOR]=0x555555db8510, [COLOR=#007F7F]block=block@entry[/COLOR]=1, [COLOR=#007F7F]dispatch=dispatch@entry[/COLOR]=1, [COLOR=#007F7F]self[/COLOR]=<optimised out>) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../glib/gmain.c[/COLOR]:3917
#28 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00007ffff705ddc3[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]g_main_loop_run[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]loop[/COLOR]=0x5555589ba4c0) at [COLOR=#007F00]../../../glib/gmain.c[/COLOR]:4111
#29 [COLOR=#00007F]0x0000555555624cb7[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]app_run[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]full_prog_name[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]filenames[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]alternate_system_gimprc[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]alternate_gimprc[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, 
 [COLOR=#007F7F]session_name[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]batch_interpreter[/COLOR]=0x0, [COLOR=#007F7F]batch_commands[/COLOR]=0x0, [COLOR=#007F7F]as_new[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]no_interface[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]no_data[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]no_fonts[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]no_splash[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]be_verbose[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]use_shm[/COLOR]=1, 
 [COLOR=#007F7F]use_cpu_accel[/COLOR]=1, [COLOR=#007F7F]console_messages[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]use_debug_handler[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]show_playground[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]show_debug_menu[/COLOR]=0, [COLOR=#007F7F]stack_trace_mode[/COLOR]=GIMP_STACK_TRACE_NEVER, [COLOR=#007F7F]pdb_compat_mode[/COLOR]=GIMP_PDB_COMPAT_ON, 
 [COLOR=#007F7F]backtrace_file[/COLOR]=0x555555cbd6b0 "~/.config/GIMP/2.10/CrashLog/GIMP-crash-1572001719.txt") at [COLOR=#007F00]app.c[/COLOR]:440
#30 [COLOR=#00007F]0x00005555556245b5[/COLOR] in [COLOR=#7F7F00]main[/COLOR] ([COLOR=#007F7F]argc[/COLOR]=<optimised out>, [COLOR=#007F7F]argv[/COLOR]=<optimised out>) at [COLOR=#007F00]main.c[/COLOR]:524

[claydoh]

it might be worth trying the snap for Gimp to see if there is a difference in behavior between something created by the Gimp folks, and the one created by Ubuntu.

[Dave Rove]

I installed the snap (and deleted it afterwards because snaps are gigantic).

And the colour picker worked fine. Nothing was output to the console, either, it just worked.

So it is Ubuntu's Gimp packaging that's the problem — which does works fine in Ubuntu if not Kubuntu so that's probably why it wasn't caught during testing.

[bobbicat]

From something I read elsewhere it seems this is to do with the way Ubuntu and KDE interact.

KDE and Gimp okay. Ubuntu and Gimp okay.

but...

KDE, Ubuntu and Gimp, oops.

...at least there is a workaround.