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GIMP 3.2.6 released with stylus rotation and macOS improvements

Key Takeaway

GIMP 3.2.6 introduces barrel rotation support for compatible styluses and significantly improves the macOS build and integration process.

Summary

The GIMP team has released version 3.2.6, a stable update containing numerous bug fixes and UX enhancements. Key features include new stylus dynamics for barrel rotation, improved font loading performance, and a streamlined macOS build process enabled by new hardware. The update also includes preparatory code changes for a future GTK4 port.

Technical updates in GIMP 3.2.6

  • Stylus Dynamics: Implemented 'Rotation' (Barrel Rotation) support, allowing the software to react to brush rotation via compatible hardware like Wacom Art Pens.
  • GTK4 Preparation: Started refactoring the codebase by replacing deprecated functions like gtk_widget_show() with gtk_widget_set_visible() and updating GDK event handling.
  • macOS Integration: Improved macOS-specific behavior including dark/light mode titlebars, standard cache locations, and native shortcut support (Cmd key).
  • Performance: Optimized font loading to reduce lag during startup and text tool usage.
  • Platform Fixes: Added support for 'Server-side Decorations' on KDE and improved multi-window operations on Windows and macOS.

Why it matters

The streamlined macOS build process and the move toward GTK4 preparation signal a more sustainable development cycle for GIMP across different operating systems.

Original reference: www.gimp.org →