Second preview of GIMP 2.2

No there is no macro recorder functionality at the moment.
There was some work being done in that area but I believe progress was slow.

If Script-Fu is not to your liking you might find the Perl scripting or Python scripting easier but of course it still wont be as easy as a macrorecorder.

If you do not like script-fu, you can also use perl and python. Python is not complicated.

I usualy could get by by using the measuring tool.

Ugh, Doing this with the measure tool must be a major PITA. Why don't you use the Corrective mode of the transform tools where you can simply align the grid with horizontal/vertical lines in the image and have it transformed backwards?

I've actually never understood why people needed this so desperately. Even now that the preview is there I still find the Corrective mode in the transform tools a lot easier to use and much more versatile.

Doing graphic art work often demands transforming and alighning parts of an image which are often not at the exact edge of the image. Not having realtime transformation previews makes this work a trial and error.

In other words I need to stretch this face picture so that the eyes line up with the one underneath. There is not easy way to do that without real time transformations.

Rotating graphical elements is usually easier done by the eye than parametrically--instead of entering 22.3 degrees rotation...no that's not right...it must be 23...no wait, that's too much. Well you might get the idea. It's easier just to turn the darn thing untill it lines up right.

The parametric input boxes still have value for 45 degrees rotations and 200% scales, but when working on graphics, it helps to be able to do it---grahically.

I found Gimp's grid preview largely useless. Perhaps it could be used for adaptive degradation, but a low resolution copy would serve better to get a frame of reference as to what is going on spatially.

GIMP does have a transformation preview that works the way you describe. Still, for a lot of use cases, the backward/corrective transformation is much superiour. Especially perspective distortions are much more easily corrected by aligning the grid with the building than trying to tweak the preview until the result looks OK. Same goes for scans for which the original didn't line up perfectly on the scanner. It's a lot easier to align the grid with the rotated image than to look at a preview and trying to figure out when it's upright.

YES! That's exactly what I need!

I think you mean 'sid'...

sid is unstable,
scud (his dog) is experimental.

I use Debian sid... how can i install gimp from experimental widthout upgrading my whole system???

thanks in advance... (english is not my language :D )

add this to /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ ../project/experimental main contrib non-free

then type as root
apt-get update
and
apt-get -t experimental install gimp

OR

Add 'preferences' file to /etc/apt
Something like this:
----------CUT-HERE----------
Package: *
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 987

Package: *
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 986

Package: gimp
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 991
----------CUT-HERE----------

Thank u and all other answers!!!!

i am going to try it right now!!! :D

You have to set a priority in apt preferences for experimental (I am not sure of the specifics but a search for apt pinning should find you an explanation. then you can install what you want from experimental and it wont upgrade everything from unstable.

add sources to sources.list and install with:
apt-get install -t experimental gimp.....

y will install what ever is needed.