User Guide ========== Complete guide to using GUI Image Studio for image processing and application development. .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 2 :caption: Getting Started: installation_guide first_steps interface_overview .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 2 :caption: Core Features: image_processing animation_tools batch_operations theme_system .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 2 :caption: Advanced Topics: custom_filters plugin_development performance_optimization troubleshooting .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 2 :caption: Integration: api_usage gui_development command_line_tools scripting Overview -------- GUI Image Studio is a comprehensive image processing library and application that provides: **Core Capabilities** * Professional image editing and processing * Animated GIF creation and editing * Batch processing workflows * Extensible plugin architecture **User Interfaces** * Full-featured GUI application * Command-line tools for automation * Python API for integration * Web-based interface (planned) **Target Users** * Graphic designers and artists * Software developers * Content creators * Automation specialists Key Concepts ------------ **Images and Formats** GUI Image Studio works with standard image formats: * **Raster Images**: PNG, JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, WebP * **Animated Images**: GIF with frame timing and optimization * **Transparency**: Full alpha channel support * **Color Modes**: RGB, RGBA, Grayscale, Palette **Processing Pipeline** The typical image processing workflow: 1. **Load** - Import images from files or resources 2. **Process** - Apply filters, transformations, and effects 3. **Preview** - Review changes in real-time 4. **Export** - Save in desired format and quality **Non-Destructive Editing** GUI Image Studio supports non-destructive editing: * Original images remain unchanged * Operations create new image objects * History tracking for undo/redo * Layer-based editing (where supported) Application Architecture ------------------------ **Modular Design** GUI Image Studio is built with a modular architecture: .. code-block:: text gui_image_studio/ ├── image_loader.py # Core image operations ├── image_studio.py # GUI application ├── generator.py # Resource generation ├── sample_creator.py # Sample image creation └── cli.py # Command-line interface **Plugin System** Extend functionality with custom plugins: * **Filters**: Custom image processing algorithms * **Tools**: New editing tools and brushes * **Exporters**: Additional file format support * **Themes**: Custom UI themes and styles **API Layers** Multiple API layers for different use cases: * **High-Level API**: Simple functions for common operations * **Mid-Level API**: Class-based interface with more control * **Low-Level API**: Direct access to PIL/Pillow functionality Getting Started Workflow ------------------------- **1. Installation and Setup** .. code-block:: bash # Install GUI Image Studio pip install gui-image-studio # Verify installation gui-image-studio-designer --version # Create sample images for testing gui-image-studio-create-samples **2. Basic Usage** .. code-block:: python import gui_image_studio # Load and process an image image = gui_image_studio.get_image("photo.jpg") processed = gui_image_studio.apply_tint(image, "#FF6B6B") gui_image_studio.save_image(processed, "output.png") **3. GUI Application** .. code-block:: bash # Launch the main application gui-image-studio-designer **4. Advanced Features** .. code-block:: python # Create animations frames = [gui_image_studio.rotate_image(image, angle) for angle in range(0, 360, 30)] gui_image_studio.create_animation(frames, "spinning.gif") Common Use Cases ---------------- **Photo Enhancement** Typical photo editing workflow: 1. Load high-resolution photo 2. Adjust brightness and contrast 3. Apply color correction 4. Sharpen or blur as needed 5. Export in web-optimized format **Icon and Graphics Creation** Creating icons and graphics: 1. Start with vector or high-res source 2. Resize to target dimensions 3. Apply appropriate styling 4. Export with transparency 5. Generate multiple sizes **Batch Processing** Automating repetitive tasks: 1. Define processing pipeline 2. Set up input/output folders 3. Configure error handling 4. Run batch operation 5. Review and validate results **Animation Creation** Creating animated content: 1. Plan animation sequence 2. Create or import frames 3. Set timing and transitions 4. Preview animation 5. Optimize and export Best Practices -------------- **Image Quality** * Always work with the highest quality source images * Use appropriate formats (PNG for graphics, JPEG for photos) * Maintain aspect ratios when resizing * Apply sharpening after resizing **Performance** * Resize large images before complex operations * Use appropriate color modes (RGB vs RGBA) * Cache frequently used images * Use batch operations for multiple files **File Management** * Organize source images in logical folders * Use descriptive filenames * Keep backups of original images * Document processing workflows **Development** * Use type hints for better code quality * Implement proper error handling * Write unit tests for custom functions * Follow PEP 8 style guidelines Troubleshooting --------------- **Common Issues** * **Memory errors**: Reduce image size or close other applications * **Format errors**: Check file format support and corruption * **Permission errors**: Verify file and folder permissions * **Display issues**: Update graphics drivers and check system requirements **Getting Help** * Check the :doc:`troubleshooting` section for detailed solutions * Review the :doc:`../api/index` for API documentation * Search the `GitHub Issues `_ * Join the community discussions **Reporting Issues** When reporting issues, include: * GUI Image Studio version * Python version and platform * Complete error messages * Steps to reproduce * Sample images (if relevant) Next Steps ---------- Choose your path based on your needs: **For End Users** * Start with :doc:`first_steps` for basic usage * Learn the :doc:`interface_overview` for GUI features * Explore :doc:`image_processing` for editing techniques **For Developers** * Review :doc:`api_usage` for integration * Check :doc:`plugin_development` for extensions * Study :doc:`../examples/index` for code samples **For Automation** * Learn :doc:`command_line_tools` for scripting * Explore :doc:`batch_operations` for workflows * Review :doc:`scripting` for advanced automation