This stable release of GIMP comes with a few security fixes, so we advise you to update even if you feel like your current version works fine for you. Apart from the many bug fixes and security updates, it also provides new support for palette formats and a new generated gradient.


New features and mprovements

ASE and ACB palettes support

In addition to already supported palette formats, GIMP can now load palettes in the following formats:

• Adobe Swatch Exchange (ASE)
  
• Adobe Color Book (ACB)

This will make it easier to exchange palettes coming from other software.

New Gradient: FG to Transparent (Hardedge)

Everywhere a gradient option is available, the gradient list will now feature the additional “FG to Transparent (Hardedge)” option. It generates a gradient from the foreground color to transparency, with hard-edge transitions between the 2 colors.

In the Gradient Tool, in particular, you can generate patterns very quickly with the “Repeat” option, alternating repetitive colored shapes with full transparency over a given background.

New FG to Transparent (Hardedge) gradient - GIMP 2.10.36


GIF: non-square ratio support

GIMP now loads GIF images containing the PixelAspectRatio header metadata by setting different resolutions per dimension, hence rendering the image correctly (instead of looking squashed on the screen).

Of course, the option “Dot for Dot” in the View menu must be unchecked to see the image at its expected ratio.


More enhancements

A few more improvements were sprinkled across this update, such as:

• Text tool: improved formatting behavior when selecting and changing text on Canvas.
  
• Theme: better feedback when hovering lock buttons (with a white frame) as well as when activating a lock (a small padlock shows up in the corner).
  
• Help: The Help > User Manual submenu now features a “[Table of Contents]” link.

Security and bug fixes

Fixed Vulnerabilities

Four vulnerabilities were reported by the Zero Day Initiative in code for the following formats and fixed immediately:

• DDS: ZDI-CAN-22093
  
• PSD: ZDI-CAN-22094
  
• PSP: ZDI-CAN-22096 and ZDI-CAN-22097

Additionally, dependencies have been updated in our binary packages, and with them, some vulnerabilities recently reported in these libraries were fixed.

In any case, we recommend to update GIMP with the latest packages.


Broken Graphics Tablets with recent linuxwacom driver

We don’t usually mention bug fixes prominently, but an ugly one happened recently after a change in the xf86-input-wacom (linuxwacom) driver, which provoked crashes of GIMP when using a graphic tablet on Linux.

Various distributions have already downgraded the driver or backported the fix since a patch to the driver has been quickly pushed as well. Nevertheless, if you are in the unlucky situation of using the non-patched driver, this version of GIMP also contains a workaround to the bug.