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I have many pictures. The text in the text balloons is mirrored, or, horizontally flipped. How do I flip this text back so that it is normally readable?

Horizontal flipping (or mirroring) of the entire page in one go is not an option, because then the sequence of events is wrong. I strongly prefer any solution which has a customizable toolbar.

If there's no image editor with a built-in function for this, a possible solution might be to do this with a macro containing at least the following commands:

  • select part of the image (for example, a text balloon)
  • cut the image-part/partial-image
  • mirror the image-part
  • paste image-part back in the original place into the image.

... but how do I record this? Is using macros (like those in MS Word) even possible with the image editing programs of today?

Edit: OS is Windows 10. I would gladly mention which programs I've tried, or ask which have the capacity for doing this, but since even the tiniest mention of any program will be explained as asking for "opinions" and will be seen, gleefully, as a good excuse for downvotes, I won't do it.

It's also not really necessary. If you know of a program to do this with, feel free to mention this. But I won't. Burned too many times by this site.

partial flipped text

DavidPostill
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GwenKillerby
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    What operating system are you using? What image manipulation program are you using? – Jeff Zeitlin Jul 22 '22 at 13:48
  • @JeffZeitlin Windows 10, and it's forbidden to talk about programs on this site – GwenKillerby Jul 22 '22 at 15:08
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    "Forbidden to talk about programs on this site"? Where do you get that idea? Different image manipulation programs will have different methods to accomplish what you're asking; there's no "generic" way of answering your question without knowing what program you're using. – Jeff Zeitlin Jul 22 '22 at 15:11
  • Perhaps it's cos I'm a woman I get treated differently (#Monica), but whenever I ask **any**thing about "which program is best to do XYZ?" some dude starts screaming about "how "we don't do program recommendations". If their knickers are REALLY twisted, he'll add something about *we don't help with homework* (to people well into their 50s....mind you), so: ***Oh. Well.*** ___ P.S. Of course I wasn't really asking for a generic way whatsoever, but I learned the hard way that mentioning specific programs gets one banned/downgraded....But if **YOU** wanna suggest various programs, please DO SO – GwenKillerby Jul 22 '22 at 15:29
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    "Which program is best to do XYZ?" and "how can I do XYZ in program A?" are very different questions. – Kamil Maciorowski Jul 22 '22 at 15:40
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    _"How can I do XYZ in program A?"_ is about solving a problem. _"Which program is best to do XYZ?"_ is about opinions and voting becomes a popularity poll (and please note that "most popular" doesn't necessarily mean "the best"). Some of such questions can be salvaged by removing the subjective part: _"How to do XYZ?"_ is fine. – gronostaj Jul 22 '22 at 15:56
  • @gronostaj which is why i specifically DO NOT ASK that..... – GwenKillerby Jul 22 '22 at 17:49
  • .... and it would be nice if those advocating for closure either gave reasons for it, or suggestions on how to improve the question. Now, it seems that the closure peeps are doing it for **emo**tional, not **rational** reasons. Or, ideological reasons... – GwenKillerby Jul 22 '22 at 17:56
  • @gronostaj and asking: *does a program exist with which to do XYZ* would seem fine too, Or even: "With which program can one do XYZ?" Yet, those get burned with a vengeance. – GngrWtch Jul 22 '22 at 18:01
  • I suppose the reason for close votes (I didn't vote myself) is what @Jeff said: instructions will differ depending on which program you're using. Technically one could suggest a program and provide instructions for it, but then you may have to install an additional program while one you already have is perfectly capable of doing this too. Ideally you would include names of preferred programs in your question. It won't make it off-topic as long as you're not asking for software recommendation or opinions. – gronostaj Jul 22 '22 at 19:21
  • I will assume (with good reason) that **any** mentioning of any program in whatever way, will just be seen as asking for opinions and an excuse for downvotes. unless someone tells me it's okay to do it, – GwenKillerby Jul 22 '22 at 20:11
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    There are many questions "how can I do A in B?", with B being `sed` or `awk`, `bash`, `cmd.exe`, Firefox, Chrome, Excel, PuTTY, `nano`, `less`, VLC, `ffmpeg`, Rufus, Albert, … (not all B for the same A, of course). And there are questions like "how can I do A? I'd like a solution for B, but not necessarily for B". Such questions are fine. For many programs we have tags meant to be used in questions. *Telling* us what program(s) you use, can use, want to use, are prone to use, are familiar with, already tried – all this is different than *asking* for software recommendation. – Kamil Maciorowski Jul 23 '22 at 03:32

1 Answers1

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Gimp:

  1. Use the Selection tools to mark one of the text ballons (e.g. Ellipse mode, hit e)
  2. Use one of
  • Toolbox Flip,
  • Menu:Tools > Transform Tools > Flip or
  • SHIFT+F
    -- they all have the same effect; tell that you wish to flip things
  1. Click in the selection to actually flip it
  2. Ctrl+M to merge down to a single layer.

Edit: more detail

Hannu
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  • Can step 2 be achieved by **either** recording-writing a macro..... **or** via a short-cut? Which then can subsequently be run from a button on the toolbar? – GngrWtch Jul 22 '22 at 23:42
  • Step 2: `SHIFT`+`F` – Hannu Jul 23 '22 at 06:56
  • @Hannu So, no toolbar button, I take it... – GwenKillerby Jul 25 '22 at 21:49
  • The clickable tool palette (default position is top left) contains a Flip tool, yes, appearance: `[<-|->]` - so Menu, Clickable Tool, and a keyboard shortcut. Your choice which to use: The far quickest is the keyboard. – Hannu Jul 26 '22 at 17:20
  • Steps 2-4 can probably be scripted, I haven't tried that. e.g. https://www.gimp.org/docs/python/index.html – Hannu Jul 26 '22 at 17:34
  • if step 4 is needed, can that be avoided by Ctrl-M ing a whole buncha pics in a batch mode thingee? – GngrWtch Aug 10 '22 at 16:04
  • Now, please note: I haven't tried gimp scripting so cannot tell about details. But I'd guess; yes. But then; if a bunch of images were prepared for this, then you'd be in a slightly precarious situation; a number of images open and half finished: if something goes wrong, all your work might be lost. – Hannu Aug 10 '22 at 16:34
  • It's just that I don't need any image to be in a non-single whatever, I don't even know what that is. I'm guessing it's a thing to give pictures higher quality? Therefor, I think you misinterpreted the batch question, since doing a batch job on anything won't leave them open and half finished. In theory, it might but that would be weird. Then imagine a batch process which WON'T do that, then. – GngrWtch Aug 16 '22 at 08:36
  • As soon as you edit an image in GIMP in any way you most likely also create at least one extra layer in just doing so (e.g. by the process/description above). This "project" state of image can be saved in e,g. .xcf file format and maybe others. But if you wish to save e.g. an jpg file, the "merge down" may be required; not tried. – Hannu Aug 16 '22 at 15:30