I'm using Debian/woody versions of Gimp and Gimp-perl, which are based
on version 1.2.2. This should be close enough to 1.211 (which I
assume is 1.2.11).

> I have looked in the directory and tried to run the scripts, they
> don't even provide me with usage information, just the error:
>
> protocol error (1) at /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/i386-linux/Gimp/Net.pm
> line 66.

I used to get this error when I was using the original scripts (like
green-button.pl) and it was caused by changes to the API. Basically,
it means that your system couldn't even initiatea Gimp-perl use. This
line:

> Gimp::on_net { gsdl_flash_button; };

is supposed to fix the problem in Gimp 1.2.

Here are a couple of suggestions:

1. Run the Gimp Perl server by hand.

When I used to use gimp-perl with slackware we occasionally had
problems getting the server to start automatically (particularly if
you don't have access to X-windows). Once the server was going,
everything would work.

To start the server explicitly
* Start gimp at the command line.
* Select the Xtns -> Perl -> Server menu item

2. Get logging going:

* Start gimp at the command line.
* Start the perl server.
* Run the perl scripts from some other shell.
* Log info should be output to the command line.

There's also a "control center" option under "Xtns -> Perl" but
I've not understood that since they changed it from Gimp 1.0.

3. Run my versions of the scripts instead of Rachid Ben Kaddour's
versions.

Here's an explanation of the gimp scripts, by the way:

* green_bar.pl, flash_button.pl, title_icon.pl
are the original gimp 1.0 versions

* green_bar-1.2.pl, flash_button-1.2.pl, title_icon-1.2.pl
were updated for gimp 1.2 by Rachid Ben Kaddour

* green_bar_g12.pl, title_icon_g12.pl
were updated for gimp 1.2 by me, and I rewrote quite alot of
the code. I have recently been using Rachid Ben Kaddour's
versions instead (since he provided a version of
flash_button.pl), but I plan to go back to mine because they
generate fewer warnings.

4. Use my very new versions of the scripts.

But I don't think that will help - your problem is connecting to
the server.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

Gordon