diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index ebcf788bb5..47fa0619cb 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2004-07-25  Shlomi Fish  <shlomif@iglu.org.il>
+
+	* plug-ins/gimpressionist/: converted checks for initialization of 
+	ppm's done by checking the "col" buffer, to macro calls.
+
 2004-07-25  Shlomi Fish  <shlomif@iglu.org.il>
 
 	* plug-ins/gimpressionist/: fixed bug #148088: ("Gimpressioinst crashes if 
diff --git a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/brush.c b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/brush.c
index fc62d90606..2fff204e32 100644
--- a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/brush.c
+++ b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/brush.c
@@ -120,8 +120,7 @@ brushdmenuselect (GtkWidget *widget,
   has_alpha = gimp_drawable_has_alpha (drawable->drawable_id);
   alpha = (has_alpha) ? bpp - 1 : bpp;
 
-  if(brushppm.col)
-    ppm_kill (&brushppm);
+  ppm_kill (&brushppm);
   ppm_new (&brushppm, x2-x1, y2-y1);
   p = &brushppm;
 
@@ -169,8 +168,7 @@ brushdmenuselect (GtkWidget *widget,
 #if 0
 void dummybrushdmenuselect(GtkWidget *w, gpointer data)
 {
-  if(brushppm.col)
-    ppm_kill (&brushppm);
+  ppm_kill (&brushppm);
   ppm_new (&brushppm, 10,10);
   brush_from_file = 0;
   update_brush_preview (NULL);
@@ -210,7 +208,7 @@ savebrush (GtkWidget *wg,
   GList            *thispath = parsepath ();
   gchar            *path;
 
-  if (! brushppm.col)
+  if (! PPM_IS_INITED (&brushppm))
     {
       g_message( _("Can only save drawables!"));
       return;
@@ -314,7 +312,7 @@ update_brush_preview (const gchar *fn)
 
     if (brush_from_file)
       brush_reload (fn, &p);
-    else if (brushppm.col)
+    else if (PPM_IS_INITED (&brushppm))
       ppm_copy (&brushppm, &p);
 
     set_colorbrushes (fn);
diff --git a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/gimp.c b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/gimp.c
index ae06282371..ea9b736315 100644
--- a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/gimp.c
+++ b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/gimp.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ static ppm_t inalpha = {0,0,NULL};
 
 void infile_copy_to_ppm(ppm_t * p)
 {
-  if(!infile.col)
+  if (!PPM_IS_INITED (&infile))
     grabarea();
 #if 0
     updatepreview (NULL, (void *)2); /* Force grabarea() */
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ static void gimpressionist_main(void)
 
   gimp_progress_init (_("Painting..."));
 
-  if(!infile.col) {
+  if (!PPM_IS_INITED (&infile)) {
     grabarea();
   }
 
diff --git a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/orientmap.c b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/orientmap.c
index c670bc312b..44565e1575 100644
--- a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/orientmap.c
+++ b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/orientmap.c
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ static void update_orient_map_preview_prev (void)
   guchar gray[3] = {120,120,120};
   guchar white[3] = {255,255,255};
 
-  if (!nbuffer.col) {
+  if (!PPM_IS_INITED (&nbuffer))
     ppm_new (&nbuffer,OMWIDTH,OMHEIGHT);
-  }
+
   fill (&nbuffer, black);
 
   for (y = 6; y < OMHEIGHT-4; y += 10)
diff --git a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/ppmtool.c b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/ppmtool.c
index 854e952bbd..d2eb140e17 100644
--- a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/ppmtool.c
+++ b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/ppmtool.c
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ void load_gimp_brush(const gchar *fn, ppm_t *p)
   int x, y;
 
   f = fopen_from_search_path(fn, "rb");
-  if(p->col) ppm_kill(p);
+  ppm_kill(p);
 
   if(!f) {
     fprintf(stderr, "load_gimp_brush: Unable to open file \"%s\"!\n", fn);
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ void ppm_load(const char *fn, ppm_t *p)
 
   f = fopen_from_search_path(fn, "rb");
 
-  if(p->col) ppm_kill(p);
+  ppm_kill(p);
 
   if(!f) {
     fprintf(stderr, "ppm_load: Unable to open file \"%s\"!\n", fn);
@@ -323,8 +323,7 @@ void fill(ppm_t *p, guchar *c)
 
 void ppm_copy(ppm_t *s, ppm_t *p)
 {
-  if(p->col)
-    ppm_kill(p);
+  ppm_kill(p);
   p->width = s->width;
   p->height = s->height;
   p->col = g_memdup(s->col, p->width * 3 * p->height);
diff --git a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/ppmtool.h b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/ppmtool.h
index 35be755a97..824bc357e8 100644
--- a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/ppmtool.h
+++ b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/ppmtool.h
@@ -37,5 +37,7 @@ void blur(ppm_t *p, int xrad, int yrad);
 
 void mkgrayplasma(ppm_t *p, float turb);
 
+#define PPM_IS_INITED(ppm_ptr) ((ppm_ptr)->col != NULL)
+
 #endif /* #ifndef __PPM_TOOL_H */
 
diff --git a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/preview.c b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/preview.c
index 1b9bcd7f4f..4a8814feb2 100644
--- a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/preview.c
+++ b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/preview.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ updatepreview (GtkWidget *wg, gpointer d)
 #if 0
   guchar buf[PREVIEWSIZE*3];
 
-  if(!infile.col && d)
+  if (!PPM_IS_INITED (&infile) && d)
     grabarea();
 #endif
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ updatepreview (GtkWidget *wg, gpointer d)
    *            -- Shlomi Fish
    * */
 #if 0
-  if(!infile.col && !d) {
+  if (!PPM_IS_INITED (&infile) && !d) {
 
     memset(buf, 0, sizeof(buf));
     for(i = 0; i < PREVIEWSIZE; i++) 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ updatepreview (GtkWidget *wg, gpointer d)
   else 
 #endif
   {
-    if(!backup_ppm.col)
+    if (!PPM_IS_INITED (&backup_ppm))
     {
       infile_copy_to_ppm (&backup_ppm);
       if((backup_ppm.width != PREVIEWSIZE) || (backup_ppm.height != PREVIEWSIZE))
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ updatepreview (GtkWidget *wg, gpointer d)
           resize_fast(&alpha_backup_ppm, PREVIEWSIZE, PREVIEWSIZE);
       }
     }
-    if(!preview_ppm.col)
+    if (!PPM_IS_INITED (&preview_ppm))
     {
       ppm_copy(&backup_ppm, &preview_ppm);
       if(img_has_alpha)
diff --git a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/repaint.c b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/repaint.c
index f6dc1e7dfe..04742e2f2d 100644
--- a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/repaint.c
+++ b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/repaint.c
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ void repaint(ppm_t *p, ppm_t *a)
   if(relief > 0.001) {
     scale = runningvals.paperscale / 100.0;
 
-    if(paper_ppm.col) {
+    if (PPM_IS_INITED (&paper_ppm)) {
       tmp = paper_ppm;
       paper_ppm.col = NULL;
     } else {
diff --git a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/sizemap.c b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/sizemap.c
index d3fef899ee..867626648c 100644
--- a/plug-ins/gimpressionist/sizemap.c
+++ b/plug-ins/gimpressionist/sizemap.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ static void updatesmpreviewprev(void)
   guchar black[3] = {0,0,0};
   guchar gray[3] = {120,120,120};
 
-  if (!nsbuffer.col)
+  if (! PPM_IS_INITED (&nsbuffer))
     {
       ppm_new(&nsbuffer,OMWIDTH,OMHEIGHT);
     }
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ static void updatesmvectorprev(void)
   if(!ok || (val != last_val))
     {
 #if 0
-      if(!infile.col)
+      if (!PPM_IS_INITED (&infile))
          updatepreview (NULL, (void *)2); /* Force grabarea() */
       ppm_copy(&infile, &backup);
 #else