Can Lightroom 3 and the GIMP work and play together?

Can't seem to find any topics on this issue specifically. I want to know if there is a way to export from Lightroom 3 directly to the GIMP, make changes, then auto re-import the GIMP-edited image back to LR 3.

Other external programs (for instance Photomatix Pro) can do this quite nicely, making managing your LR Library much easier. Was hoping the GIMP can be made to do it as well, because I rather like GIMP and don't want to spend the money for CS5...

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.

Sure can. Only thing to remember is that GIMP is only 8 bit (for now), so if you're exporting from LR as a 16 bit image, GIMP will convert it to 8 bit.

In LR Preferences just name the Gimp as the external editor and indicate the type of file you want exported and opened in the Gimp. (Alternative way - set up the Export page as you want and at the bottom indicate the Gimp as the destination and save that set up as an Export Preset.) After doing whatever in the Gimp, save the image back to the original folder with the RAW, go to LR and do "Synchronize folder" which will import the Gimp version.

Thanks Troy and tzalman. I'll download GIMP for my Mac and give it a go. Haven't used GIMP in a couple months, since switching to Mac and getting LR...