Re: Copy transparent layer/image

kirkm wrote:
> ... An image is scanned intending to use some part of it in
> another image. The background needs to be removed from it. How
> is that done? ... Then somehow, get that onto a layer, and
> copy the layer to the destination image, merging the two.

Please see my answer to your identical post in 
comp.graphics.apps.paint-shop-pro. For more, search this forum for 
"background eraser" and "remove background."

> PS Question number 2
>
> When I use the Clone Brush and right click on the image (to
> set where it picks up from), why does Windows ding at me?

Because the programmers of PSP called the Windows sound API to 
announce that event. Turn it off with Control Panel > Sound and 
Audio Devices > Sounds.
-- 
Fred Hiltz,  fhiltz at yahoo dot com 

kirkm wrote:

> An image is scanned intending to use some part of it in another image.
> 
> The background needs to be removed from it. How is that done?

There are two ways of removing a background. You either select
it with a selection tool and then delete it or you erase it. I
assume your objective is to create a transparent (i.e. invisible)
background. To do that you have to start with a regular layer
that supports transparency and not a so-called background layer,
which doesn't. If this option is not greyed out, do Layers >
Promote Background Layer before you do anything else.

With that said, you have made a false assumption about having
to remove the background. You can remove the background and then
copy what is left to the desired destination as you suggest.
However, it is likely to be simpler in your case to select what
you want to copy, copy it, and then paste it into the new image.

> Then somehow, get that onto a layer, and copy the layer to the
> destination image, merging the two.

Read the Help about how to use tools such as Freehand, Point To
Point and Smart Edge Selection tools. When you use these tools
pay attention to the Feather setting. Chosen correctly this will
produce a soft (but not too soft) natural-looking edge on your
selection. Remember that you can make a selection in stages.
Using Shift with a selection tool allows you to add to an existing
selection, while using Ctrl with the tool subtracts from the
selection. Armed with this knowledge carefully select along the
edges of the object you want to copy.

> Is that anything like how it's done? Could some one give me some step
> by steps on how to achieve that result please.

After selecting the object you want to copy, do Edit > Copy.
Click on the titlebar of the destination image to make it active.
Do Edit > Paste > Paste As New Layer to put the desired content
into the destination image. Use the Deform tool to move, size,
rotate or deform the pasted content until you are happy with how
it looks. If you don't understand any of the PSP features I have
mentioned look them up in the Help.

Read my advice very carefully. Each detail matters. This advice
is very similar to what you have already received in the
c.g.a.p.s.p Usenet newsgroup.  You have complained to Fred that
this advice was not enough. None of us can guess why. You'll
have to try what you've been told and, if you run into a problem,
come back and ask specifically about it. I don't know how to
make things any simpler for you short of actually doing the
task for you. This isn't a tricky thing to do, though it can
be a tricky thing to do well (i.e. so that nobody can tell that
something has been copied from one image into another).

> I'm using PSP version 7 and I'm NOT very conversant with PSP beyond
> the basics and know nothing about layers.

Now is the time to change that. It doesn't have to be a permanent
state of affairs.

> PS Question number 2
> 
> When I use the Clone Brush and right click on the image (to set where
> it picks up from), why does Windows ding at me?

PSP is programmed to ding when you have successfully picked a
clone source. This is because there is no visual indication of the
success (or lack of it) for picking a clone source. Some people
dislike this and the ding has been removed in the latest version
of PSP. It doesn't bother me and you shouldn't let it bother you.

kirkm wrote:
> Fred Hiltz wrote:
>> Please see my answer to your identical post in
>> comp.graphics.apps.paint-shop-pro. For more, search this
>> forum for "background eraser" and "remove
background."
>
> Sorry, but your answer didn't help and I was referred here for
> more information. I'm hoping someone can explain - on my level
> - how to do this.

This question has been asked and answered so many times here that I 
chose to suggest a search, rather than repeat the details again. 
Perhaps someone else will do it for you, though.
-- 
Fred Hiltz,  fhiltz at yahoo dot com 

On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:02:21 +1300, kirkm wrote:

> 
> Hi,
> 
> I struggle with this every so often, achieving less than prerfect
> results, maybe I can nail it with someome's help?
> 
> An image is scanned intending to use some part of it in another image.
> 
> The background needs to be removed from it. How is that done?
> 
> Then somehow, get that onto a layer, and copy the layer to the
> destination image, merging the two.
> 
> Is that anything like how it's done? Could some one give me some step
> by steps on how to achieve that result please.
> 
> I'm using PSP version 7 and I'm NOT very conversant with PSP beyond
> the basics and know nothing about layers.
> 
> Thanks - Kirk
> 
> PS Question number 2 
> 
> When I use the Clone Brush and right click on the image (to set where
> it picks up from), why does Windows ding at me?

I realize that have been quite a few responses, some of them might be hare
do implement.
Question no 2 - the beep is normal indicating you have selected clone source.

If the subject is at all complex, usually it is, I find it
best to select using the freehand tool with edge detection. You can then
touch up the selection:
a) Make a duplicate by clicking on layer/duplicate b) Use freehand tool
with edge detect to select your subject c) Click on mask menu and create
new using show selection. d) Click on selection menu and deselect
selection e) IMPORTANT, select edit mask from mask menu f) This will put a
colored overlay on what was selected g) Using the paintbrush, painting in
black will shrink selection, painting in white will extend selection. Play
with this to see what I mean. You can play with view mask on/off to see
which one makes life easier.

When you are satisfied, click on selection menu and create selection from
mask. Copy that to clipboard. You can then delete the duplicate layer,
edit/paste to a new layer, slide the layer around to position it where you
want it and merge and you're done. You can re-size the copied portion
using the deform tool (before you merge of course).

You don't have to make that initial duplicate, but if you don't you will
not get to see the unselected background when editing.

Unfortunately, unlike other packages, PSP 7 doesn't appear to have a
'paint to selection' or similar which does all this without the need to
fool around with masks but like the man said 'you go to war with
the army you've got'.
Dave Cohen

Dave Cohen wrote:

> If the subject is at all complex, usually it is, I find it
> best to select using the freehand tool with edge detection. You can then
> touch up the selection:

You can touch up the selection by using any selection tool with
Shift to add to the existing selection and Ctrl to subtract from
it. If you want to paint a selection its simpler just to paint
a mask from scratch and convert it to a selection. There is no
need to drag selection tools into the picture at all (pardon the
pun :)

> a) Make a duplicate by clicking on layer/duplicate b) Use freehand tool
> with edge detect to select your subject c) Click on mask menu and create
> new using show selection. d) Click on selection menu and deselect
> selection e) IMPORTANT, select edit mask from mask menu f) This will put a
> colored overlay on what was selected g) Using the paintbrush, painting in
> black will shrink selection, painting in white will extend selection. Play
> with this to see what I mean. You can play with view mask on/off to see
> which one makes life easier.

If you want to paint on a selection you can just do it like this:
1. Masks > New Mask > Show All.
2. Masks > Edit.
3. Grab a black Paintbrush and paint around the object with black
   to create transparency. No need for any ruby liths, duplicate
   layers and so on. If you also set white as the background color
   you can unerase any mistakes with the Paintbrush and the right
   mouse as you go. No need to keep switching colors.
4. Do Selections > From Mask.
5. Copy the selection to wherever and close the original image
   without saving.

> You don't have to make that initial duplicate, but if you don't you will
> not get to see the unselected background when editing.
> 
> Unfortunately, unlike other packages, PSP 7 doesn't appear to have a
> 'paint to selection' or similar which does all this without the need to
> fool around with masks but like the man said 'you go to war with
> the army you've got'.

PSP 8 onwards have an Edit Selection mode that allows you to paint
selections. It works just like editing a mask in PSP except that
the ruby lith appears automatically (and you can choose its color)
and you don't have to use a mask as an intermediate. In fact, when
you use Edit Selection pretty much any tool that works on a greyscale
image can be used to modify the selection (except selection tools
of course, since you can't select a selection :) This generality
means that, apart from the obvious, you can do things like warping
selections, or tiling them seamlessly, or blurring portions of the
edge to get custom levels of feather in different parts of the
selection.