The layer you get get when you paste is only temporary, and automatically anchors as soon as you do something layer-related. If you want a pasted image segment to become a new permanent layer, select Layer->New Layer while there's a floating selection.

Note that the new layer will still only be as big as the selection you converted.

And this behavior is hinted at in various places in the manual (with text like "convert the floating layer to a permanent layer"), but the only place I've seen actual instructions on how to do it is in the glossary entry for floating selection:

http://www.linuxtopia.org/online_books/graphics_tools/gimp_user_manual/en/glossary.html#glossary-floatingselection

On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 5:30 PM, Cristian Secar? wrote:

I am doing this:
- I open an ordinary .jpg file
- I choose a selection tool (say, rectangle) - I select some small region
- copy (from menu)
- paste (from menu)
- the pasted selection appears as a "Floating Selection / (Pasted Layer)"
- I choose the move tool
- I move the pasted layer to my desired location - I choose a selection tool (say, elipse) - I try to select some small region on the base layer (the original image)
- while hovering the mouse over the image, the cursor shows an anchor - while clicking to make the new selection, the existing layers are combined into one single layer

I don't understand what is this. I just want that after the first paste action the new created layer remain there for ever, even after six or ten thousands other further actions. I only want to combine layers when I give the command to flatten the image.

The tooltip over the Undo menu says "Undo Anchor Floating Selection". I can un-anchor the layers, but then it combine back again at next move.

How can I paste as a simple layer which can remains as is ? I also noticed that I cannot select the layers with the mouse (in the Layers dock window), but I can move the layer selection with the keyboard up/down keys (but that didn't change anything for me).

Which part of the documentation explain this ? (I didn't found this, but maybe I looked wrong).

Thank you, Cristi
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From: Cristian Secar? >
the first paste
action the new created layer remain there for ever, even after six or
ten thousands other further actions. I only want to combine layers when
I give the command to flatten the image.

That was a usability issue in older version of Gimp is solved now in gimp 2.6.

Simply instead then copy and paste, you have to copy and PASTE AS/New Layer.

Unfortunately the Gimp Help is not yet fully updated to Gimp 2.6 so the function may be not described there , but luckily is sufficent simple to not require documentation, just is needed to notice that menu option

Another similar functions that avoid the user to have to unnecessary fiddle with floating selection in gimp 2.6 is Layer/new layer from visible.

Paste as as also other useful options i.e. paste as new imagine