Hi!
I would do it this way:
-Add alpha channel (Layer, Transparency, Add Alpha Channel) -Apply selection
-Invert selection (Select, Invert or Ctrl+I) -Delete the area selected
-Autocrop image (Image, Autocrop Image) -Save in png format (that saves transparency.) -in word: instert picture from file

Alternatively, you can skip adding alpha channel, if the background color is white, the area outside the ellipse will be white, then you can save it in jpeg
without problem, or copy the whole picture to the clipboard and paste into word.

Abel

4/29/2010 7:47 PM keltezéssel, RP írta:

I opened a jpg image file in Gimp, and I want to select and copy an elliptical area of the image and paste it into a Word document. I use the ellipse selection tool, but when I copy and then paste it into Word, the selected elliptical area is always displayed inside a larger rectangular area, where the area inside the rectangle but outside the elliptical area is black. Ideally I'd just like the pasted image to show up as an elliptical area, but I don't mind if it is dispayed inside a rectangle, as long as I can make the area inside the rectangle but outside the ellipse show up as white instead of black. I'm not familiar enough with Gimp to know how to do this, and nothing I've tried has worked. Can anyone help me? Thanks!!