On 9/13/07, Lars Ruoff wrote:

Hi,
How can i save a selection (just the shape, not the content) to a file, so that i can use it in another image?

First you need to save it to a channel (Select->Save); Then you can 'Save a copy' to some format like PNG, while that channel is active.

Thank you,
Lars

On Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:38:56 +0200, "Lars Ruoff" wrote:

How can i save a selection (just the shape, not the content) to a file, so that i can use it in another image?

You cannot really save the selection itself, but you can save and reuse a channel. To be more precise, XCF files allow you to save the selection, but then it will be difficult to reuse that selection in another file.

The best solution is to convert your selection to a channel (using the menu "Select->Save to Channel") and then save that channel to a file. You can then reload that file later and copy the channel into any other image. You can use Channel to Selection in the Layers/Channel/Paths window when you want to convert that channel back into a selection. Or you can just click on the pretty buttons...

-Raphaël

On 9/14/07, Lars Ruoff wrote:

Hello David,
Thanks for your prompt answer but I don't think you got me right. I don't want to save the selected area of the image but rather the path (the outline) that is given by the selection so that I can use this selection outline to select a same area on another image.

.. like I said. I know what you meant, you just told me, and I told you how to do it already.

On Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:38:56 +0200 "Lars Ruoff" wrote:

Hi,
How can i save a selection (just the shape, not the content) to a file, so that i can use it in another image?

Save the selection to a channel (Select->Save to Channel). Save the image as an XCF file (which will save the channel information). When you need the selection again, open that file, go to the Channels dialog, choose that channel and click on "Channel to Selection" at the bottom right of the dialog (next to last button on the right in GIMP 2.2). Or you can drag that channel from the original image (from the Channels dialog) into the image you need it. When you do that, it gets created as a new layer in the new image with visibility set to whatever the channel visibility was set to in the original image. You can then use normal selection tools to convert that into a selection in the new image.

It's also recommended that you name the channel before saving the image to an XCF file. Just makes it easier to identify the shape when you use it later.

--- David Gowers wrote:

Thanks for your prompt answer but I don't think you got me right. I don't want to save the selected area of the image but rather the

path (the

outline) that is given by the selection so that I can use this

selection

outline to select a same area on another image.

I'm new to Gimp so forgive me if this sounds stupid, but would it be possible to save the selection to an alpha channel, save the channel, then load it into the other image that needs the selection.? My thinking is that since an alpha channel is transparent, you'd get the impression of just having the selection itself?

Is that too out there?

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