Can't copy selected layer area or invert and delete

[kat]

Why can't I copy selected layer area or invert and delete layer area?

I've tried clicking the invert selection circle. I've tried command shift i. Selection remains the same.

I've tried switching to area tool and trying duplicate from layer selection. Duplicate ignores the selection and duplicates the entire area.

I've watched selection tutorials. Can't find anything that addresses this. Possibly in the book?

[walt.farrell]

I can't see enough of your Layers panel to tell what type of layer you have selected. Is it a (Pixel) layer? Or an (Image) layer. If the latter, you probably need to rasterize it.

[kat]

I placed a photo, the girl from a screen shot and make a selection using the free selection tool. Don't know what the difference is between and image and rasterized layer?

[kat]

i thought clicking the invert box at the top would have some affect on the select, but nothing.

 

[walt.farrell]

If you Placed it, you have an (Image) layer. You can't work with its pixels until you rasterize it. Right-click on it in the Layers panel and choose Rasterize.

There's a little information in the Help.

There's more somewhere in the forums but I don't have the energy right now to find it, or to try to explain it better myself. Sorry.

[kat]

Wow I rasterized and that allowed me access to the invert selection. What is an image vs raster layer?

[R C-R]

3 hours ago, kat said:

What is an image vs raster layer?

From the Place Images help topic:

Quote

The placed image is added as an image layer rather than a pixel layer. This allows its native resolution to be kept. 

Basically, it is treated as a single "un-rasterized" object, much like a vector object.

[kat]

Are there any other times I'll run into this "image" layer or just with place images?

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, kat said:

Are there any other times I'll run into this "image" layer or just with place images?

Drag and drop of an image file onto an open Affinity document, or pasting a copied image into an open Affinity document.

[Pšenda]

23 hours ago, kat said:

What is an image vs raster layer?

Try search on forum, for example:

 

[kat]

Is the locked background layer image or pixel layer. Anything that notes which is which in the interface

[R C-R]

22 minutes ago, kat said:

Is the locked background layer image or pixel layer. Anything that notes which is which in the interface

Automatically locking the background layer on import is an option in Preferences > User Interface, & only applies to importing single layer raster images.

For any object layer type except text, its layer type is included in a parenthetical suffix after its layer name (if it has one). You may need to expand the width of the Layers panel to see the suffix. Alternately, select the layer with the Move tool & its layer type will be shown on the left of the context toolbar.