How to connect layers ?

[henry_albrecht]

Hi

In earlier Versions one could connect layers. This function is no longer available ?

The symbol in the layers-overview for chaining the layers is gone.

I want to scale several layers in one action. But it doesnt work. I tried the intuitive way by selecting all of them and then choose the scale-dialog .. but just one layer is scaled then.

[Ofnuts]

(03-27-2025, 10:16 PM)henry_albrecht Wrote: Hi

In earlier Versions one could connect layers. This function is no longer available ?

The symbol in the layers-overview for chaining the layers is gone.

I want to scale several layers in one action. But it doesnt work. I tried the intuitive way by selecting all of them and then choose the scale-dialog .. but just one layer is scaled then.

The scale dialog wouldn't make much sense since in the general case each layer has a different final size. However the scale tool works with multiple layers.

[henry_albrecht]

(03-28-2025, 12:29 AM)Ofnuts Wrote: The scale dialog wouldn't make much sense since in the general case each layer has a different final size. However the scale tool works with multiple layers.

ok, to make it more clear:

Here a screenshot:

https://www.directupload.eu/file/d/8872/...ni_png.htm

1. Load images as layers.

2. chain the layers

3. click on the scale-symbol in the tools-overview

4. click then on the visible layer

4. edit the wanted dimension and start scaling

In the earlier gimp-versions all chained layers are affected.

And now in the new version only one layer is affected (scaled)

I just want to know, how can I do, what in the past worked well ?

Instead of chaining the layers (the function seems to be removed) I select
all wanted layers in the layer-overview. In the screenshot at the right side.

[rich2005]

Nice screenshot.

Quote:...Instead of chaining the layers (the function seems to be removed) I [select
all wanted layers in the layer-overview. In the screenshot at the right side.

The chain option is replaced by selecting the actual layer(s) CTRL-CLICK to add to selection.
EDIT: difficult to see using that black theme but you do have 9 items (layers) selected.
Looks like you have Corrective (backward) mode option in the scale tool Change to Normal (Forward mode)

example: https://i.imgur.com/zmOAq26.mp4

[henry_albrecht]

(03-28-2025, 08:01 PM)rich2005 Wrote: The chain option is replaced by selecting the actual layer(s) CTRL-CLICK to add to selection.

Thank you for helping me. Now I was able, to scale all layers at once. But: It is really not an improvement in the new version.  I can not easily reproduce my success ... I have to try again and again.. suddenly it works, and then it doesnt work. Very unintuitive.

If this is a place, where one can make suggestions: Please go back to the old method.

Nevertheless: When I have more time at the weekend, I try to become more familiar with this new ideas.

[henry_albrecht]

I think, I've found, what irritated me: If i selected all layers in the layer-overview, it seems, i have to deselect them via Menu "Select/None" before i can chain them again. If in the layer-overview no layer is marked as selected, it seems meaningless.

As long i didnt deselect via "select/none", I am not able, to "chain" layers again, since I selected them, as example, via ctrl-a.

[Ofnuts]

Select > None is about the selection mask, not the selection of layers. The layers list behaves like any other list on your system: clicking on any layer will deselect all others. You can also use Ctrl-Shift-A to deselect everything.

[henry_albrecht]

(03-29-2025, 01:04 AM)Ofnuts Wrote: Select > None is about the selection mask, not the selection of layers. The layers list behaves like any other list on your system: clicking on any layer will deselect all others. You can also use Ctrl-Shift-A to deselect everything.

Gimp here behaves in the way I described. Or we are talking past each other

Example:

Have some layers.

1. Then select them all (ctrl-a).

2. Then click on one of them and all are deselected (The selected-message
top-right is gone; even no "one item selected").

3. Then try to "chain" the layers for scaling. It doesn't work, as long as
you dont do ctrl-shift-a or via menu.

4. After you did that, you are able, to chain layers.

Because this behaviour is not intuitive or "logical", I had the problem. Now I know this behaviour and I can work with that function :-)

[Ofnuts]

(03-29-2025, 01:36 AM)henry_albrecht Wrote:

(03-29-2025, 01:04 AM)Ofnuts Wrote: Select > None is about the selection mask, not the selection of layers. The layers list behaves like any other list on your system: clicking on any layer will deselect all others. You can also use Ctrl-Shift-A to deselect everything.

Gimp here behaves in the way I described. Or we are talking past each other

Example:

Have some layers.

1. Then select them all (ctrl-a).

2. Then click on one of them and all are deselected (The selected-message
top-right is gone; even no "one item selected").

3. Then try to "chain" the layers for scaling. It doesn't work, as long as
you dont do ctrl-shift-a or via menu.

4. After you did that, you are able, to chain layers.

Because this behaviour is not intuitive or "logical", I had the problem. Now I know this behaviour and I can work with that function :-)

1. Yes.
   
2. No, the one on which you clicked is still selected, as shown by its highlighting This is confirmed by using image.get_selected_layers() in the Python console. The "xx items selected" only appears when you have more than one item selected.
   
3. Works for me, as in any list (file browsers, etc...), I can Control-click to add/remove individual items and shift-click to add the range between existing selected items and the clicked item.
   

So for me the behavior is logical, it works like in any other list... The only non-standard behavior is that when it doesn't display any layer selected (for instance after Ctr-Shift-A, or by  control-clicking the last selected one) there is still a selected layer.