[SOLVED] Removing 'ant' border left behind from text window?

[OurJud]

Gimp: 2.8
Windows 7

This is driving me stupid.

If I drag a text box over my image, but then realise I've forgotten to do something (erase a line / add a line / whatever) and click on a different tool (eraser / pencil / whatever) I'm left with a yellow box of 'walking ants' where my text box had previously been. With that there I can't do anything with my file (can't erase, can't draw, nothing).

For obvious reasons the first thing I did was go to Select and choose 'None' but this didn't get rid of it.

How on earth do I get rid of this dotted border so that I can continue working on my file?

Thanks in advance.

[Blighty]

There are 2 types of dotted lines:
1) Static dots - this demarcates a layer boundary
2) Moving dots (marching ants) - this indicates a selection

Sounds like you have 1) from above. Go to the Layers Dialogue and delete the offending layer.

(There is also View > Show Selection and View > Show Layer Boundary, but it is best to leave these visible.)

[Ofnuts]

If it"s a selection (marching ants) you can do Select>None to remove it (you cannot do anything oustide the selection).

If its a layer boundary (static dashes), you can hide it (View>Layer boundary). But you cannot work on a layer outside its boundary, so in some case it is useful to do Layer>Layer to image size to extend the layer so that is fills the image canvas.

[OurJud]

@Blighty, @Ofnuts

Thanks for the quick response chaps.

I've looked all these solutions and while they work partly, they're not ideal.

First off, sorry for misleading. It is indeed the static dashes as you both surmise.

The problem I have with the layer delete method is that if I already have text in the text box, deleting the layer deletes the text too.

Initially the 'Layer to image size' appeared to be the best solution, but while I can then use pencils and brushes on my file, I still can't use the eraser. At a push I can simply switch to white and paint over what I need deleting, but it's an irritation.

[Blighty]

(11-23-2018, 03:26 PM)OurJud Wrote: Initially the 'Layer to image size' appeared to be the best solution, but while I can then use pencils and brushes on my file, I still can't use the eraser. At a push I can simply switch to white and paint over what I need deleting, but it's an irritation.

I suspect that you are trying to work on the wrong layer. In the Layers Dialogue, make sure the correct layer is selected.

[Ofnuts]

Can you make a screenshot that shows the image and the Layers list?

[OurJud]

(11-23-2018, 03:38 PM)Blighty Wrote: I suspect that you are trying to work on the wrong layer. In the Layers Dialogue, make sure the correct layer is selected.

Doh!

Sorry. That was it. Problem solved.

Thanks again to you both.