darken text issue

[denzjos]

I wanted to darken a small text to make it more readable and discovered following issue. I typed a text and duplicated the layer a few times and the text becomes darker (this is normal). To move the darkened text I merged the text layers and the result was a normal layer with darkened text that can't be edited afterwards. The trick to edit the text afterwards is to save the drawing with the duplicated layers not merged, then load the drawing again and merge the text layers. The result is a normal layer (can't be edited). Now save the drawing and load it again. The 'normal' layer with the text is now converted to a editable text layer. When one edit the text, then the text darkness becomes as the original darkness. If the text duplicated layers are not edited, they stay darker.

[PixLab]

Without a screenshot to visualize your workflow I'm a bit confused with the way you want to darken a text
I would write my text, if color is applied, just edit text then change color to darken it or use the curves if gradient or duplicate your gradient-ed text and change the mode to make it darker

(04-09-2022, 09:27 AM)denzjos Wrote: I wanted to darken a small text to make it more readable and discovered following issue. I typed a text and duplicated the layer a few times and the text becomes darker (this is normal). To move the darkened text I merged the text layers and the result was a normal layer with darkened text that can't be edited afterwards.

Put all your texts in a group (mode normal) then move only the group  ➤ no need to merge your texts, all the texts in the group will move as well

(04-09-2022, 09:27 AM)denzjos Wrote: The trick to edit the text afterwards is to save the drawing with the duplicated layers not merged, then load the drawing again and merge the text layers. The result is a normal layer (can't be edited). Now save the drawing and load it again. The 'normal' layer with the text is now converted to a editable text layer. When one edit the text, then the text darkness becomes as the original darkness. If the text duplicated layers are not edited, they stay darker.

It seems quite complicated... (but I did not see your workflow)

Editable text: There are so many options, I'll give you some first thoughts to stay simple.

Create a group
inside that group put your text and a dark/colored layer over it (can be a photo as well) then change the mode of that colored layer to darken your text then right click on the darken layer ➤ composite mode ➤ clip to backdrop or intersection (if you change the layer mode again you will need to re-do the later ➤ right click, composite blabla)

You can use the different layer MODE only as well as some modes will act as "clipping" below thus no need to right click ➤ composite mode - etc...
If it's not enough darkened just edit/change the color of your text to darken it or vice versa with the above colored/darken layer, using curves or whatever tools in the Colors menu

   

A .xcf as example

  Untitled.xcf.7z (Size: 867.39 KB / Downloads: 170)

[denzjos]

The issue was something I've noticed while I was trying to make text darker. The trick is as you mentioned to group the text layers and lock the layers in the group. If I have many different texts to move, I have to lock and unlock to do this. The way I found makes this possible without lock/unlock texts in the group. The text I use is 11 pixels high and it is difficult to type the different text on the right place. So moving the text aligned on a guide is easy this way.