Image copying

[PlainoldTony]

Hello All

I know this question has been asked before but the only answers I've seen date from 2014 and I think there may be a nice solution by now - perhaps in the later versions or as a plugin. 

I have two images each containing two or more layers which I want to make into one image retaining all the layer structure of each. I realize that two layers cannot have the same name so it doesn't matter if they are given new names. What would also be nice was if a selection of layers could be copied into another image.

Can this be done - yet, please.  

[HyReZ]

Greetings,

 

Open the first layered image into Paint.NET as normal

Then goto the "Layers" tab and scroll down to "Import From File" and load the second layered image.

[midora]

Layer names must not be unique. So 'Import From File' has no issue with the names. If the imprted image is larger than the current one then the canvas will be resized to fit both images.

[Rick Brewster]

Yeah there's no need for layer names to be unique. Name them anything you want, even emojis work

 

[Kamikaze]

That is too cool!

[Ego Eram Reputo]

6 hours ago, Rick Brewster said:

even emojis work

Brilliant.

[PlainoldTony]

Hi HyReZ

 

Thanks for that info. I had read that solution before and it works except that the image I import is superimposed on the image that's already there. I've tried altering the Anchor point in Canvas Resize but nothing is shifting. At first glance it seems that I would have to shift each of the imported layers one-by-one which involves a lot of re-aligning. Is this what you expect?

If I were to enlarge the canvas on one or both images first and place the 2nd image in a blank area first, I would still have to realign each layer of the 2nd image before I export it to the 1st layer.

Thanks also to Ego, Rick, Midora and Kamikase for your input.

[Reptillian]

Are you talking about something akin to smart objects in Photoshop or file layer+transform mask in Krita? Those allows you to use a file as if it was a linked layer.

 

Not sure if this is planned.

Edited February 9, 2022 by Reptillian

[PlainoldTony]

Hello Reptillion

I am not at all familiar with Photoshop and I've never even heard of Krita so I'm ignorant of this expression. I'm sorry but I don't know how I can explain what I'm attempting other than the description I've already given; except to say I have two separate images that I want to make into one. However, because neither image is yet complete I need to edit both when they are in one image, maintaining all layers of both. If that helps.   

[Reptillian]

42 minutes ago, PlainoldTony said:

Hello Reptillion

I am not at all familiar with Photoshop and I've never even heard of Krita so I'm ignorant of this expression. I'm sorry but I don't know how I can explain what I'm attempting other than the description I've already given; except to say I have two separate images that I want to make into one. However, because neither image is yet complete I need to edit both when they are in one image, maintaining all layers of both. If that helps.   

That exactly what smart objects or file layers enables. You can edit both images in separate files, and they get updated in the file with smart object or file layer.

[PlainoldTony]

Thanks for that info. Unfortunately, it doesn't help my case - or does it? I'm surprised that Ego or BoltBait haven't written a plugin for this. Can't be much demand for it, I suppose. 😄

[ardneh]

6 hours ago, PlainoldTony said:

If I were to enlarge the canvas on one or both images first and place the 2nd image in a blank area first, I would still have to realign each layer of the 2nd image before I export it to the 1st layer.

 

A step closer to what you want would be to position one layer using the Paneling plugin.

Each other layer could be repositioned with Ctrl F.
 

[HyReZ]

Greetings,

@PlainoldTony

 

It would have been helpful in forming a solution for you, if you mentioned in your original request; that your images were not PDN images. It would still be a help if you tell what file format your images save to, and what software you used to create them.

Now that you have mention; as an aside, that the "Layers" have anchor points. They could of been created in products such as, Power Point, Expresion Design, Picture It!, PhotoDraw, Creature House Expression, Publisher or other Microsoft apps alone.  BTW - The products that  I mention above permits the use of raster and vector layers within the same image staging area, PDN does not have this ability and may never have this ability. I asked Rick Brewster about adding this capablity to PDN years ago. I think that he refered to this as 'object oriented programing' that would not be added to PDN at that time. As Reptillian states, these features are found in Photoshop and other apps.

 

Maybe you can go back to the software that you used to create your images and save to a format that is compatible to editing in PDN.

Edited February 9, 2022 by HyReZ

[PlainoldTony]

Hi HiRez

I'm sorry about that misunderstanding. Actually, Both of the images have been created, from scratch in Paint.Net, so they are .pdn files. It's not really relevant, but just for clarification, the first image is a schematic circuit diagram for a project I'm building and the second is a pcb layout for it. So I want to be able to print them together on a single sheet and tidy the whole thing up when it's finished and flatten into a .jpg or .png.

 

Thanks to Ardneh for your suggestion. That sounds like a solution. I'll give it a try.

 

Best regards

[HyReZ]

You could also use the Effects\Align plugin to move each object of each layer to its center and save it before merging it to a jpeg or png