Using the text tool, usually the text is invisible

[ScottEOsborn]

Did a search through the forums and the help, but couldn't find anything that addressed this problem:

I select the text tool.

Make sure BLACK (or another dark hue) is the Primary Color

Click on a layer

Start typing

The cursor blinks and moves as if text is being entered, but the text is invisible.

This doesn't happen every time, but more often than not.

Because I don't see any other messages about this, I'm surely missing something obvious. Help?

In advance, Thanks!

Scott

[barkbark00]

You probably are writing the text outside of the area that is currently selected. Try hitting Ctrl+A(select all) before you type...

[ScottEOsborn]

You probably are writing the text outside of the area that is currently selected. Try hitting Ctrl+A(select all) before you type...

And Yes, you are exactly right!

Didn't know you had to have an area selected in order to type. Thanks for helping the noob...

[BoltBait]

You don't need to have an area selected in order to type text. In this case, selecting all is the same as having nothing selected.

The problem comes when you have an area selected and you try to type text outside of that selection--nothing happens.

[barkbark00]

Didn't know you had to have an area selected in order to type.

BoltBait is correct. Sorry, I should have been more clear.

Selecting the entire canvas and then writing your text would be the same as deselecting the part you had selected and then writing your text.

The hot key for deselect is Ctrl+D...

[ScottEOsborn]

Got it! Thanks for the explanation, that makes sense. Couldn't quite figure out the de-select thing: Was thinking that by selecting another tool, you'd de-select whatever is selected, but this is more persistent than that.

Just discovered Paint.NET, and am very impressed with the feature set, the plug-in architecture, and level of support. Wow.

Thanks again!

Scott