what does it mean when the eraser is gone from the toolbox?

[ollie]

what does it mean when the eraser is removed from the toolbox?

[lutz]

Hi Ollie,
there are two different sets of tools available, depending on the nature of the layer you are working on - for a raster layer the usual tools with eraser and for a vector layer a smaller set of tools w/o eraser.
Perhaps this was the problem?

[ollie]

ok i duplicated a layer and i would like to edit that layer independently of the original, how can i do this, without reducing theme ALL to background layer every layer?

and whats up with this forums?? the stupid header frame is taking up 1/3 of the page !!!

[lutz]

Ollie,
use this link to access the forums without the huge header - much better for notebook screens:
http://www.pl32.com/forum3/

I do not understand the other question exactly; you have duplicated the background; the new layer (image) should be automatically selected and should be ready for you to manipulate?
Just make always sure by checking in the layers/channels docker that you are working actually on the layer you want to work - the correct layers is selected and that this layer is visible (it is on top, not hidden by other stuff, and that the "show layer" eye icon is visible).

[ollie]

how can i convert a layer to raster so all the tools will be available?

[Hoogo]

I think the best way is the attributes-dialog.
When I start with a fresh document it looks like this:

pic1.gif

With 1) you can not only see the kind of layer, you can change the kind of layer, too.
When you have used 2) to duplicate a layer the new layer will have exactly the same features like the original. When you duplicated a text layer, the new layer will also be a text layer, that means without eraser. Same goes for groups or vector-layers. Use 1) to change to grey/RGB/CMYK or monochrome.

There are other ways to duplicate a layer. Easy access to them is the context-menu:

pic2.gif

A virtual copy will always be the same like the original layer, even when that one is changed. But you can also convert that kind of layer with 1).

Without the attributes-dialog you would need the menu: "Layer > convert layer type" or "layer > Management > duplicate layer (virtually)". But I love the attributes-dialog, I would surely miss it if it was removed from the screen

Oh, and not all tools are available for raster layers... Some tools only apply to vector-layers.

[ollie]

cool thanks a lot, great helpful community and nice tool

i give it a shot