Scale Tool Only Affects Mask Instead of Image on Second Layer

[SparkyCanada]

Hey there.
I’m having trouble resizing an image when working with two layers in GIMP.

When there’s only one layer, I can use the Scale Tool to grab the corners and resize the image without any issues. However, when I add a second layer, I’m unable to resize it in the same way. The Scale Tool still works on the first layer, but not on the second.

I’m trying to scale the image on the second layer to fit into a cutout area I created on the first layer (like placing a photo into a picture frame). But when I attempt to scale the second layer, only the mask from the first layer seems to be affected.

I hope that explanation makes sense.
Thanks

[yasuo (Ohnishi, Yasuo)]

Hi,
It doesn’t reproduce in my environment (GIMP3 + Kubuntu 24.02).

Before scaling the second layer, did you select the second layer?

[yasuo (Ohnishi, Yasuo)]

Or you should clear the selection, before the second scaling.

[SparkyCanada]

Thanks for the reply… yes… 2nd layer is selected…

[SparkyCanada]

Not sure I understand what you mean by clearing the selection… would you be able to elaborate please?

Thanks

[yasuo (Ohnishi, Yasuo)]

When you made cutout area of 1st layer, you made the area selection to make cutout, right?

So, before trying to scale the 2nd layer, did you clear the area selection to make cutout of 1st layer?

[SparkyCanada]

Yes. I can see the 2nd layer in the cut out.

Now I am trying to resize the 2nd layer image to fit the cutout…

Thanks

[SparkyCanada]

Right now the only way to change the size of the image on the 2nd layer is to scale the entire layer…

Maybe this is how it’s supposed to be?

[yasuo (Ohnishi, Yasuo)]

1. select the area to make cutout on first layer
   

   

2. make cutout

3. clear the area selection ([select] > [none])
   

   

4. select the second layer and scale it
   
   

5. move the second layer to cutout area
   
   

[cedric]

I opened an image in GIMP 2.10.34.

1. duplicated the layer.

2. selected that layer and scaled it [layer]>[scale].

3. selected base layer and scaled it [layer]>[scale].

4. [image]>[Crop to Content] finished the job

I may have have misunderstood the problem: no masks involved in what I did.

Which Scale tool? What mask?

[Tobias]

@SparkyCanada I had the same problem last week, but I was not able to reproduce it. But if you are able to reproduce it please open an bugreport here:

Issues · GNOME / GIMP · GitLab

[Terry (Terry Pinfold)]

I am not sure if your problem is as simple as you have only selected the layer for scaling in the tool’s options. This seems to be the default behaviour, but there is an option to select Image which would do all layers.

[rich2005]

Not too sure what your problem is but can I suggest a change in workflow. Looks like a one image droste.
A layer mask (inverted), from the selection on the top layer provides the"window" Lose the selection and scale the bottom layer to suit. As

and 40 sec example https://i.imgur.com/Uw22wrl.mp4

You can get an unexpected “mask” if you are still in the transform tool at the end of the scaling, Gimp does not have a neutral pointer, just change to some other tool.

[Tobias]

This is the problem I have.

Sorry, wrong alarm! As long as the selection is active, this is the correct behaviour. I had the problem without the selection active, but cant recreate it.

[yasuo (Ohnishi, Yasuo)]

This is because the circular selection for cutout is active, so I said that clear the area selection.

[Ofnuts]

The scale tool works on the selected “drawable”. If your selected drawable is a mask it scales the mask and not the layer. If the selected drawable is the layer, it scales both layer and mask.

As far as I can tell this is the same behavior in 2.10 and 3.0.

So check what drawable is the target of the scale tool, the status bar tells you which it is:

If not the right one, click on the appropriate thumbnail in the masters list.

[SparkyCanada]

It seems the only way to change the size of the image is to scale it and not change the size of the image by dragging its sides or corners?

Thanks

[yasuo (Ohnishi, Yasuo)]

@SparkyCanada

t seems the only way to change the size of the image is to scale it and not change the size of the image by dragging its sides or corners?

If you mean changing the pixel size of the image file itself, the answer of your question is yes.

[Ofnuts]

The Scale tool is meant to change the size of individual items in the image (ypicall, layers, but also paths, selection mask, channels…)

Image > Scale image scales everything together (layers, paths, selection mask, channels).

Since 2.10, the Scale tool (and other transform tools: rotate, shear, etc…) can also be applied to the whole image.