Selections - Elementary Yet Complex Issue

[Dekade]

I realize the following is elementary - me being a newbie - but, nonetheless, I still need the help.
1.) I have a .pspimage photo of a book lying at an angle on a table.
2.) The background behind the book is on 'Raster 1' layer.
3.) Next, I have the book removed from the background and it is showing on a layer titled 'Promoted Selection'.
4.) Next, I have done a 'selection' which splits the book into two thicknesses. Imagine the selection this way - The Selection is (for example) the top 200 pages of the book which inclusively shows the front cover of the book. The unselected - remaining portion is (for example) the bottom 150 pages of the book with the back cover.
5.) Now comes the part I do not know how to achieve. First the selection issue.
5a) I need the 'Selection' (the top 200 pages) to go to a layer
5b) I need to save this layer as its own .pspimage "file".
6.) Now for the remaining bottom part of the book.
6a) I need the bottom half of the book to go to another layer
6b) I need this bottom half layer to be saved as its own .pspimage "file" also.
7.) The different layers and saving just those layers as .pspimages is what is making me stumble.
8.) I will later export these as .png's. I don't have any problem with that.

In advance,

Thanks for any and all help that you can offer me.

Dekade

[LeviFiction]

Do you want the canvas of the image to remain the same? Or do you want it to shrink to fit the selection?

Creating a new layer from a selection is easy. With the selection you want active, Right-click on the book layer in the layers palette, and select "Promote selection to layer" this will copy the top half to a new layer.

Then select the bottom section, and again, right-click and promote selection to layer. You can now hide the book layer and you'll have the two halves on individual layers.

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If you want the canvas of the image to crop down to just the selection on the book, this is the easiest. With the appropriate layer selected in the layers palette go to the menu and select Edit -> Copy. then go Edit -> Paste as New Image.

This will create a new image with the contents of the layer that you had selected. And because the selection is smaller than the original image the canvas will only be as big as it needs to be. Then just save As and make it a PSPImage file.

If, however, you want to keep the same size and location to the image. That's also easy but requires an extra step.

First select the book layer that you want to copy. Then hit Ctrl + A to select the whole layer and not just the visible portions. Next go Edit -> Copy. Then Edit -> Paste as New Image.

The resulting image will be the same size as your current image, and the book will be in the exact same place. Then just save out.

[Dekade]

Creating a new layer from a selection is easy. With the selection you want active, Right-click on the book layer in the layers palette, and select "Promote selection to layer" this will copy the top half to a new layer.

I thought that was the way, but when I do that all that shows in the new layer is the white and grey checkerboard.

If, however, you want to keep the same size and location to the image. That's also easy but requires an extra step.

The cropping to selection DOES appear to be what I want. However, it is still foggy to me. The ultimate goal is as follows. I need both images (exported .png's) to be the same size. The reason is this: I will be bringing both halves into a HTML5 animation program. Then I need to line the book halves back up via layers within the animation program. Then I will take text on a layer in between the two halves and make it look like the text is flowing (animating) into the bound edge of the book.

That being said please have patience with me as you try to teach me what to do.

Please note what I first said at the top of this reply: I thought that was the way, but when I do that all that shows in the new layer is the white and grey checkerboard.

[Dekade]

Check to my previous comments. I was wrong. I did the right click and was able to successfully promote the top half of the book to it's own layer.

Now, what about the bottom half of the book. How do I get it to go to it's own layer?

[Dekade]

Okay, I have succeeded in getting the top half of the book cropped down to size and saved as it's own 'tophalf.pspimage'.

Now, I still have the bottom half of the book to deal with. Can't figure out how to promote the bottom half since it is "outside" of the top half selection.

[Dekade]

It seems, in logic, that I should be able to float (or even delete) the selection away from the bottom half. Thus allowing me to create another layer. However, It all remains together. The top half of the book will not float or delete.

[LeviFiction]

1) Make sure you don't have the top half on its own layer still visible.

2) Make sure you have the book layer selected when you delete the top half

[Dekade]

Things still are not working. Here is a screen shot of where I'm at.

[LeviFiction]

You still have to turn off the visibility of "Promoted Selection 1" to see it work. If hitting "Delete' doesn't work, try using the eraser.

[Dekade]

LeviFiction,

Got everything to work. Went through a few extra steps but have everything the way I want it. The top half was not moving or deleting because I was not trying to do so on the correct layer.

I appreciate the help you provided. You headed me in the right directions and I learned from there.

Hope I can help you some day.

Thanks again,

Dekade