Photo inside a shape

[harrythespida]

Whenever I try to put a photo in a preset shape, when I get to 13 below, "Crop to selection" it simply deletes the original picture and I am left with a blank canvas. Any suggestions/help greatly appreciated.
1. Open the picture you want to cut out.
2. In the layers palette, right click on the background and choose
3. "Promote Background Layer"
4. Select the preset Shape Tool and choose a shape for your cutout
5. Click and drag inside the image to create the shape.
6. Using the handles that surround the shape, adjust the size,
7. rotation and position of the heart, if desired.
8. You can reduce the opacity of the vector
9. so you can better see how the shape is positioned in relation
10. to the picture in the layer below.
11. When you are happy with the position of the shape,
12. go to Selections > From Vector Object.
13. Then go to Image > Crop to selection.
14. Delete or hide the vector shape layer.

[LeviFiction]

What version of PSP are you using?

Also have you tried zooming in and back out? Could be a re-draw issue.

[harrythespida]

Have just tried the zooming in/zooming out as you suggested but still no picture. I am using PSP X6

[Kathy_9]

I "think" I know what the issue might be. It sounds like you using a preset shape that consists only of an outline stroke? You need to select a preset shape that is solid/ filled-in.

If you are using a solid preset shape, make sure you hide the vector shape layer after you crop to selection. This will allow your image layer to show.

[hartpaul]

In step 4 if you choose a shape that is an outline untick retain style so that the inside is filled with your background color.

After step 12 move the shape layer below the image layer - the marquee will show through.
In step 13 make the image layer active and then Crop to selection.
You may even ignore step 14 in this case.

[harrythespida]

Many thanks to you both for the help, unfortunately being a complete novice I still have the same problem. Hiding the VECTOR SHAPE after cropping still leaves me with no original picture. Unticking the RETAIN STYLES still produces the same effect (no picture after cropping) Should the ANTI-ALIAS and CREATE VECTOR boxes have ticks or not ? Beginning to wish I had stayed with version 5 lol.

[Cassel]

Maybe a simpler method here:
- open the photo you want to use
- with the Preset shape, make sure that you have some fill in the Material palette (the bottom swatch of the two)
- draw the shape, and adjust it where you want to take the part of the photo (you can reduce its opacity if you want, for easier "alignment"
- go to Selection > From Vector and that should select all around the shape
- activate the photo layer
- copy (Ctrl-c) and paste as a new image (Ctrl-Shift-v)

No need to crop, and this method will spare your original image too.

[harrythespida]

Thank you all for the replies, tonight I deleted the entire PSP X6 Ultimate programme and re-installed it (so far minus the service pack 2) it is working fine. The picture/photo is in the shape I choose just as I wanted. Just hope it remains as such when I install the service pack.
Thanks again