Copy and Paste Vectors

[VSUser]

Okay,

I've been using PSP since version 4. I'm pretty good with the program.

A majority of my experience has been with version 7 but I recently bought X7, not that it really matters. My problem occurs in both versions. Thus, I am hoping it is simply me with the issue.

Is there a 100% foolproof method for copying a vector object and then pasting it?

I can copy a vector object just fine, supposedly, who knows, there is no feedback that I am aware of....

But, seemingly only about 30 percent of the time is the "Paste as New Vector Selection" available after the copy. The other 70% of the time the option is grayed out on the menu bar.

For me, this has to be the most hit or miss feature ever in a software product I have ever attempted to utilize. It has cost me numerous hours of frustration and killed my productivity.

I am hoping it is just me and for some reason I've not run across the proper technique or trick. Whatever it is.

Please, tell me where my mistake is, make me a fool, I will gladly accept any fate that get's me something I can use.

Thank you so much!

Greg

[Kathy_9]

I may not be much help because it works every time for me with X7 as long as it's a vector object I'm copying/pasting. If I try it with a non vector selection (say part of an image) the option to paste as a new vector layer is grayed out.

[VSUser]

Kathy,

I am 100 percent definitely copying vectors. Or at least attempting to... The vector object is active, I use the menu copy function, then attempt the menu "Paste as New Vector Selection (control-G). But it is rarely available.

It seemingly is related to the complexity of the image. I can be having a frustrating time of it with an image which has 50 or so vectors in it and the copy/paste will not work.

But, if I start a new image, create a simple vector, then I can copy/paste it easily.

Interestingly enough I can then switch to my complex image, which is already open, and I can paste the vector I just copied from the brand new image.

This makes me think that in the complex image the copy is not actually being activated for a vector.

Greg

[MarkZ]

I've had a lot of problems with vectors but now I seem to be able to get the results I want.

I don't understand your comment:

I can copy a vector object just fine, supposedly, who knows, there is no feedback that I am aware of....

because the feedback is what you see in the image/file you are working with.

I wonder if the problem is working with layers. Say you start off with a raster layer - when you create a vector a vector layer is created. Within the layer, as a "sub-layer" in that there is an arrow beside the layer name and clicking on it shows the layer(s) below, is the vector object that has been created. To copy a vector (object) you need to first select the object or the vector and then go through the copy/paste steps. Make sure the object is selected (the appropriate layer is highlighted), then select copy. At this point the "Paste as New Vector Selection" should be available. If you create a number of object it is much better to group those that are related within a vector, rather than have each object as its own vector. For example, if you create a path using the pen tool then add text that follows the path, it is best to have the path and text within the same vector. Another set of objects could be grouped under another vector.

Look for tutorial videos by LeviFiction - he explains thing better than I can.

[VSUser]

I've had a lot of problems with vectors but now I seem to be able to get the results I want.

I don't understand your comment:

I can copy a vector object just fine, supposedly, who knows, there is no feedback that I am aware of....

because the feedback is what you see in the image/file you are working with.

I mean the mere invocation of "Copy" from the menu does not invoke a beep or a message of success. When you chose copy you have to assume it has actually worked. I don't think in my case it has copied anything.

I wonder if the problem is working with layers....

Well, I guess it could be. My thought was perhaps there was some issue with a layer being locked or something. Beyond that I do not know.

[LeviFiction]

I can't tell you what's going on, but try this for me.

The next time the "Paste as Vector Selection" is unavailable do "Paste as new layer" instead. Then see what shows up. What kind of layer was added?

In all of my tests, it didn't matter if i had a vector layer, group, object, node, or contour selected, paste as vector selection was always available. The only time it wasn't was when I had non-vector data in the clipboard. So, the only thing I can tell you to do is use "Paste As New Layer" and see what PSP does. That'll give us a clue on where to look.

[hartpaul]

Your OP confused me. You said "My problem occurs in both versions" .. I get X7, but the other version you mentioned was "since version 4" or do you mean X4 there.
You said you had a problem in "copying a vector object and then pasting it?" . Then you said you can "paste it fine", followed by 30% you can't... "Paste as New Vector Selection"
Then in a later post you say "It seemingly is related to the complexity of the image. I can be having a frustrating time of it with an image which has 50 or so vectors in it and the copy/paste will not work"

You need to be specific in what causes the problem and provide a set of steps that will reproduce the problem with other people on their computers. Otherwise we are all just guessing.
What are you trying to do with 50 + vector objects . Can you provide more information and details about the procedure which produces the problem. There may be workarounds if we know what the end product is going to be.

I just set up two blank transparent documents (500x 500) and using the preset shapes tool placed a vector star in one.
I am working in Untabbed Documents so both images visible on work space.
I right clicked the Image 1 title and copied, then switched to Image 2 and right click the title and - Paste as New Vector Selection - this leaves an outline of the vector attached to the cursor and moving with the cursor. Left click and the paste operation is completed.
Using Control G I can repeat that a number of times an place 10 or so stars in different positions on the document.
I then opened the layer to display the vector sublayers and selected all these using the standard Click first , Shift Click last. Then Copy that, and making a new transparent document Image 3 (1000 x 1000) pasted into that as New Vector Selection about 8 times finishing with 72 sublayers there (some stars were off canvas and did not appear). Trying the Shift select there did not work for the 72 sub layers I managed about half and then had to add the others with the control key to select all 72 sublayers . ((Is this a Bug or beyond expectations??)
Did a copy and new document Image 4 (3000 x 3000) and again was able to Paste as New Vector Selection there with no problems. This was on XP Windows, PSP X7 with SP1. So I cannot duplicate your problem with 50+ vectors. So as mentioned, more details and step by step procedures to duplicate would help.

[VSUser]

Levifiction,

I would like to post a Windows Step Recorder Session, but the forum rejects any attachments I put on my messages. It always says my attachments are too large.

Thus, I am putting the recorder session file on my dropbox.com account. If you have any qualms about downloading and/or viewing it I fully understand.

You can find it at:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50019105/v2.zip

You can see that in this session there is no availability for "Paste as New Layer" either.

The PSPIMAGE file itself can be found at:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/500 ... y.pspimage

Greg

[VSUser]

Levifiction,

So interestingly enough, I was able to get to your "Paste as New Layer" request eventually. The steps were:

1 ) I exited PSP.

2 ) I did some extraneous web surfing.

3 ) From a random web page I copied a bitmap image into the clipboard.

4 ) I restarted PSP.

5 ) I opened the sample file with the issue.

6 ) I did my desired copy on a vector object.

7 ) I then checked the menu system and found "Paste as New Layer" was indeed available.

8 ) I choose the "Paste as New Layer" which resulted in a new raster layer being created which contained the random webpage bitmap I described in step #3 above.

To me this says that the copy I performed in step #6 did not actually copy anything. The clipboard contents were never overwritten. The clipboard had a raster/bitmap in it from step #3 and PSP simply pasted what was in the clipboard into a new raster layer.

Greg

[LeviFiction]

Interesting, I downloaded your PSPImage file and was also unable to copy. I know for a fact that it's not copying because "Copy" does not appear as an action inside the History Palette when I try to use copy.

But only on that image. If I make my own, I have no such issues.

Oh but it gets weirder. I opened your image next to one of my own. I copied a vector from my image, the menu updated appropriately. I then went over to your image and did a copy and the menu no longer showed any paste options.

This is not a simple problem I'll tell you that.

[VSUser]

Okay Good, at least the issue can be duplicated.

I am on my 30 days initial purchase warranty. From what I hear Corel probably wouldn't be inclined to help me but if I could get them the file to eventually look at then perhaps they might one day look at it.

Worth submitting?

Also, I notice that in the problem file when I attempt the copy the items I have picked they are no longer picked after choosing the Copy menu item. Perhaps the picked objects are being unpicked prior to the copy operation.

But, when I copy a vector in a brand new file which hasn't had substantial work done in it the vector objects remain picked after the copy operation.

Interesting.

Thanks for the time you have invested. I really appreciate it.

[MarkZ]

Verrrry interesting - and who needs this kind of interesting?!

I downloaded your .pspimage and found there were more problems with it than the vector copy/paste. I can create new layers in it, both raster and vector. However, I can do nothing with the raster layer, cannot fill or paint in it. I checked the properties of the file and could find nothing unusual about it. I could work normally with my own pspimage files from earlier versions of PSP while I had your file open.

Some random thoughts:
- If you open the file you placed in dropbox, can you work with raster layers?
- If you create a new file, can you work with both raster and vector layers before saving as pspimage (image1*)? Does anything change after saving?
- You said that you were able to copy vectors about 30% of the time. Does anything come to mind as to what is different when you can paste vectors? Do you have some other programs running or not when you can/can't copy/paste?

When I have had problems with various tools I have found that frequently I can get them to work again if I reset PSP. Before doing anything save your workspace. To reset, depress shift while starting PSP. You will be asked if you want to go back to default settings. I suggest that if you do this, close all other programs before starting PSP. Experiment with the program before opening others, just in case the problem is interference from something else you are running. Since your problem appears to be unique, perhaps there is something unique about your system.

[Radim]

After cropping image about 500x500 pixels everything is working fine.

[MarkZ]

After cropping image about 500x500 pixels everything is working fine.

My experience also, cropping to exactly the same size as the original. Which suggests, what is the starting point for the canvas for the graphics? And will VSUser get the same result? If his X7 is faulty, possibly not. Stay tuned . . . .

[LeviFiction]

I think I found the problem.

There's a selection off screen canvas. So go Selections -> Select None

That should be everything you need. I can't believe I didn't check that in the first place.