Problem with Copy command - no pixels selected?

I am trying to touch up an old photo (color bitmap file)and I want to select and copy pixel patterns from multiple areas in order to cover scratches that the Noise filter cannot adequately remove without excessively blurring the image. After making one or more selection/copy/paste operations (which seem to create new Layers)the copy operation fails and I get the Adobe PhotoElements error message:
"Could not complete the Copy command because no pixels are selected." The 1st time I encountered this problem I had pasted successfully at least 4 times. The last time I tried this, the problem occurred on my 2nd Paste attempt. MS Paint does better than this....
Is this a bug or am I doing something wrong? (I am a novice with this program)

Gary,

You wrote (which seem to crete new layers). That is exactly what's happening. So, make sure when you are selecting areas to copy that you have the original image layer active.

To do this make sure you have the layers pallette open and not docked to the pallette well. Each time you want to select a new part of the image, make sure you have clicked on the layer with the original image before selecting a part of the image. It should go well from there.

I think you were selecting what you thought were areas of the image but instead had select a transparent area of the new level, thus the error message.

HTH
Dick

Gary, you're right - select/copy/paste creates new layers. To keep making copies of small portions of the original image, you need to return to the bottom (background) layer on the Layers palette.to make your selection. Perhaps you're pointing at one of the copy layers, and it's telling you that the area on that layer where you're trying to select has no layers.

Dick, well said! Sorry I didn't see what you had written first....at least we were consistent!

Chuck

That's ok, Chuck. And yes, we were weren't we?

Dick

wrote in message ...

I am trying to touch up an old photo (color bitmap file)and I want to

select and copy pixel patterns from multiple areas in order to cover scratches that the Noise filter cannot adequately remove without excessively blurring the image. After making one or more selection/copy/paste operations (which seem to create new Layers)the copy operation fails and I get the Adobe PhotoElements error message:

"Could not complete the Copy command because no pixels are selected." The 1st time I encountered this problem I had pasted successfully at least

4 times. The last time I tried this, the problem occurred on my 2nd Paste attempt. MS Paint does better than this....

Is this a bug or am I doing something wrong? (I am a novice with this

program)

Make sure you are on the layer. Click on the layer name to make sure it is active.

Make your selection. Hold down CTRL and ALT as you drag.

Additional information for you: look into the Rubber stamp tool, and experiment a little.

Ed