If you don’t make a selection, you can’t copy/cut.
If you haven’t copied or cut, there is nothing to paste.
So, my guess is you need to make a selection on the image you want to copy over.
Or you can drag it over to the new image.
Mac
Hmmm. Do you really have to cut, copy, and paste? I can appreciate how frustrated you are, but there’s some simple little step getting missed. Believe me, I’ve been there and done that!
First, I’m assuming you want to move a selection from one image on to a different image, right? [ Ranting can be cathartic but sometimes causes one to skip important and helpful details. 🙂 ] I’ll take a stab at this, although I may not be guessing right on what you’re trying to do.
First, open both images, and also make sure you have the Layers Palette open on your desktop. Click on one image to activate it and get it showing in the Layers Palette. Now double click on that background layer in the palette so that it’s simplified. Do the same thing with the other image.
Make your selection from the first image. Now choose the Move tool. Click somewhere on the selection, hold down on the mouse, and drag the selection to the new image. It should automatically copy to the second image and show up on its own new layer. Is this what you want to do?
I don’t happen to have Elements open right now, so I can’t try to duplicate what’s happening with the copy/paste method. If the instructions I’ve given don’t get you where you want to be, please repost with a little bit more detailed explanation of your project, including what you’re doing at the time you’re getting the grayed out menu items.
Good luck! Take a deep, deep breath.
No I Tried All That, Still Get The Same Problem.
Thanks For The Reply Though.
Hmm ! this as I am working on elements at the moment I tried this,Hoping to help, BUT I opened 2 pictures,
used the magic lasso to cut out my head,
then the hand tool to move it to the other picture. BUT it is strange as I can see the cut out shape on my second picture, but not my actual head.
I cannot see my layers palette anywhere and I was going to post a question about how to get it back, so this will probably confuse you even more.
Just out of interest are you working on an AppleMac or Windows machine. Though it shouldnt make any difference.
And I havent been much help !
kindest thoughts, and please don’t throw Elements away as it usually works so well. Shrilly
Here’s a couple of ways:
To move a selection from one open image to another open image you have to hold the Ctrl key at the same time you drag.
To copy/paste: make your selection, go to the drop down menu Edit>copy then activate the image you want to move it into and go to the drop down menu Edit>Paste – don’t use Cut at all.
(if you want the whole image and not just a selection then you have to hold the Ctrl key down and click on the layer in the layers pallette or right click on the image and click select all)
If the options in the drop down menu are grayed out then it sounds as if you don’t have an active selection made.
Mac probably had the right answer in his response.
CR
Chris,
If you make the selection and then use the move tool you don’t need the ctrl option. If just draggin the selection, you do, right?
Also if you use the shift key as well it will center the copied image.
I was just playing with it and found that to be the case.
Dick
Dick,
You’re right about the move tool. I never tried it that way.I always used the Ctrl way.I just played with it with the shift key and figured out that you can also make a selection in your receiving image (with the rectangular marquee in this case), move your image while holding the shift and it will center it in your selection box even if the selection box isn’t centered in your receiving image.
You can also drag a layer from the layers pallette by holding the CTRL key down and dragging it over to your other image without having to make a selection.
If you just drag the selection without holding Ctrl then you only drag the selection outline – not the image inside it.
There’s so many ways to do things in Elements that it just becomes a matter of what’s easiest for the user.
CR
Chris,
I think it’s one of the basic "rules." If there is one way to do something there is always three!
Dick
