How to copy a region of a bitmap and paste it quickly?

[gwpriester]

Sheesh.

Draw a rectangle over the part of the photo you want included.

1. Select the rectangle and the photo.
2. Arrange > Combine Shapes > Intersect Shapes (or press Ctrl + 5)

This is non-destructive. Select the rectangle then switch to the Shape Tool and you can edit the sides of the selection. A complete copy of the photo resides in the Bitmap Gallery.

Or select the rectangle with the Photo Tool and you can rotate, resize, and reposition the photo inside the rectangle (or any other container shape)

[David.P]

While this is indeed another possible würgaround that works, it is even more counter-intuitive than the previous approaches.

I.e: in order to create and copy a rectangular selection of an existing bitmap, you don't use (of all things, and as in about every other software in the world) the rectangle selection tool!
No, you use the rectangle drawing tool and you draw a rectangle, only to then cut up your original bitmap to pieces

While you could copy the resulting rectangle bitmap cutout and then undo the previous 'Intersect Shapes' command in order to have your original bitmap back AND retain the cutout in the clipboard, this also does not work because "Undo" first undoes the "Copy" action and only then puts your original bitmap back together.

So, thanks for the clever idea, but I suggest you pause sheeshing until an easy AND intuitive, normal way is found to do what takes about two mouse clicks in every other bitmap editor.

Gosh darn it

[mwenz]

If the goal is to retain the original and the clipped copy, then just right click on the clipped copy and opt to create a bitmap copy.

I don't use the intersect command, I just send the rectangle or other shape to the back, select the image and hit the Q key. Only then if I want that as a separate image do I bother with making a bitmap copy of it.

[gwpriester]

So, thanks for the clever idea, but I suggest you pause sheeshing until an easy AND intuitive, normal way is found to do what takes about two mouse clicks in every other bitmap editor.

Gosh darn it

Oh, very well. If you insist. Select the photo with the Photo Tool. Then you can stretch, resize, rotate, round the corners. I automatically use the method I have used since I stated using Xara in 1995.

With Xara there are always more than one way to do something.

[David.P]

Oh, very well. If you insist. Select the photo with the Photo Tool. Then you can stretch, resize, rotate, round the corners.

Pardon?

The question is not about "stretching, resizing, rotating, rounding corners" but about copying a rectangular piece from a bitmap, with about two clicks.

Btw. how weird is it that the mask related commands are squashed into the "Window" menu, of all things?

Don't get me wrong, I love XPGD and it has been my favorite graphics tool for ages, but things like putting mask commands in the "Window" menu are simply silly, and unjustifiable.

[David.P]

If the goal is to retain the original and the clipped copy, then just right click on the clipped copy and opt to create a bitmap copy.

Pardon? If you create a bitmap copy of the clipped copy, you have two times the cutout but the original bitmap is still dissected

[gwpriester]

In the time it is taking to have this back and forth you could have clipped dozens of photos.

[David.P]

No, because there still is no sane way do do it

But thanks for the "Duh" reply...

[Boy]

I would clone the image (Ctrl+K), use the Clip Tool from the Photo Tool fly-out bar to extract the rectangle that you need and right-click "Create Bitmap Copy".

[David.P]

OK here comes the ultimate legit way how to quickly copy a rectangular selection from a bitmap.

- Use the Rectangular Region Tool (the dashed rectangle in the second tool row)
- Draw your rectangular selection over your source bitmap (the bitmap from which you want to copy)
- Change to the Selector tool (the normal mouse pointer arrow)
- Select your source bitmap (click on it)
- Press Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V (alternatively, Press Ctrl-K for "klone")

Four clicks and one key press, holy kamoly.