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Can I create a selection from the lone object on a layer?

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Can I create a selection from the lone object on a layer?
Ritergeek Offline
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#1
10-08-2018, 02:22 AM
I have a single object with multiple colors and a complex shape isolated on a layer with no background or other elements. How can I transform this layer into a selection without going through the tedious process of using the imprecise scissors or foreground select tools? I've spent nearly twenty minutes trying to word a search query to find the answer with no luck. Is it even possible?
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Pat625 Offline
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#2
10-08-2018, 03:45 AM
(10-08-2018, 02:22 AM)Ritergeek Wrote: I have a single object with multiple colors and a complex shape isolated on a layer with no background or other elements. How can I transform this layer into a selection without going through the tedious process of using the imprecise scissors or foreground select tools? I've spent nearly twenty minutes trying to word a search query to find the answer with no luck. Is it even possible?

Right click on the layer in the layer stack and choose Alpha to selection.  It it is the only thing on a transparent layer it will be very neatly selected.
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Ofnuts Offline
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#3
10-08-2018, 06:03 AM
(10-08-2018, 03:45 AM)Pat625 Wrote:
(10-08-2018, 02:22 AM)Ritergeek Wrote: I have a single object with multiple colors and a complex shape isolated on a layer with no background or other elements. How can I transform this layer into a selection without going through the tedious process of using the imprecise scissors or foreground select tools? I've spent nearly twenty minutes trying to word a search query to find the answer with no luck. Is it even possible?

Right click on the layer in the layer stack and choose Alpha to selection.  It it is the only thing on a transparent layer it will be very neatly selected.

More than "neatly": exactly. if the object was one single color, taking that selection to bucket-fill another transparent layer would yield exactly the same object.
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Ritergeek Offline
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#4
10-08-2018, 06:08 AM
Simply awesome. Thank goodness for this forum. Guess I need to bone up on what the alpha channel can do. I did watch a tutorial on something or other that used it, but it didn't make sense to me as more than a step to follow. I heard some vague reference to transparency.

Thank you both.
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