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+--- Thread: How to rotate selection (/Thread-How-to-rotate-selection)
How to rotate selection - depmco - 02-09-2026
I've used Gimp for a while, but only in the most rudimentary way. I'm now trying something new for me that has me stumped. I've RTFM, searched online and watched YouTube vids, but I must be obtuse.
I have a scan containing two fragments of a document that I want to piece together. I successfully moved the fragments apart and now want to rotate each piece individually. I selected one piece using Tools->Selection Tools->Rectangular Select. Next I activated Tools->Transform Tools->Rotate. In Tool Options, I set Transform: Selection. I'm up to this step in the first screenshot. I enter a rotation, 90 degrees. I get a crawling ants frame that is otherwise all white. When I select Rotate, the blank white crawling ant frame remains. The originally selected region remains unchanged (second screenshot).
I'm sure I'm missing something obvious, but how do I accomplish the rotation I want?
-- Greg
RE: How to rotate selection - Scallact - 02-09-2026
(5 hours ago)depmco Wrote: I've used Gimp for a while, but only in the most rudimentary way. I'm now trying something new for me that has me stumped. I've RTFM, searched online and watched YouTube vids, but I must be obtuse.
I have a scan containing two fragments of a document that I want to piece together. I successfully moved the fragments apart and now want to rotate each piece individually. I selected one piece using Tools->Selection Tools->Rectangular Select. Next I activated Tools->Transform Tools->Rotate. In Tool Options, I set Transform: Selection. I'm up to this step in the first screenshot. I enter a rotation, 90 degrees. I get a crawling ants frame that is otherwise all white. When I select Rotate, the blank white crawling ant frame remains. The originally selected region remains unchanged (second screenshot).
I'm sure I'm missing something obvious, but how do I accomplish the rotation I want?
-- Greg
The "selection" option rotates the selection mask itself, not the pixels inside.
Chose the "Layer" option instead. Since you have a selection active, this will create a floating layer with the selected pixels only (as you intended). Don't forget to anchor it down, or create a new layer with it.
RE: How to rotate selection - rich2005 - 02-09-2026
The obvious is a selection (boundary) has to contain some content, usually by copying but sometimes by cutting. What you use depends on the image.
For a scan like that, with a plain background.
First check that there is no transparency. Layer -> Transparency -> Add Alpha should be greyed out
Then in pictures:
(1) Make the selection and cut it (ctrl-x)
(2) Paste that as a new layer
[attachment=14244]
(3) Rotate (and move) as required.
(4) You can leave it in its own layer for future editing or merge back down into the base layer.
[attachment=14245]
That is using a linux Gimp 2.10.38