GIMP Version: 2.8.2
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: Windows 7
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

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Hi all! New here. I found this forum while searching for an answer to a question I have about gimp and it looks like it will be a good resource so I'm glad I found it!

My question is about a difference between gimp 2.8 and 2.6 which I was using before. I used to be able to click a layer in the layers tab of one document and drag it into another document for a copy of it to appear above whatever layer was selected there. Now if I do that nothing happens. In other words, I have it on the full screen view right now and when I click on a layer in the layers tab and drag it over to hover over the tab for the second document at the top it does switch to the second document, but when I release the dragged layer over that document then nothing happens.

I loved that it was so easy and simple in 2.6! Please tell me there is a way to do this in 2.8 without ten steps, lol! I just want to copy single layers from one document to another without having to save the layer individually first.

I think this must be a bug in single window mode (had a quick look, can't find a report)



Click on the blue image, drag to the red tab. This gains focus on the red image, continue the drag into the canvas. There is a 'Plus' sign, it should drop into the red image - no good - does not work as expected.

Go out of single window mode and dragging from image to image does work.

Best bet for the moment, copy the the layer, paste as layer into the other image.

I recall the problem being mentioned prior to the 2.8 release but it was decided to wait until 2.10 to implement a fix rather than delay the 2.8 release.

Drag-n-drop functionality is still available in 2.8 as long as you are not in single window mode.

You could also add a second Layers dialog, detach it, disable "Auto follow active image", and (optionally) enable "Select image". This will permit setting your Source (red) image in the detached dialog and, while the Target (blue) image is shown in the main window, dragging from the detached Layers dialog to the Image window (this sounds more difficult than it is).

I didn't know you could un-auto-follow the active image! Heh. That's interesting. Thank you!

It's disappointing that the drag and drop issue is a bug they aren't planning on fixing for a while. I tried both of your suggestions and they do both work, although I'm going to miss being able to drag and drop! I'll get used to it, I guess, or switch back to using multiple windows.

Thanks, I really appreciate the help!

I miss the drag and drop too. Why they would ever take that away is beyond me.

For what it's worth, here is a link to the bug report on this issue:

http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=676522

There is a round-about way to drag one layer (or a combination of layers) into another tabbed file in GIMP 2.8:

1. Hide all layers you do not wish to copy in the file you are dragging from.
2. Instead of dragging the layer, drag the file tab to the other file tab. This will let you drag a flattened version of the file into the other file (it even lets you drag it into the layer palette).

Yes, this is a hacky way to do it, but if it gets you there, it's probably better than switching back to Window mode just for that feature.

This is essentially the same as the copy visible command, and just pasting, fyi.
Unfortunately no layer blending modes are preserved, so you have to re-set them upon dropping or pasting.

Hope it helps.

That is a good tip, I never thought of that way.
A test in a Gimp 2.8.4 and I had to drag the tab to another tab to gain focus, then drag into the layers dialog. No good dragging into the canvas.
Of course, Gimp 2.8.14 and drag-n-drop layers is working again

Hi all,
Drag-n-drop functionality is now available in 2.8.14 in single window mode