Regarding that textbox popup overlay widget thing

simplice · **Joined:** Mar 27, 2016 **Posts:** 3

GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: Win 10 Home x64
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

I have a question about using The GIMP for editing images!

I’m not using it for anything more fancy than text editing, I don’t need to do anything special, and the GIMP has been wonderful to use for my simple needs. But. This one little issue bugs the HELL out of me.

((It looks like a new user can't link to photos uploaded offsite to illustrate an issue, or I would have inserted two here...I have attempted to attach them as files to this post.))

Basically, when you create a text box, it comes with a little popup/overlay/widget/whatever I’m not sure what to call it. It’s handy for altering parts of a text box, but at the end of an editing project, when I’m trying to adjust placement of multiple text boxes, having that overlay hide other nearby text boxes makes it REALLY DIFFICULT to visually gauge text box positioning in relation to each other, and impossible to select a text box hidden beneath it without wasting time clicking elsewhere to uncover it.

I have searched everywhere and been unable to find a way to either hide that overlay or anchor it somewhere out of the way.

DX

Can anybody help me figure out how to deal with this? Thanks so much for your time.

Wallace · **Posted:** Sun Mar 27, 2016 9:24 am **(#2)**

simplice wrote:

GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: Win 10 Home x64
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

I have a question about using The GIMP for editing images!

I’m not using it for anything more fancy than text editing, I don’t need to do anything special, and the GIMP has been wonderful to use for my simple needs. But. This one little issue bugs the HELL out of me.

((It looks like a new user can't link to photos uploaded offsite to illustrate an issue, or I would have inserted two here...I have attempted to attach them as files to this post.))

Basically, when you create a text box, it comes with a little popup/overlay/widget/whatever I’m not sure what to call it. It’s handy for altering parts of a text box, but at the end of an editing project, when I’m trying to adjust placement of multiple text boxes, having that overlay hide other nearby text boxes makes it REALLY DIFFICULT to visually gauge text box positioning in relation to each other, and impossible to select a text box hidden beneath it without wasting time clicking elsewhere to uncover it.

I have searched everywhere and been unable to find a way to either hide that overlay or anchor it somewhere out of the way.

DX

Can anybody help me figure out how to deal with this? Thanks so much for your time.

You could duplicate your text layer(s).
Then remove the text information form the duplicate text layers,
by doing Layer to image size or cropping, etc.
Once you remove the text information from the duplicate text layer(s),
you can then hide the originals and use the duplicates as a reference.

simplice · **Joined:** Mar 27, 2016 **Posts:** 3

Wallace wrote:

You could duplicate your text layer(s).
Then remove the text information form the duplicate text layers,
by doing Layer to image size or cropping, etc.
Once you remove the text information from the duplicate text layer(s),
you can then hide the originals and use the duplicates as a reference.

That's an interesting idea, I'm very grateful for you replying, but, that sounds like at least three times more effort than I'm already doing. :c

Wallace · **Posted:** Sun Mar 27, 2016 9:44 am **(#4)**

simplice wrote:

That's an interesting idea,
I'm very grateful for you replying,
but, that sounds like at least three times more effort than I'm already doing. :c

It was just something that came to mind,
while reading your post and I thought I'd mention it.
I know of no way to hide the text editing dialog box, when editing text.

Odinbc · **Posted:** Sun Mar 27, 2016 9:52 am **(#5)**

If you wish to edit or move text try this order; first select the tool from the Toolbox (Text, Move, Alignment, etc), next in the Layers dialog select the Text layer, then select the text on the canvas.

Rod · **Joined:** May 16, 2010 **Posts:** 16173

Odinbc wrote:

If you wish to edit or move text try this order; first select the tool from the Toolbox (Text, Move, Alignment, etc), next in the Layers dialog select the Text layer, then select the text on the canvas.

Exactly what i was going to recommend. Select the text layer for the text you want to manipulate.
OR

simplice · **Joined:** Mar 27, 2016 **Posts:** 3

Odinbc wrote:

If you wish to edit or move text try this order; first select the tool from the Toolbox (Text, Move, Alignment, etc), next in the Layers dialog select the Text layer, then select the text on the canvas.

Ah, thank you both very much. That's far easier to see. I appreciate it!

I still would love a way to anchor that popup thing out of the way when I'm creating text boxes, but moving them more clearly is definitely helpful. Thanks!