eraser won't erase

[Terry50]

I loaded one PNG pic.
I added an alpha channel to make it a transparency.
I used the select by color tool.
I clicked white & removed.
I saved.
I switched to eraser - but it is acting like I'm trying to erase something off the transparency layer and won't erase anything.
I have the correct layer selected in the layers window.
?????????????

[Terry50]

I exported it & closed Gimp; and the eraser still didn't work.

Remember when I mentioned I always have to hit rectangle - it is because that was the only way I could deselect the present selection. Is there a way to deselect the selection once you are through with that operation???

[rich2005]

(Jan 28, 2014 18:26)Terry50 Wrote:  I loaded one PNG pic.
I added an alpha channel to make it a transparency.
I used the select by color tool.
I clicked white & removed.
I saved.
I switched to eraser - but it is acting like I'm trying to erase something off the transparency layer and won't erase anything.
I have the correct layer selected in the layers window.
?????????????

Do you still have a selection active?

Always worth select menu -> select none, in case there is a tiny selection somewhere.

[Terry50]

That's just the thing I was wanting. Thank you, Rich.

[Terry50]

Hi Ofnuts,
I downloaded a fresh Gimp.
I loaded a picture and the erase tool shows up by selecting it; but it doesn't erase anything.
Zilch. Zero.
All the other tools work fine.
Any ideas?
Terry

[Terry50]

Opacity was set at zero. That was the problem.
But I think I checked on it before; but the options may have been for a different tool.
Why is life so difficult???? Good thing I got Ofnuts.
Good work !

[Terry50]

Oh, wow, I opened another and the opacity was 100% and the eraser wouldn't erase.
So I quit Gimp and opened the pic again and it worked……
Oh, well, things will clear up eventually.

[iForStyle007]

(Jan 29, 2014 20:27)Terry50 Wrote:  Oh, wow, I opened another and the opacity was 100% and the eraser wouldn't erase.
So I quit Gimp and opened the pic again and it worked……
Oh, well, things will clear up eventually.

(Feb 19, 2012 17:42)ofnuts Wrote:  [*]Check the brush you are using. If set to the 'clipboard', the clipboard contents may have changed. Try with another brush.

Just in case that got overlooked in the link above.
Pick a different brush if its set on "clipboard" then
Edit > Preferences > Tool Options
- Click "Save Tool Options Now..."
-click ok

If that didn't work, try the below

Near the bottom of the toolbox options
- Click the floppy disk icon on the bottom left of the Eraser Tool Option "Save tool preset..."

This opens a pulldown menu, click "New Tool Preset..."
-Make Sure "[]Apply Stored brush" is checked, then click the bottom floppy disk. Sorry, this doesn't seem to work

[portia]

Just discovered - pressing Eraser tool after using the selection-box tool - you must deselect completely. (ie, Shift+Ctrl+A ) Seems that the little box with the running-ants remains active and doesn't allow the Eraser tool to be active. In Photoshop it is Ctrl+D for complete deselection. BTW, too many folks talking about alpha channels and such online to fix the problem really gets frustrating.
Thanks - P

[paynekj]

This forum has been DEAD for a long time and the spammers keep trying to take over.

Save yourself from them and go to https://www.gimp-forum.net instead

[portia]

Yes, this page is old, but a simple & specific google search with someone with the same problem I had (without having to sign-in to an account) will find it - It is the process that I prefer for quick fixes for problems that I know are inherently a quirky thing with the program and I like to avoid the "super users" who overthinks a solution and the guys who suggest trying "this & that" but never encountered the problem themselves.

hopefully, this will help new users; who just want an alternative to photoshop and reduce some frustration that comes along with learning new software program. - P