[SOLVED] how do I re-edit text in Gimp

[charonred]

this is really infuriating me; I have some images with layers containing text - I want to edit some of the existing text but for the life of me I can't figure out how.

I select the layer, then click on it with the text tool, but all it does is open a fresh text box, not one with existing text in it.

I was never a very experienced user of photoshop, but I could do some basic things and that was all I needed. However I can't seem to make some of these simple things happen in Gimp; it's certainly not making the change from XP to Ubuntu easy.

Is there a simple guide to using Gimp cause its 'Help' pages are not!

[Pasto]

On the Layers window, right button on the text layer, choose "Text Tool" and it opens the initial dialog box to type text, where you can change it.

There must be an easier way though.

[Pasto]

Mmm just tested what you said and it works for me.

Selecting the text layer, then using the text tool and clicking on the text opens the same dialog to edit the text. Are you 100% positive that you have the right layer selected? If I have a different layer selected a new dialog will popup as you said.

[charonred]

thanks for the super fast reply.

As far as I can tell I have selected the correct layer; but if I right click on it in the layer window, there is no option to choose 'text tool'

this is Gimp 2.4.6
does that make any difference, do I need to re-install it?

[charonred]

*bump* - I still can't get Gimp to re-edit text.

[Half-Left]

Thats because you may have applied a filter to it, it's abit like Photoshop how you rasterize the layer.

You have to click the text tool and then click the text on the canvas(not on the layers tab), then it will ask if you want to edit the text, this removes any filters you have applied.

Yes I know it's not as flexible as Photoshop but you'll find having to get your text right first is the best way to work with GIMP. This applies to effects as well, unlike Photoshop where you can edit and change them as you go.

You'll find extra plugins like layer effects for Photoshop in the Ubuntu repos, but they are not as flexible, i.e they dont show in reatime how the effect will be on your text, unlike Photoshop does. It's the down side of GIMP but like me you can adjust your way of working to get around it, I have.

[munkyeetr]

On the Layers window, right button on the text layer, choose "Text Tool" and it opens the initial dialog box to type text, where you can change it.

This also works for me, no problem.

One thing though, which may be the culprit, if you have rotated the text you can no longer edit it ASAIK as shown above. There may be other instances where you can no longer edit text, but rotate is the only one I have come across personally.

[Half-Left]

This also works for me, no problem.

One thing though, which may be the culprit, if you have rotated the text you can no longer edit it ASAIK as shown above. There may be other instances where you can no longer edit text, but rotate is the only one I have come across personally.

You can edit your text by using the technic I just post, but it resets your text.

[charonred]

thanks all.

I haven't applied any filters.

Say I create a new layer and add an image to it, then I add another layer with some text on it, then save and exit.

I re-open it, select the layer, click text tool and then click on actual text; it opens a new text box with no existing text, which means I have to re-type the text again, instead of just altering a word or two, then delete the existing layer - not very efficient.

[donec]

I may be wrong but5 if you anchor the text or merg the text to another layer then you can not edit the text you just have to replace it.