How to save layers as seperate in gimp?

[Kody Morgwain]

Greetings,

   I'vebeen working on teaching myself to create clothes. The problem I'm running into is when I save the files/export them I can't open them back up as layers regardless of format I choose. I've tried targa, png, and xcf.  and when I reopen the files  they always come back as only one layer. even if I choose "open as layers" 

help please?

 

[MIstahMoose]

Save it as the native GIMP file before you save it as anything else. Only save as something else when you are completely done with the project.

 

(.XMF is then native layer-saving file type for gimp)

[Aquila Kytori]

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MIstahMoose wrote:

 

 

(

.XMF

  

.xcf

  is then native layer-saving file type for gimp)

---

 

[MIstahMoose]

Mai bad

[Marybeth Cooperstone]

.xcf is the native, or default. I have always used .psd. (photoshop format). It saves all layers. Does anyone know if there is a difference between .xcf and .psd?

 

Marybeth

[Aquila Kytori]

 

One important difference i know of is :

   If you are using Gimp and save (export) the gimp files  to .psd format instead of the native .xcf ,when you re-open the .psd file in Gimp you will find that the Text layers will have been converted into texture layers so you can't edit the Text anymore.

Just curious , why would you want to do that ?

 

[Arwen Serpente]

Hi Kody,

If you are using the most recent version of Gimp 2.8, there are two different functions for "saving" your files (use the drop down menu under "Files" at the top of your Gimp screen:

To save as layers in the .xcf format -> Select "Save" or "Save as"

--- When using Save, if you try to use a single layer file format like tga or jpg, you will receive an error message.

To save/export a final single layer as a tga or jpg or png  - Select "Export" or "Export as"

When in doubt, do a search of Youtube for Gimp 2.8 tutorials - there are many many excellent tutorials.

Hope that's helpful.

Edited to add:

Gimp will open .psd files, however, it will not save them in the most recent version (It does not recognize the .psd file extension for purposes of saving a file). It will save layers in the .xcf file format only.  Once you have saved as .xcf file, it will reopen with all layers in tact.

Edited one more time:

Agree with Aquila - if you do happen to "export to" a .psd, Gimp will do it, but when it reopens that file the layers will be there, but text layers will no longer be active. "Saving to" .xcf will retain all the individual layers and their properties.

 

[Aquila Kytori]

---

MIstahMoose wrote:

Mai bad

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/121305191@N02/

with/13786952115

 

[Marybeth Cooperstone]

"If you are using Gimp and save (export) the gimp files  to .psd format instead of the native .xcf ,when you re-open the .psd file in Gimp you will find that the Text layers will have been converted into texture layers so you can't edit the Text anymore."

I have never done text, but I will keep that in mind. The templates that I started with, the UVs for upper body, lower body, and skirt were .psd, so everything since (more than a few years) has been .psd, with save as .tga for uploading.

Marybeth