I have been attempting to mask an image. I have read the documents, watch several youtube videos and search the forums. Nothing that I have tried seem to work. the mask and cut functions under the tool is always grayed out. (I also notice other features as well but have not explore those as of yet. I do not have the basic function enabled in the settings - Thinking it may be an advance feature only.
Attached is the image file and a screen shot. Any help welcome
I don’t see from your screenshot the shape that you’re attempting to use to mask. Note that the shape that you’re using to mask must be a closed shape, meaning a continuous series of joined segments that are also joined at the ends. So if you select the closed shape plus the image the mask option will become available.
Thank you @berainlb, I was able to use a line (closed shape) to enable the cut, but the mask is not available. Per the documentation a rectangle could be used as well; however, that is not enabling either cut or mask.
at to what I was attempting to mask is one of the snowman (as an example)
thank you again.
I performed a right-click and Copy Image on the OP picture. Pasting it into LightBurn, then creating a rectangle around one of the critters, along with selecting the image presents as such:
Selecting Tools, Apply Mask to Image created this:
Is this similar to the objective?
Can you prep the closed shape with the image and then upload the .lbrn file here for review?
@fred_dot_u This is what I am attempting to accomplish. As stated I can do it with using the line function and then do a cut.
here is some total weirdness, I did as you did with copying the above and pasted, the selected rectangle and I has the cut option under tools, I then cut and pasted the selected areas - results the same as your. I than deleted all items in LightBurn and open the same image, selected image, selected the rectangle tool and outlined the part I wanted to cut (mask) and the cut option was grayed out again. I restarted lightburn, was available to open the image, mark it with the rectangle and do the cut. Now everything has red borders. Outline of the main image, outline were the cut was, and outline of the cut image.It seem now that other function are lost, is there something that I need to do to remove the red outlines to I can do other things? Also as shown in yours the cut seem to still have the outter border of the cut section. to adjust the size of the cut piece you have to go the those handles. If there a way to have the handles the size of the cut image? I know I have struggle with layers and being able to select a layer that is under another layer.
FYI I am using version 1.13.01
Here is the Ibm - Also to all I thank you for bearing with me on this and I still have not seen the mask function available to be used.
snowman-mask issue.lbrn2 (257.8 KB)
Something else I just discovered - if I am successful with doing a cut, if I attempt a second cut of a different snowman I do get the cut function available but it does not work.
Just realized part of the problem, If you make the cut rectangle within the image you can not select the rectangle and the image using the ctrl key, you have to do a select all, however if you make the rectangle with one of the edges outside of the image then you can use the ctrl key to select the two. Seems to be an issue of selecting an area under a larger area.
You don’t have a shape created in the .lbrn file.
If you’re having a problem with selection then either change the order of the layers in Cut / Layers window or disable “Show” temporarily for one of the layers.
With a shape created I have no problem with the mask option becoming available:
If I understand correctly, you’re trying to select two objects in succession, using mouse clicks.
According to the doc, the Shift key adds the next-clicked object to the current selection.
However, the Ctrl key flips the selection state, which doesn’t seem to be quite what you want:
Try using Shift instead of Ctrl to see if that selects both things.
Here is with the area outlined - So matter what I do I do not get the mask option. (It will be something simple, just do not know what yet) Thanks for the help
snowman-mask issue.lbrn2 (258.7 KB)
Thank you for the clarity on the shft/ctrl, I was about to select both using the shift key. However doing so does not seem to have the same results with the cut function as doing a select all. Individually I just get them highlighted (can move as a group and so on), but when selecting the cut feature nothing no red cut lines. I have to do a ctrl-a to select both the image and cut.
@berainlb - I have used the she to enable and disable, but how do you change the order?
I’ve discovered that if the masking shape is set to fill, one cannot perform a mask action. I was able to duplicate the inability to perform the mask action, which was then corrected by changing it to line. Also, consider to drag the image layer to the top of the list, which will put your mask on the top of the image (counterintuitive?) making it easier to select in a selective manner.
Fred’s on point. The Cut layer needs to be line. Change layer order using up/down arrows as seen here:
@fred_dot_u & @berainlb Thanks to both of you. Got the mask function working. As to moving layers the arrows did not work but found out I was dragging the layer too far, needed to just drop it on the layer of where I wanted to move it to. So two of the three items solved. I was still wondering about the extended handles on the cut image as shown in @fred_dot_u, is there a way to move them to just be on the edges of resulting cut? if not no worries as I can work with it as the extra space is opaque.
Not sure if I’m following. Are you asking if there’s a way to align the edge of the rectangle to the edge of the image? If so, snapping behavior is no different than other shapes:
I extended the shape simply to make it easier to see. Placement is arbitrary, as it will work in any location.
When you put a box or square or whatever in a image you must do it as a cut line. Once in place switch it to avtool path. on the bottom right last one of your path selections
