Saving and loading selections
You can save complicated selections that you may want to reuse. You can also save selections as files or as alpha channels.
When you save a selection, it is saved as a separate file with a .PspSelection filename extension. When you load a selection into an image, PaintShop Pro creates a selection based on luminance, non-black pixels, or opacity.
Alpha channels in images are data storage areas that hold selections and masks. When you save a selection as an alpha channel, the selection is stored as part of the image on which it was originally created, rather than as a separate file. Selections and masks stored in alpha channels have no effect on the look of an image.
When you save the image in a file format other than the PspImage file format, its alpha channels are not saved. Therefore, it is best to keep a master copy of your image in PspImage format.
When you save a selection to an alpha channel within a PspImage image, you can load that selection from the alpha channel into the same image or into any other image.
If you saved selections to alpha channels that you no longer need, you can delete them. Only alpha channels from the current image can be deleted.
To save a selection to a file
1
Choose
Selections 
Load/Save Selection Save Selection to Disk to open the Save Selection to Disk dialog box.
The Selection Files group box displays selection files in ...Documents\Corel PaintShop Pro\2023\Selections. To change the default folder, or to add another folder, click the
File Locations button
in the
Selection Files drop-list.
2
In the
File name box, type a name for the selection.
To load a selection file from disk
1
Choose
Selections Load/Save Selections Load Selection From Disk.
The Load Selection from Disk dialog box appears.
The
Selection group box shows selection files in all folders. To change the default folder for locating selections, click the
File Locations button
in the
Selection drop-list.
2
Choose a selection from the
Selection drop-list.
3
In the
Operation group box, choose one of the following options:
•
Add to current selection•
Subtract from current selection
4
In the
Create Selection From group box, choose one of the following options:
To save a selection to an alpha channel
1
Choose
Selections Load/Save Selections Save Selection to Alpha Channel.
The Save Selection to Alpha Channel dialog box appears.
2
Choose an image from the
Add to document drop-list in the
Alpha Channels group box.
Any existing alpha channels in the image are shown in the preview box below the drop-list.
The selection is saved to the alpha channel.
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Save a selection to the alpha channel of another image |
Select the image name in the Add to document drop-list, and click Save. Note: The second image must be open in PaintShop Pro for it to appear in the Add to document drop-list.
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Change the default name for the new alpha channel |
Type a new name in the Name box. |
Move the selection to the upper-left corner of the image canvas |
Mark the Move to upper left of canvas check box. Note: This option is useful when a selection does not appear on the canvas because it is larger than the image.
|
To load a selection from an alpha channel
1
Choose
Selections Load/Save Selection Load Selection From Alpha Channel.
The Load Selection from Alpha Channel dialog box appears.
If you want to show the area around the selection as either transparent or black, click the
Toggle transparency checkerboard button
in the
Preview group box.
2
From the
Load From Document drop-list, choose the filename of the image that contains the alpha channel you want to load.
Note: The image must be open in PaintShop Pro for it to appear in the
Load From Document drop-list.
3
In the
Operation group box, choose one of the following options:
•
Add to current selection•
Subtract from current selectionA message in the
Operations group box indicates how the alpha channel intersects the canvas of the current image.
Note: If the alpha channel does not intersect the image canvas or intersects it only partially, you can move the selection onto the image canvas by marking the
Move to upper left check box.
4
In the
Options group box, choose one or more of the following options:
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Clip the selection wherever it extends beyond the image canvas |
In the Options group box, mark the Clip to canvas check box. |
Select everything outside the original selection |
In the Options group box, mark the Invert image check box. |
To delete an alpha channel
1
Choose
Image Delete Alpha Channel.
The Delete Alpha Channel dialog box appears.
2
Choose the alpha channel you want to delete from the drop-list in the
Alpha Channels group box.
If you want to delete all alpha channels, mark the
Delete all alpha channels check box.