Lots of trouble selecting pictures in graphs

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After having pasted a picture into a graph (or placing it from the picture gallery) I often have trouble selecting it. I click everywhere on it and it never selects. I have run through every layer so it's not that. If I double-click on it, a Modify Draw Environment dialog opens, but the X0, Y0, X1, X2 boxes are blank. 

I would say that this happens about half the time. Any suggestions? MacOS, Igor 8.

What format is the picture: PNG, PDF, ....?

Do you have this problem with other pictures of the same format? What about other pictures with different formats?

Perhaps post your experiment (pxp) and the picture as a ZIP archive so that others can test.

May 11, 2025 at 07:09 am - Permalink

It seems to happen with all kinds of picture formats, PNG, PDF for sure. I did find an odd way to fix it. If I have a picture that cannot be selected, I draw a shape using, say, the rectangle tool. Then I delete the rectangle. Then I am able to select the picture.

June 16, 2025 at 08:40 pm - Permalink

Are you using Igor 9? The next time you see this happening, please send a copy of your experiment file to support@wavemetrics.com.

Usually, blank edit boxes like that indicate something like a NaN. I wouldn't expect the picture to be visible if all the coordinates were NaN, however. The trick of drawing a rectangle and deleting it is pretty out there...

A thought: does saving the experiment and reopening it restore it? If so, it will be really hard to debug!

June 17, 2025 at 04:59 pm - Permalink

Hi John: Unfortunately, once I save the experiment and reopen it I can select the picture! So I agree this is probably impossible to debug. But at least now I have a workaround. I have sent you a video showing what happens.

June 18, 2025 at 02:57 pm - Permalink

It finally sunk in to me that amtravco is using Igor 8. Even on Windows I can reproduce the problem using the Pictures diaog Place Picture in Draw Layer button. I am happy to report that I cannot reproduce it using Igor 9 or 10.

June 20, 2025 at 02:47 pm - Permalink