To add a layer below a transparent background (SOLVED)

[Yash Pal]

I read somewhere that you can add a layer below a background layer if the background layer is transparent. (I could not find the site again else I would not have asked the question.)

I made a background layer transparent I think (the chequerboard shows) but could not slip in any layer beneath it. Is it possible at all or is it that I misunderstood that a layer below a transparent background layer can be added. If possible, then what mistake I might be making.

I have searched the topics with 'transparent background' but could not find the answer.

Could somebody help please.

[Yash Pal]

By the Way, there is only one layer in the image which shows as background in the layers dialogue.

[Arzoroc]

The "background" layer is just a random layer, there is nothing that prevents you from putting it as your top or second or whatever layer.

The following should work:
This is just to show you that and how it works, so use a test image for this try.
Open your background image, it will be displayed as one single layer in the Layers Dialog. The name of that layer should be typed in bold letters, this means that there isn't a transparency-channel on that layer yet (=you cannot change the transparency of parts of that layer without making the whole layer more transparent). You can easily change that by rightclicking on the layer and choosing "Add Alpha Channel". Now your layer can be erased on some parts and should show the checkerboard-pattern underneath those erased spots. Try this out, if it works you did everything correctly by now . Now rightclick in the layers dialog and select "Add new layer", choose something like "Fill with background color" (or foreground color or any color really) from the dropdown menu. This is just to give you a new, visible layer instead of an empty one. Now drag and drop the new layer underneath the background one in the layers dialog. You should see the background image on top, and the parts where you erased something from the background image should now display the color of the second layer. If this is the case, you did everything right.
If it is not, I could give you some step-by-step images later (university calls )

Good luck,
Arzo

[Yash Pal]

Thanks Arzoroc.
I will try your suggestion; and come back, hopefully to mark this post as 'solved'

[Yash Pal]

The name of image with chequerboard showing underneath is not in bold letters in the layers dock. I did some experimentation and a white background came up; the letters changed to bold. I donot know what I did exactly and could not repeat the steps backwards. I take it that it means I have to experiment a lot, read and understand a lot more and then come back again.

Thanks again for the explanations.

[Yash Pal]

I will be obliged if the steps for:

'Now drag and drop the new layer underneath the background one in the layers dialog'

could be explained. I tried but could not drag. Is it that you move the layers up and down with the help of arrows at the bottom of the layers dock?

[Arzoroc]

yeah you can also use the arrows, but the usual drag and drop should work as well But yes, use the arrows if you can't drag and drop.
If the layer name isn't bold its just the way it should be the steps I showed are needed to get rid of that bold name. ignore the "add alpha channel" step if you don't have a bold named layer. Maybe when I get home this evening I can upload a step by step photo guide.
good luck trying.

[Yash Pal]

Thanks.
Sorry, my mistake that I thought I had acknowledged. Today I find that I had not.
Please mark it as solved. (I still could not find out how to mark a post as solved)