Export layer to png file in gimp

Is there a simple way to export the current selected layer as a png/jpg file in Gimp 2.8.4 ?

I did some searching in google, and the export should do it in gimp 2.6 if the layer is the only visible layer, but I can't get that to work for gimp 2.8

The way I currently do it now is that I select the content, and cut/paste it to a new image, then export the image and close it, but a simple export selected layer would be much more easy to use.

Solution 1:

1. select layer
2. press ctrl+c
3. press ctrl+shift+v (=paste as new image)
4. export as whatever you like

Solution 2:

I can do this on GIMP 2.8.2 running on Linux. The image below has two layers, one blue and one black.

If I export the image as is, I get a blue png. Now, set the blue layer to invisible:

If I now export this image (CtrlE) I get a nice black .png:

Solution 3:

There is a GIMP plugin to export as layers: Export layers plugin

This plugin does not have the option of exporting only the current active layer - however it uses square brackets in the layer names to determine how it treats the layers.

Thus to export your current layer you could:

1. Install this plugin (you will have to restart GIMP)
2. Rename the layer or layers you wish to export, surrounding their names with square brackets e.g. [my image]
3. Select "Export layers" from the file menu
4. Enter the extension for the format you want to use in the extension field
5. Under advanced settings change the "layer names in [square brackets]:" option to "Ignore other layers"
6. Click export layers

Solution 4:

I hit upon a simple workaround under windows: I select the layer that I want to copy in the GIMP, press control+C to have it in the Windows clipboard. Then I open Irfan View as a separate application and I paste in the contents of the Windows clipboard with control+V. Then the pasted image can be saved to disk in whatever format I like.