Floating Selection lock preventing layer manipulation in GIMP 2.10

Layer Dialog Lockout

In GIMP 2.10, performing a paste operation creates a Floating Selection (Pasted Layer). This mechanism acts as a temporary buffer that intercepts user input and modifies the behavior of the Layers dialog.

While this selection is active, the software restricts access to other layers and disables several tool options, effectively locking the rest of the image composition until the floating content is resolved.

The current architectural design requires the user to either anchor the selection to the active layer or promote it to a new layer to regain standard editing capabilities. This creates a workflow dependency where subsequent layer manipulations are blocked by the unresolved buffer.

• What is the specific logic that determines which tool options are disabled during a floating selection?
• Is there a configuration to bypass the floating selection state and paste directly as a new layer?