Elements only allowing one image onscreen

[Graeme253510836aml]

I regularly amuse myself making little cartoon collages by opening a background image then importing GIF or PNG images of various objects which (after clicking the "Move" tool) can be dragged onscreen and automatically become new layers which can then be selected and resized and repositioned as required to create a composite image.

Suddely Elements won't let me do this anymore. It will only allow one file to be open on screen. If I drag in a second image from the bin it replaces the first image onscreen and also in the layers palette, which will only show one layer - the current onscreen image - whereas before it would show all imported images as layers. The original background layer is deleted from the palette and replaced by the new image as layer 0.

Has Elements corrupted or have I accidentally changed some setting? ! "Auto select" for images is "ON". Trying to reset the "Move" tool doesn't do anything.

Another oddity - possibly related - is that if I open an image then select and drag it, it moves OK but leaves a checkerboard "transparency" rectangle in its place.

[hatstead · Accepted solution]

@Graeme

Go to Edit menu>Preferences>General. Is "Allow Floating Documents In Full Edit Mode" checked?

[Graeme253510836aml]

My version of PSE calls it "Allow floating documents in Expert Mode", which is obviously much the same thing, and yes, for some reason it was unchecked. A bit mysterious because I have been doing these composite images for a couple of years now without ever looking at the Preferences settings and the "floating documents" setting was always operational as a default. I haven't changed anything and haven't updated or re-installed PSE. Anyway, I have now "checked" that preference and the problem seems to be instantly solved.  I would never have thought of digging into those settings.

Many thanks for quick solution. If the problem comes back I'll know how to fix it.

[hatstead]

You're welcome. Glad to help!