How to merge text layer to multiple visible layers in GIMP?

Question

I want to make a GIF and I need to merge text with all layers. If there is a more efficient way to do this instead of:

1. Dublicate Text Layer
2. Merge Down
3. and repeat if it's not the last layer

Answer 1

You can use the ofn-interleave-layer script that you will find here.

Once installed, you want Image > Interleave layers > Interleave single layer of stack (title mode). But read the HTML doc for some usage hints.

Answer 2

A faster way:

GIF does not have vector texts, so you can well use rasterized text. Make a selection from your text area by holding the Alt key + Clicking the text icon in the Layers panel:

Now you can stamp the text to every layer by selecting the layers and by clicking with a solid and big enough painting brush. The selection stays the same until you remove it or make a new selection.

Unfortunately I cannot tell any method how to select multiple layers to paint on everyone at the same time.

People have wished multiple layer selections as long as I can remember. The developers surely have got also 1000 other wishes, so there's probably a good reason to priorize somehow. But GIMP is free and using it is 100% voluntary, so no reason to complain.

Answer 3

You can do it with shortcuts if you don't want to install a script/plugin. Obviously, if you have hundreds of frames this can become tedious, so the script @xenoid refers to might be better. But for shorter GIFs this technique is pretty quick.

Text layer on top, then right click the text layer in the layers panel and choose Alpha to Selection. Choose a foreground colour for the text, and then fill on each layer using the following shortcuts repeatedly, until finished.

1. Ctrl+comma to fill with foreground colour
2. Down Arrow to select the next layer down