"Erasing hole" problem in Photoshop

[Tony Max]

I'm trying to move a shape in Photoshop 5.5, but I'm getting an "erasing
hole" message and the shape doesn't move.

First I'm selecting the solid, white background which surrounds the
picture.

Then I Select Inverse.

Then I shift-click and drag on the rectangular picture selected in the
middle of the document and release the mouse.

The clock with the spinning hand appears. Then there's a message that
says, "Erasing hole" and the that rectangle I'm trying to move remains stationary.

There's no listing for "hole" or "erasing hole" in the online documentation.

[Tacit]

>First I'm selecting the solid, white background which surrounds the
>picture.
>
>Then I Select Inverse.

>[snip]

Sounds like you are not on the right layer.

If the shape is on a layer, you do not need to make any selection at all. Just
click the layer in the Layers palette, and use the Move tool to move the shape.
That's it!

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[Tony Max]

Tacit wrote:
>
> >First I'm selecting the solid, white background which surrounds the
> >picture.
> >
> >Then I Select Inverse.
> >[snip]
>
> Sounds like you are not on the right layer.
>
> If the shape is on a layer, you do not need to make any selection at all. Just
> click the layer in the Layers palette, and use the Move tool to move the shape.
> That's it!

Thanks, Tacit.

I was trying to move a rectangle that was on the background. Your
solution of moving the rectangle to a layer works.

Tony