4.2. Move
| 4. Transform Tools |

### 4.2. Move

Revision History
Revision $Revision: 2562 $ | 2008-03-01 | j.h

Figure 13.90. The Move tool in Toolbox

The Move Tool is used to move layers, selections, paths or guides. It works also on texts.

#### 4.2.1. Activate the Tool

- You can find this tool from the image menu through: Tools → Transform Tools → Move,

- or by clicking the tool icon: ,

- or by the M keyboard shortcut.

- The Move tool is automatically activated when you create a guide.

  | Note
  Holding down the space bar changes the active tool to Move temporarily. The Move tool remains active as long as the space bar is held down. The original tool is reactivated after releasing the space bar. In GIMP-2.4, this behaviour exists only if the Swith to Move Tool option is enabled in Preferences/Space bar.

#### 4.2.2. Options

Figure 13.91. Move Tool options

Overview

  The available tool options for Move can be found by double clicking the Move Tool icon.

Move

  | Note
  These options are described in Transform tools common options.

  Keep in mind that your Move choice persists after quitting the tool.

Tool toggle

  If Move is on layer :

  - Pick a layer or guide : On an image with several layers, the mouse pointer turns to a crosshair when it goes over an element belonging to the current layer. Then you can click-and-drag it. But, even if it has a small hand shape, you can also move a non-active layer by click-and-dragging a visible element of it (it becomes the active layer while moving). If a guide exists on your image, it will turn to red when the mouse pointer goes over. Then it is activated and you can move it.

  - Move the current layer : Only the current layer will be moved.

  If Move is on Path :

  - Pick a path : That's the default option. If your image has several layers, some of them with a path, every path will be represented in Path Dialog, and one of them will be the current path. With this option, the mouse pointer turns to a small hand when it goes over a path. Then you can move this path by click-and-dragging it (it will be the current path while moving).

  - Move the current path : Only the current path will be moved. You can change the current path in the Path Dialog.

#### 4.2.3. Summary of Move tool actions

Moving a selection

  The Move tool allows to move the selection outline only. If the Move Mode is “Layer”, you must hold down Ctrl+Alt keys. If the Move Mode is Selection, you can click-and-drag any point in canvas to move the selection outline.

  See Moving selections for other possibilities.

Moving a layer

  The Move Mode must be “Layer”. Then you can choose between Move the Active Layer and, if you have one or more layers, Point to Layer (or Guide).

Moving Grouped Layers

  If layers are grouped (with the little chain symbol) they will all move, regardless of which layer is currently active.

Moving a guide

  When you pull a guide from a ruler, the Move tool is automatically activated. That's not the case after using another tool, and you have to activate it by yourself. When the mouse pointer goes over a guide, this guide turns to red and you can click-and-drag to move it.

Moving a path

  The path Tool Dialog has its own moving function: see Section 6.1, “ Path ”. But you can also use the Move Tool. The Move Mode must be set to “Path”. Note that the path becomes invisible; make it visible in the Path Dialog. You can choose the path to be moved or move the active path.

Moving a text

  Every text has its own layer and can be moved as layers. See Section 6.5, “Text”. The only particular aspect is that the background of the text layer is transparent and that you have to click on a letter to move the text.

4. Transform Tools |  | 4.3. Align