4.2. Move Tool
| 4. Transform Tools |

### 4.2. Move Tool

Revision History
Revision $Revision: 1763 $ | 2006-06-14 | j.h

Figure 13.45. The Move tool in Toolbox

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

#### 4.2.1. Activate Tool

- The Move Tool can be called in the following order, from the image-menu: Tools → Transform Tools → Move

- The Tool can also be called 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.

#### 4.2.2. Default behaviour

By default, this tool works on the active layer and the Select a Layer or a Guide option is checked. Let's suppose that your image has more than one layer, a selection and a guide. The mouse pointer takes the shape of the familiar 4-way arrow when it passes over the image elements originating from the active layer; then, click-and-drag will move the active layer. When the mouse pointer is on an image element originating from a non-active layer or on a guide, it looks like a small hand; then, click-and-drag will move this layer or this guide.

To move a selection frame, without moving its content, Use the Ctrl-Alt key-combination. This has the same action as selecting “ Selection” in Affect.

#### 4.2.3. Key modifiers (Defaults)

Alt

  Holding Alt selections can be moved without altering your image. Only the frame is moved, not its content. If Alt doesn't work try Ctrl-Alt.

Using Arrow Keys

  Instead of using the mouse you can use arrow keys to move the active layer by one pixel. By pressing Shift you move by 25 pixels.

#### 4.2.4. Options

Figure 13.46. Move Tool options

Overview

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

Affect

  | Note
  These options are described in Common options of transform tools . Keep in mind that your Affect choice persists after quitting the tool.

Tool toggle

  If Affect 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, il 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 Affect 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. Transform Tools |  | 4.3. Crop and Resize Tool