4.3. Move
| 4. Transform Tools |

### 4.3. Move

Figure 14.125. The Move tool in Toolbox

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

#### 4.3.1. Activating the Tool

You can access the Move Tool in different ways:

- From the image menu bar Tools → Transform Tools → Move,

- By clicking the tool icon: .

- By using the keyboard shortcut M.

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

  | Note
  If the function of the Space bar is set to Activate the Move tool (which is not the default, but can be changed in your Preferences, see below), then holding down the Space bar temporarily changes the active tool to Move. The Move tool remains active as long as the space bar is held down. The original tool is reactivated after releasing the space bar. To enable this behavior you have to change the setting called While space bar is pressed to Switch to Move tool. This setting can be changed in the Preferences dialog: Edit → Preferences → Image Windows → Space Bar.

#### 4.3.2. Options

Figure 14.126. Move Tool options

Normally, tool options are displayed in a window attached under the Toolbox as soon as you activate a tool. If they are not, you can access them from the image menu bar through Windows → Dockable Windows → Tool Options which opens the option window of the selected tool.

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 (Shift)

  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. If the mouse pointer has a small hand shape (showing that you do not pick an element of the active layer), you will move a non-active layer instead (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.

    At the point of intersection of two guides, you can click-and-drag to move them together. This is useful when the guides are used to mark a point, rather than a pair of lines (e.g, as is the case for the mandala symmetry guides, which mark the symmetry point of origin).

  Move the active layer

    Only the current layer will be moved (if smaller than canvas). This may be useful if you want to move a layer with transparent areas, where you can easily pick the wrong layer through these transparent areas.

    | Note
    You also can move the active layer by setting its offset in the Edit Layer Attributes dialog.

  If Move is on “Selection”

  The selection's outline will be moved (see Section 2.1, “Moving a Selection”).

  If Move is on “Path”

  Pick a path

    That's the default option. The mouse pointer turns to a small hand when it goes over a visible path. Then you can move this path by click-and-dragging it (it will be the active path while moving).

  Move the active path

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

#### 4.3.3. 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. You can also use the arrow keys to move selections precisely. Then, holding down the Shift key moves then by increments of 25 pixels.

  When you move a selection with the Move tool, the center of the selection is marked with a small cross. This cross and selection boundaries snap to guides or grid if the View → Snap to Guides (or Grid) option is checked: this makes aligning selections easier.

  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 5.2, “Paths”. 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 5.6, “Text”.

4.2. Align |  | 4.4. Crop

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