PSP Move Tool

[Emma]

I'm getting really confused about using the arrow keys to move objects in PSP.

I hold the Shift or Ctrl key and press an arrow key to nudge for precise positioning of an oject rather than using my mouse. And sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't!

What is the "rule?" I can't see a pattern of why it sometimes works and why it doesn't. Is it only available with the Deform Tool?

What am I doing wrong?!

Thanks!

[Pam]

Often when I want precise positioning in PSP, I bring up the ruler (Image, Ruler) and also enable the guides and drag a guide onto the layout. Or I use the grid - which you can change (every 10 pixels or inches or whatever you set) - you can also enable the snap feature which is like a magnet to draw your items to the guide or grid when you move them. I also find it helps to blow the layout up when I want precise (number pad + key).

[Emma]

That's good to know about the grid. I used it once when following a tutorial, but I prefer to work without the snapping function. But it's really nice when needing to align objects.

I can't get anything to happen when I click Guides though, what's supposed to turn on?

Also, I usually just want to nudge something a few pixels, and since the refresh rate on my mouse is poor, it jerks things around too much.

It seems the Deform tool nudges fine. The Move tool seems pretty useless in comparison. About the only time I grab that one is to Right-click to resize a selection because after moving, I usually use the keys to nudge it just right and have to switch to Deform anyway.
Do you have any uses for the Move Tool? I wonder why it doesn't support nudging...seems like that's the kind of thing the Move Tool should be FOR! If it does support Nudge, what am I doing wrong?

Thanks!

[Pam]

The grid works after you turn the ruler on (and the grid on) - if you don't want the snap function you can turn it off. Place the mouse on the ruler, click and hold and drag a guide onto your layout. They can then be moved by the little "nub" on the ruler if you want to move or remove the guide.

The move key works when moving a layer around without resizing (clicking on an object with the move tool will make that layer active). The tool also works with selections - if you select an area of your photo with the selection tool you can then move it with the move tool if you right click and hold it down while moving. This only moves the selection outline - not anything about your photo.) I use selections a lot when adjusting an area of a photo - whether adding color to a quilt block or enhancing the color of a photo - you can only edit the part inside a selected area. So if you want to take red out of eyes but not change the rest of the photo you can select the eye. Then you can use the move key with the right mouse button and move the selection over the other eye (just one example). Selection and Move Tools (http://www.tut.pspug.org/beginclass/b07selmovzjh_v8.htm)