Constrained movement of a layer

[paulhuckstepp]

I'm a new user of Paint Shop Pro X4 and have come across from Photoshop Elements 9.

One feature I can't seem to find, if it exists at all, even though it really should, is the ability to move a layer while constraining it horizontally or vertically.

In PSE/PS you can hold down the Shift key when dragging layers to keep it on the X or Y axis allowing the layer to be positioned without it drifting in the wrong direction.

Can PSP X4 do this, and if so, how?

Thanks in advance.

[LindaSue]

You could do this in versions prior to PSP8 but apparently not anymore. In PSP7, you would make a selection of the layer you wanted to move, float it and then hold down the Shift key while using the arrow keys to move the layer horizontally or vertically.

[LeviFiction]

I am not aware of such an option but if one exists I would very much love to hear about it.

As LindaSue says, you can nudge them (You don't need to make a floating selection) using the arrow keys.

All you need to do is grab either the "Pick" (white arrow) tool or the "Move" (four arrows) tool. Select the layer you want to move and start nudging. Of course just using the arrow keys will nudge it only 1 pixel at a time. Holding "Ctrl" while nudging will jump it 10 pixels. Using "Shift" will jump the selected layer 50 pixels. And holding 'Ctrl + Shift" while nudging will jump it 100 pixels at a time. Useful for those long moves.

But I don't like to do that unless it's to nudge it a short distance.

I can tell you that maintaining the current X or Y of a layer while moving it is not difficult. When you have the "Pick" tool selected you'll notice on the Tool Properties palette that you have "Pivot X" "Pivot Y" "Position X" "Position Y" and so on. Just make note of the current X and Y positions of the layer. Then move the layer where you want it attempting to keep it close to where you want it. Then re-type the original X or Y (whichever you're trying to constrain) into that number box and it'll snap back into place.

This only works with rasters through as you don't get the same granular control of vectors that you do with rasters.

With vectors I've found using guide-lines with "Snap to guides" turned on (under the View menu) will help to constrain their movements quite nicely. For some reason this doesn't seem to work well with Rasters. Just drag a guide down and line it up with the top or side of the vector and drag the vectors.

The last option is to use the "Grid" option. Under the View menu turn on the Grid and turn on "Snap to Grid" this will make sure that you only move your select layer or vector object in precise increments (whatever the grid is set to). It doesn't constrain the X or Y at all but it's a lot easier to drag around and know that you're staying in place.

[paulhuckstepp]

Thanks for the responses.

I did work out that you can use the cursor keys for moving layers, but I did notice that if you try and nudge the layer this way straight after selecting the layer it instead scrolls the layers palette left and right and screws up the PSP custom scrollbars and replaces them with Windows standard scrollbars (Win7x64).

Fingers crossed that constrained layer dragging is something that might get added at some point.