Can't Move a Selection

[Ofnuts]

(04-01-2022, 03:58 PM)PapaBear1 Wrote:

(04-01-2022, 03:40 PM)programmer_ceds Wrote:

(04-01-2022, 03:20 PM)PapaBear1 Wrote: I've been at this for a while now, and even with Google searches etc., I simply cannot move a selection.

I thought I had done this dozens of times before, so I'm kind of sitting here wondering - why can I suddenly not move a selection?

I already know about the "Move Layer" vs. "Move Selection" mode aspect - and I have it in "Move Selection" mode.
And it does allow me to move the selection - but not really.  It only moves the outline and never lets me move the content.  It also never creates any Floating temp layer either.

This CANNOT be this hard.  Moving stuff around is fundamental to image processing - so I MUST be missing something obvious.
Can the user really not simply select something and move it?

I have seen advice for copying and/or cutting and pasting to a new layer - but I don't want a new layer - I want to move my selection within the layer I'm working on.  What if a layer had 2-dozen items and you wanted to shift them around.  This approach would require 2-dozen layers?  That makes no sense.

I'm stumped.

thanks for any help!
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Putting the move tool into selection mode moves the selection boundary - not the selected data. Cut or copy the selection data (depending on whether you want to move or copy it), paste it, move it where you want it and then anchor the floating layer (right-click "Layer/Anchor Layer") - no increase in the number of layers.

Note that you don't use the Move tool for this - after you paste the cut or copied selection the cursor changes to the move icon so that you can move the new floating layer where you want it.

Wow -
OK -
Wasn't expecting all that.
Seems like some gymnastics to go through - just to move a selection.  Clearly - the intent is to move something when I go to use that tool.  If I wanted to copy and paste something I would. When I use that tool - it is understood that I want to move something.  Seems like it should automatically do what it takes to get that move done - without me having to Cut/Paste.
Oh well - at least I know how to do this now.  It's just not intuitive.  (That list is growing... ha...  )

btw - I'm curious:  What would be the purpose of the default behavior of moving "the selection" and not the content.  It doesn't "do" anything that I can tell - so I just don't understand the purpose of it.

thanks very much!

In some tools you can move the selected pixels right away. For instance in the Free Select, right after you have done the selection you can Ctrl-Alt-drag (Cut) or Shift-Alt-drag (copy) to move the selected pixels.