Suggestion: Move Selection Sub-Mode in Selection Tools

[MJW]

I admit I haven't thought out the details as thoroughly as I should, but a feature that would be very welcome is the ability to temporarily switch to the Move Selection mode while in a selection-tool mode, such as Rectangle Select. Perhaps something like holding down the control key could temporarily switch to Move Selection mode.

 

I rarely create the selection I want on my first try, so I'm always having to switch to Move Selection mode.  Not having to switch back and forth between tools would be quite convenient.

[AndrewDavid]

Hi @MJW

Sounds like Keyboard shortcut M or M,M

[MJW]

I wasn't even aware of those shortcuts. Learn something new every day.

 

I always thought there ought to be Tool shortcuts, but since they don't show up in the drop-down list, I didn't think there were.  I discovered a moment ago that they are listed in the tooltips for the list entries.  I guess I never hovered over them long enough to notice that before.

 

I still think my suggestion might be convenient. Switching back and forth with the shortcuts requires quite a few keystrokes. The create-selection and modify-selection modes seem to me to be so closely associated that it makes sense to have a quick way of toggling between them.

 

[Tactilis]

The shortcut keys tooltips in the Tools drop-down list are new in version 4.2.16, which was released in April this year, so that's why you won't have seen them there before.

But have you never seen them in the Tools window?


It's worth reading the Help:  https://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/index.html   Take a look at the Tools page. 

[MJW]

31 minutes ago, Tactilis said:

The shortcut keys tooltips in the Tools drop-down list are new in version 4.2.16, which was released in April this year, so that's why you won't have seen them there before.

But have you never seen them in the Tools window?

 

Well, that certainly explains why I haven't seen the shortcut tootips in the menu list.

 

For whatever reason, I never use the Tools window, only the drop-down list. I suppose it's because those menu windows are always getting in my way, so I prefer to have as few open as possible. Even though the Tools window is quite tiny, it's also not much more convenient than just selecting from the list.

[Rick Brewster]

I never realized people used the drop down list  I had mostly forgotten about it until the request for the shortcut key popups earlier this year.

 

You can also treat the Tools dropdown like a menu. Alt+T opens it, and then use the arrow keys or the first letter of the tool. If it's the only tool that starts with that letter, like Gradient, it'll activate after pressing G. For others, like Move Selected Pixels, Move Selection, Magic Wand, you need to press M between 1-3 times and then Enter.

[Tactilis]

2 hours ago, MJW said:

For whatever reason, I never use the Tools window, only the drop-down list. I suppose it's because those menu windows are always getting in my way, so I prefer to have as few open as possible. Even though the Tools window is quite tiny, it's also not much more convenient than just selecting from the list.

The advantage of the Tools window is that you can see which tool is selected (amongst the other tools) when you use the shortcut keys.

If you don't like the window on display all the time, try getting into the habit of pressing F5 to display the Tools, typing the relevant shortcut letter(s) to select the tool (rather than using the mouse), then F5 to dismiss the window.

Also try:

F6 = History
F7 = Layers
F8 = Colors

You'll find that your editing is much faster if you take a little time to study the Help and train yourself to use the keyboard shortcuts.
 

[MJW]

1 hour ago, Tactilis said:

You'll find that your editing is much faster if you take a little time to study the Help and train yourself to use the keyboard shortcuts.
 

 

I doubt it'd be much faster. I expect the time I devote to clicking items on the drop-down Tool list is a tiny fraction of my editing time. In fact, the only time it bothers me at all is in situations like I hoped to solve by my suggestion here, where actions as closely related as creating and editing selections require switching between tools.