Hi,
deniz.a.m.dogan@gmail.com (2009-11-25 at 1613.28 +0100):
It seems like there is no way to toggle this behavior by e.g. holding
key. You'd think that holding the shift key would toggle the behavior,
which the description in the toolbox implies. However, I can't get
this to work!
I gave it a look again (*) and when tool options say "move" you will
move the layer that is active in layers dialog when you drag, no
matter where you click. If it says "pick" you will activate topmost
opaque layer and then move it when you drag. Shift key changes the
button temporally. Try it, press and release it and see how the tool
options update... at least here it does... if not, you found a bug.
The preferences option just decides about keeping or not the
activation. You can see the temp activation in layers dialog while the
mouse button is hold. Leave preferences open to one side of the
monitor and see how things behave with an image with 2 transparent
layers with a small doodle in each, try pref on/off, shift pressed,
etc.
*: Three notes about why I forget all the details of this. First is
that I have the "make active" pref enabled to match old Gimps and
always forget about it. It can be weird for new people, but so is that
move's default includes pick (it is named move, not select/pick and
move... so before and now are not free of sins).
Second is that I never change these tool options from the default
settings, so I do not have to look at them ever; my fingers always
know. Nevermind in some cases the keys are not toggles, in move tool
shift is, but try selecting layer, selection and path modes and see
what control or alt do in each case... the only that seems sane to me
is to leave it in layers, so all three keys can do things and my
fingers can continue in automatic mode.
And third is that I stopped believing in texts, instead I see what
things do, so my hands learn that and my eyes completly ignore the
texts.
Small redesign: the tool options should be something like "Move top
opaque layer under cursor" for pick and "Move active layer" for
move. There must be better wording that current. As Joao mentioned,
the "keep active or not" pref could be a tool option, dependant on
"Move top opaque layer under cursor" and with a text like "Make
active". Things could be moved but with the intent of leaving the
settings in sane state (some of us would had to relearn shift key, but
I think it could be settled forever). Example:
() Move active layer
() Pick top opaque then move --, pick enables/gives access to
[] Keep picked as active
GSR
