how in the world do I keep moving an image while using selection tools??

[Eric5]

This is an elementary question, but I have been unable to find an answer for it.  Say I am working on trying to make a selection zoomed in at 100%.  I have the mouse button pressed as I am tracing the area with matte of refine selection, but I have already reached the top of the screen and can't go further and I need to trace the entire zoomed image at once.  I've never figured out how to move the image while using any of the tools at the same time.  Pressing "up" or "down" on the keyboard doesn't seem to make the image move, nor do the arrow keys.  How do I do this simple task?  

 

Thanks,

Eric 

[Move Along People]

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[toltec]

Pressing the spacebar temporarily selects the Hand tool allowing you to drag the image. When you release the spacebar, the original tool is active again.

[Move Along People]

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[toltec]

1 minute ago, haakoo said:

 

That said,
I can use the scrollbar fine and also ctrl+mousehweel for zooming in/out and shift+mousewheel for panning 
Besides that I can release the mouse button to zoom to another point and add parts to the selection

That said, I can press the middle mouse wheel button down and drag the image to pan it 

[Eric5]

Ok, guys, thanks, I'm going to fire up the laptop and see what happens.  By the way, this is with Affinity Photo.  Tools can be hand selection, refine, etc, doesn't really matter, I've just never found the way to keep scrolling the image while keeping the tool engaged.  Will let you know how it works.  

[Eric5]

I'm trying out the suggestions, but not working so far.  I have an image on screen, zoomed to the max, and I'm attempting to use the free hand tool to trace precisely around it.  When I go offscreen, there's no way I can move the image without releasing the mouse button.  Tried pressing the spacebar while engaged and no difference, image remains stationary.  

I see it done in tutorials, but no one ever explains how.  I know its something simple that I'm missing.   

[Eric5]

Here's something more specific.  In my other post, I was trying to use the refine tool matte to select around the entire tree at once while zoomed into the max.  I could not keep the tool pressed while moving the image.  If I zoom out so I can see the entire image, which in my case is a tree, then I don't see with the precision I need.  If I keep painting and releasing matte, moving to another section and then repeating, this changes the overall image differently than if I had been able to trace the entire image at once.  I hope that's clearer.  I wasn't sure how to explain better.  I guess I could go around the entire trees zoomed out if no other choice, but hoped to do it zoomed in.  

[toltec]

55 minutes ago, Eric5 said:

Ok, guys, thanks, I'm going to fire up the laptop and see what happens.  By the way, this is with Affinity Photo.  Tools can be hand selection, refine, etc, doesn't really matter, I've just never found the way to keep scrolling the image while keeping the tool engaged.  Will let you know how it works.  

Release the mouse, press the spacebar and move the image, release the spacebar and keep, er 'mousing' 

[Eric5]

Toltec, thanks.  That does seem to be working with something like magnetic lasso, but not for refine.  I've attached an example of what I mean.  I refined the edge in red for as much as I could do in the visible image.  There's no way to do more without releasing the click button and, unfortunately, refine is calculated.  I wanted to be able to move the image to the next section while keeping the tool engaged (mouse button pressed).  

Releasing, moving the image, and then re-engaging has a different result than if I was able to use the tool for the entire image at once.  As I said before, I could zoom out, which would probably actually work here, but for something a lot more refined, this isn't going to work.   

[Gabe]

Hi @Eric5, 

I'm afraid you cannot pan while using the refine brush. You can only zoom in/out. You can "trick" it by zooming out ( CTRL + mwheel ), moving the cursor to the new area and zoom in. This will move the canvas toward the cursor. 

Thanks,

Gabe. 

[Eric5]

Thanks, Gabe. Next time I'm in Affinity, I'll give that tip a try. It's not a make or break feature anyway, just wondered if there was any other way than suggested. Coming from Photoshop, I don't think it had the capability either.

[R C-R]

21 hours ago, Eric5 said:

Releasing, moving the image, and then re-engaging has a different result than if I was able to use the tool for the entire image at once. 

At least for me, the refine selection brush tools usually work best if I avoid painting over too large a part of the image at once. Instead, much like in the video tutorial, I zoom in on the specific areas that need refinement, adjust the brush size appropriately, & work on each of those areas individually.

If I use a large brush & paint over large areas it takes much longer for the refinement to complete & it rarely if ever tightens the selection around fine details like hair anyway.

As always, your mileage may vary.