Apple Motion 4 - Manual (Page 299)

• Holding down the Command key, press the Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down
Arrow key to reposition the selected objects one pixel at a time.
• Holding down the Command and Shift keys, press the Right Arrow key or the Left Arrow
key to reposition the selection ten pixels at a time.
Tip: When repositioning very small objects, zoom into the Canvas to get a better view.
For information on zooming in the Canvas, see
Canvas Zoom Level .
Note: If you press the Up Arrow key or the Down Arrow key while working in the Canvas
(without holding down the Command key or Command-Shift key combination), the
selection is applied to the next object up or down in the Layers tab.
Using Canvas Compositional Aids
When you’re arranging objects directly in the Canvas, take advantage of various
compositional aids to help you. For example, if you are working on a piece for broadcast
or film, turn on the safe zones in the Canvas to avoid putting objects past the title-safe
or action-safe boundaries. A grid and rulers can also be enabled to provide a useful
reference, and Dynamic Guides can be turned on to help you align objects with more
precision than by simply looking at them.
Furthermore, snapping can be turned on and off to help you position objects relative
to the center and edges of the Canvas, either with or without the other guides enabled.
Note: Press Command while you manipulate an object to temporarily disable snapping,
allowing the object to move freely.
For more information about enabling various Canvas options to help you lay out your
composition, see
Canvas Rulers .
To duplicate an object
Do one of the following:
µ
Select the object you want to duplicate, then Option-drag the object.
µ
Option-click the object, then choose Duplicate from the shortcut menu.
299 Chapter 7 Basic Compositing