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=4 User Notes=

==4.1 Basic Concepts==[SEC1]

mtPixy is an image editing program for pixel art, palettes, and photos.  It is designed for use on a traditional desktop PC using a keyboard and a mouse.


==4.2 Running mtPixy for the first time==[SEC2]

When you run mtPixy for the first time you should take the time to customize
the preferences to suit your own way of working.  Once you do this the
preferences are stored in you home directory, such as /home/mark/.config/mtpixy-qt5/prefs.txt


===4.2.1 Program Preferences===[SEC21]

Whenever you change the size and position of the main window these details are recalled for next time you use them.  These preferences are usually stored in the file ~/.config/mtpixy-qt5/prefs.txt - However this can be changed on startup by using:

```
mtpixy-qt5 -prefs ~/.config/mtpixy/prefs_profile_A.txt
```

This is a useful way of having different profiles for different jobs, such as using a different font or having different recently used files in the **File** menu.




==4.3 User Interface==[SEC3]

===4.3.1 Menu Bar===[SEC31]

The menu bar contains many useful functions, with some having keyboard shortcuts next to them to speed up usage.


===4.3.2 Tool Bar===[SEC32]

Different tools can be selected on the first half of the toolbar.

The second half of the toolbar contains brush information such as colour, shape, pattern and settings.  Click on the button to edit the colour, shape, pattern or settings.

The tool bar can be detached from the main window and floated if the user prefers it.  It can also be docked at the top, the bottom or either side of the main window.


===4.3.3 Palette Dock===[SEC33]

Left click on one of the colours to change the brush colour A.  Right click to change colour B.  Doing this will change the brush preview on the toolbar.  Holding the CTRL key and left clicking will protect this colour on the canvas from being over-painted. An 'X' is used at the centre of the swatch to display this.

To move a colour from one index to another, hold the shift key, then click and drag the colour around.

The palette can be detached from the main window and floated if the user prefers it.  It can also be docked at the top, the bottom or either side of the main window.

Palette keyboard shortcuts are as follows:

| [  | Change colour A to one less than the current. |
| ]  | Change colour A to one more than the current. |
| Ctrl + [  | Change colour B to one less than the current. |
| Ctrl + ]  | Change colour B to one more than the current. |


===4.3.4 Status Bar===[SEC34]

The status bar is useful for communicating several pieces of information:

- Image geometry.
- Zoom for main and split canvas areas.
- Cursor pixel position and colour.
- Undo and redo steps.


===4.3.5 Main Canvas===[SEC35]

Left click the mouse over the main canvas to commit the brush action.

To select a colour from the canvas hold the Ctrl key and left or right click for colour A or B.

Canvas keyboard shortcuts are as follows:

| Arrows  | Move the mouse cursor by one pixel. |
| Shift + Arrows  | Move the mouse cursor by more than one pixel. The setting is stored in the preferences as cursor.nudge.pixels |


==4.4 The Clipboard==[SEC4]

In order to place an image on the clipboard you must:

- Select an area of the current image using the "Select Rectangle" or "Select Polygon" tools.
- Press Ctrl+C to store, and then Ctrl+V or Ctrl+K to paste this clipboard on the image.
- While pasting you can drag the paste with the left mouse button and commit the paste action with the right button (while dragging if so desired).


If you wish to keep several images handy for later use you can use Ctrl+F1 (to F12) to save this clipboard to a temporary file, and then Shift+F1 (to F12) to retrieve it.  This file is typically stored here:

~/.cache/libmtpixy/

This system also allows you to share clipboards between different mtPixy instances as they will all access the same temporary files.

You cannot place an indexed clipboard image onto an RGB canvas or vice versa.




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