# Is there a modifier key to constrain movement with the clone tool in LR?



## Bluebamboo (Jul 27, 2016)

Is there a modifier key to constrain movement with the clone tool?
Like constrain mouse movement to vertical/horizontal etc when holding down the shift or Alt key etc.
I'm on Windows LR 6.

Often I need to clone out words precisely, they are obviously typed along a line so being able to constrain the movement to horizontal in that situation would be a huge help to quickly and neatly clone.

I've used a similar thing in Illustrator or Photoshop, can't remember which, I'm hoping LR also has that feature.


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## Victoria Bampton (Jul 27, 2016)

Shift-drag should do the trick.


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## Bluebamboo (Jul 27, 2016)

Victoria Bampton said:


> Shift-drag should do the trick.


YESSSSSS!
Thanks Victoria, that's perfect, could have sworn I tried that


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## Bluebamboo (Jul 27, 2016)

Victoria could you perhaps help me with another challenge  I'm having with the Crop module.
Holding down Alt should pull the crop area from the center but when I try that it pulls from the corner as normal, what could I be doing wrong?


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## Rob_Cullen (Jul 28, 2016)

[ALT] does lock the centre of the crop frame to its current position on my Windows 10 system.

Note also that without a modifier key, dragging on any corner or side 'marker' the opposite 'marker' is locked to its position. eg. Drag the lower-right corner and the top-left corner is locked. Drag the right-edge, and the left-edge is locked.

Click and drag inside the frame moves the whole image left/right. Click and drag outside the frame rotates the image.


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## Bluebamboo (Jul 28, 2016)

I'm using a Logitec Wave keyboard, maybe its not sending the ALT key through as it should do, I have a feeling that may be the issue as it definitely isn't pulling from the center with the Alt key pressed.


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## RikkFlohr (Jul 28, 2016)

In addition to Shift Drag, you should be able to Click, release, move and Shift Click to draw a line between two points.


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## Hal P Anderson (Jul 28, 2016)

What happens if you use the _other_ Alt key? Also are you running the latest driver for your keyboard?


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## Johan Elzenga (Jul 28, 2016)

RikkFlohr said:


> In addition to Shift Drag, you should be able to Click, release, move and Shift Click to draw a line between two points.



Yep. And that will also draw a straight line between two points that are *not* exactly horizontal or vertical.


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## Bluebamboo (Jul 31, 2016)

Hal P Anderson said:


> What happens if you use the _other_ Alt key? Also are you running the latest driver for your keyboard?


I have tried both, I'll try on my laptop when I get a chance, I think it is the keyboard though I haven't had any other issues using Alt in other applications or OS related.


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## Bluebamboo (Sep 2, 2016)

I've tried on my Laptop, also Win 10 64bit and the Alt key works as expected but as with my desktop it doesn't help when holding down Alt to pull the crop area from the center.

What is the exact technique hold down alt and then drag?


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