Nudge Settings

Nudge settings control how far selected elements move when you press arrow keys. Azyrom provides two customizable nudge values: small nudge (arrow keys) and big nudge (Shift+arrow keys). These values persist across sessions and can be tailored to your design workflow.

What Are Nudge Values?

Nudging allows you to move selected elements pixel-by-pixel using keyboard arrows:

• Small Nudge - Default 1px - Activated by pressing arrow keys (↑ ↓ ← →)
• Big Nudge - Default 10px - Activated by pressing Shift+arrow keys

These values are fully customizable to match your design system, grid, or personal preference.

Accessing Nudge Settings

Via Command Palette (Primary Method)

1. Press ⌘K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux) to open Command Palette
2. Search for "nudge", "arrow", "move", or "pixels"
3. Select Nudge Amount... from the Preferences category
4. The Nudge Settings dialog will appear

Configuring Nudge Values

Setting Custom Values

In the Nudge Settings dialog:

1. Small Nudge (Arrow keys):
   • Enter value between 0.1 and 100 pixels
   • This controls arrow key nudging
   • Default: 1.0 px
2. Big Nudge (Shift + Arrow keys):
   • Enter value between 1.0 and 500 pixels
   • This controls Shift+arrow nudging
   • Default: 10.0 px
3. Click Save to apply changes
4. Click Cancel to discard changes

Validation & Limits

Azyrom enforces sensible limits on nudge values:

Setting	Minimum	Maximum	Default
Small Nudge	0.1 px	100 px	1.0 px
Big Nudge	1.0 px	500 px	10.0 px

If you enter values outside these ranges, Azyrom will automatically clamp them to the nearest valid value.

Common Nudge Value Presets

UI Design (8px Grid System)

• Small Nudge: 8px
• Big Nudge: 16px or 32px
• Use Case: Designing interfaces with 8-point spacing system

Icon Design (Sub-pixel Precision)

• Small Nudge: 0.5px
• Big Nudge: 1px or 2px
• Use Case: Fine-tuning vector paths in icons

Web Design (4px Baseline Grid)

• Small Nudge: 4px
• Big Nudge: 32px
• Use Case: Aligning to vertical rhythm and spacing scales

Prototyping (Large Movements)

• Small Nudge: 5px
• Big Nudge: 50px or 100px
• Use Case: Quickly positioning elements in wireframes

Print Design (Point-based)

• Small Nudge: 1px (≈0.75pt)
• Big Nudge: 12px (≈9pt)
• Use Case: Traditional print layouts

How Nudging Works

When Elements Are Selected

Arrow keys move selected elements by the configured nudge amount:

• Press ↑ - Move up by small nudge amount
• Press ↓ - Move down by small nudge amount
• Press ← - Move left by small nudge amount
• Press → - Move right by small nudge amount
• Add Shift - Use big nudge amount instead

When Nothing Is Selected

Arrow keys pan the canvas view instead:

• Arrow keys - Pan by 10px
• Shift+arrow keys - Pan by 100px
• Canvas panning does not use custom nudge values

Persistence

Your nudge settings are:

• Saved automatically when you click Save
• Stored locally in your system preferences
• Restored on launch every time you open Azyrom
• Global across all documents - not per-file

Workflow Integration

Design System Workflows

Match your nudge values to your design system:

• If using 8px spacing tokens, set nudges to 8px/16px
• If using 4px baseline grid, set to 4px/32px
• Ensures elements snap to grid without manual calculation

Precision Work

For detailed vector editing:

• Set small nudge to 0.5px or 0.25px
• Enables micro-adjustments for perfect alignment
• Useful for icon design and logo work

Rapid Prototyping

For quick layout exploration:

• Set large nudge values (25px, 50px, 100px)
• Quickly reposition elements without dragging
• Speed up low-fidelity wireframing

Tips and Best Practices

• Match Your Grid - Set nudge values to match your layout grid for automatic snapping
• Use Multiples - Big nudge should be a multiple of small nudge for consistency
• Start Conservative - Begin with default values and adjust as needed
• Document Your Values - Share nudge settings with your team for consistency
• Test Different Workflows - Different project types benefit from different values

Troubleshooting

Arrow Keys Aren't Moving Elements

Possible causes:

• Nothing is selected - Arrow keys pan the canvas when no selection exists
• Layer is locked - Unlock the layer in the Layers Panel
• Text is being edited - Press Esc to exit text editing mode

Nudge Value Isn't Changing

Check these items:

• Clicked Save button in dialog (not Cancel)
• Value is within valid range (0.1-100 for small, 1-500 for big)
• Entered a valid number (not text or symbols)

Reset to Defaults

To restore default nudge values:

1. Open Nudge Settings dialog (Command Palette → "nudge")
2. Enter 1 for small nudge
3. Enter 10 for big nudge
4. Click Save

Keyboard Shortcuts

• ↑ ↓ ← → - Nudge selected elements (small)
• Shift + Arrow - Nudge selected elements (big)
• ⌘K / Ctrl+K - Open Command Palette to access settings

Related Features

• Creating Your First Design - Basic nudging tutorial
• Keyboard Shortcuts Reference - Complete shortcuts list
• Canvas Navigation - Moving around your canvas
• Workspace Presets - Other customizable preferences