Feature Reference

This page lists the main user-facing features in PixMold UI Crafter.

It is a broad reference, not a step-by-step tutorial. Use it when you want to understand what a tab, option, effect, or workflow is meant to do. Some advanced features are only described briefly and may receive dedicated pages later.

PixMold is currently in beta. Some advanced workflows, labels, and documentation pages may evolve during the 0.9.x releases.

Workspace

The Workspace window is the central place for previewing, composing, rendering, and managing a PixMold project.

It is split into four tabs: Element, Preview, Render, and Project.

Element tab

Feature	Explanation
Draw element	draw the current element on the current sprite.
Colors	Open the theme manager window.
Theme	Lets you preview the element with the selected theme variation, including the All Variations mode.
Highlight	Adds a visible outline around the selected rendered item for editing clarity.
Canvas	Allows the preview background color to be customized independently from the rendered asset.
Zoom controls	Changes the scale of the preview without changing the real pixel size of the element.
States	Shows one state or multiple states depending on the selected state mode.
Canvas navigation	Supports middle mouse drag, Space + drag, and dragging empty canvas space.
Click selection	Clicking a rendered component can select the related element, state, or item when applicable.

Preview tab

Feature	Explanation
Draw to New Layer	Draws the current preview into a new layer in the active sprite, resizing the canvas if needed.
Draw to New Sprite	Creates a new sprite and draws the current preview into it.
Render All Previews	Draws every saved preview layout to build a presentation sheet.
One Layer per Preview	When rendering all previews, draws each preview as one merged layer instead of splitting every item.
Theme variation preview	Displays a selected theme variation or all variations with spacing between versions.
Preview templates	Saves composed UI layouts made from several elements, such as panels, inventories, menus, or HUD mockups.
Preview preset selector	Loads another saved preview layout from the current project.
Save / Save As / New / Delete	Manages preview layouts directly from the Workspace.
Layout item table	Lists the items used by the current preview layout.
Layout item editor	Edits the selected layout item position, size, source element, state, type, and slice settings.
Copy layout item	Duplicates the selected preview item so similar entries can be adjusted quickly.
Drag editing	Allows layout items to be moved and resized directly on the preview canvas.
Background item	Adds a simple background block to the composed preview.
Header item	Adds a header-style layout item for title bars or top sections.
Texture item	Uses a rendered element as a repeated or placed texture-style layout part.
Grid item	Arranges repeated slots or components in a grid.
9-slice item	Resizes an element while preserving its corners and borders.
Horizontal 3-slice item	Resizes a horizontal component while preserving left and right ends.
Vertical 3-slice item	Resizes a vertical component while preserving top and bottom ends.
Slice editor	Opens a small editor with draggable left, top, right, and bottom slice guides.

Render tab

Feature	Explanation
Sprite-sheet render	Renders selected elements and states into a packed output view.
Draw to New Layer	Draws the render output into a new layer in the active sprite.
Draw to New Sprite	Creates a new sprite for the render output.
Include Slices	Adds Aseprite slices to the generated sprite when slice data is available.
Theme variation render	Renders the selected theme variation or every variation.
Same Layout	Keeps the same arrangement for each color variation so comparisons line up visually.
Shelf Packing	Packs output items in rows.
MaxRects Packing	Packs output items more tightly in a rectangle-based layout.
Custom Packing	Lets the user manually drag items in the render layout.
Custom base arrangement	Switching to Custom starts from the current automatic arrangement.
Gap control	Adds spacing between rendered items.
Max width / height controls	Constrains packed output size.
State arrangement	Controls how element states are grouped or ordered in the output.
Color index update	Adds used colors to the Aseprite indexed palette when drawing.

Project tab

Feature	Explanation
Save project	Saves the current elements, states, layers, effects, colors, previews, templates, resources, and settings.
Close project	Closes the active project while keeping the current editable data until it is replaced or cleared.
New project	Clears the current PixMold data and starts from an empty workspace.
Load project	Opens an existing PixMold project from disk.
Import project	Imports data from another project without replacing the current project.
Load Template	Opens the built-in starter template chooser.
Manage Resources	Lists loaded resources grouped by category and allows resources to be removed.
Save current preview with project	Optionally saves unsaved preview layout edits before saving the project.
Project directory	Stores the base directory used for managed project files.
Table theme	Controls the light/dark visual theme used by PixMold custom tables.
Delete confirmation preferences	Lets destructive actions skip confirmation when the user explicitly enables that behavior.
Window layouts	Saves and reloads PixMold window positions for different editing setups.

Structure

The Structure window controls the project hierarchy.

It is where folders, elements, states, and layers are created, selected, organized, duplicated, and prepared for rendering.

Feature	Explanation
+ Element	Adds a new reusable UI component.
Element copy	Duplicates an existing element with its states, layers, effects, and linked color roles.
- Element	Removes an element after confirmation unless the project preference disables confirmation.
Element rename	Changes the display name used in tables, previews, and exports.
Element render toggle	Marks whether an element should be included in render workflows. Use this to render only the elements you actually need.
Folders menu	(right click) Manage folders.
Folder render toggle	Allows a folder to be included or excluded from render workflows.
Move into folder	Moves an element into a chosen folder from the context menu.
Remove from folder	Moves an element back to the root element list.
+ State	Adds a new visual state to the selected element.
State copy	Duplicates a state so variants can be edited from a working base.
State rename	Names states such as Normal, Hover, Pressed, Disabled, or Selected.
+ Layer	Adds a new construction layer to the selected state.
Layer copy	Duplicates a layer and its settings.
- Layer	Removes a layer after confirmation unless disabled in project preferences.
Layer rename	Gives a layer a meaningful editing name.
Layer visibility	Toggles whether a layer is visible in the rendered element.
Layer up / down	Changes stacking order while preserving effect-channel behavior.
Channel badge	Shows the effect channel number directly in the layer row.

Layer Settings

Layer Settings edits the selected layer.

A layer can define geometry, use a source, act as a mask, or act as an effect pass for other layers.

Geometry and source

Feature	Explanation
Width and height	Defines the layer geometry size.
Offset X and Y	Moves the layer inside the element.
Opacity	Controls the layer alpha contribution.
Blending	Controls how the layer blends with layers below it.
Shape: Rectangle	Uses rectangular geometry as the layer base.
Shape: Circle	Uses circular geometry as the layer base.
Shape: shape from layer	Uses the alpha of an Aseprite layer as a shape source. This is still experimental.
Shape: image from layer	Uses a source layer image as rendered pixel content.
Mask layer	Makes the layer act as a transparency-aware mask.
Hidden size layer	Allows a hidden normal layer to reserve output size.
Mask size behavior	Mask layers are ignored for element-size computation.

Layer behavior

Feature	Explanation
Effect Layer	Makes a layer apply effects to other layers instead of rendering as a normal visible layer.
Effect Channel	Routes effect layers to matching normal layers. Channels 1-5 can target specific groups.
All Channel	Allows an effect layer to apply independently across all effect channels.
Fixed Bounds	Clips output to the layer geometry and can reserve a fixed output footprint. This is useful for glows, shadows, and states that must keep the same size.
Effect visibility	Allows individual effects on a layer to be temporarily disabled.
Active-effect table	Shows enabled effects and their color swatches when applicable.
Color swatch editing	Opens the custom color picker for color-owning effect parameters.

Effects

Effects are rendering operations added to layers.

Several effects can be combined on the same layer to create panels, buttons, materials, outlines, state variations, decorations, and preview assets.

Shape effects

Feature	Explanation
Filled Shape	Fills the layer geometry with the layer color or linked theme color.
Outline Shape	Draws only the shape outline instead of filling the inside.
Text - Bitmap	Draws quick placeholder text from an experimental bitmap font. For production text, use Aseprite text layers and Shape from Layer when possible.
Mask effect	Uses the layer as a masking pass.
Corner Radius	Rounds rectangle corners with per-corner controls.
Flat Corner	Cuts rectangle corners with per-corner controls.
Border	Draws border pixels around the geometry.

Light and volume effects

Feature	Explanation
Bevel	Adds a shaded edge to the layer shape.
Perspective	Adds an extrusion effect based on angle, size, and offset.
Drop Shadow	Adds an external shadow offset from the layer shape.
Inner Light	Adds light shading inside the layer.
Inner Shadow	Adds darker shading inside the layer.
Neon Glow	Adds experimental inside and outside glow with color, size, strength, and sharpness controls.
Gradient	Applies a color gradient over the layer result.

Noise and texture effects

Feature	Explanation
Simple Noise	Adds basic pixel noise.
Vein Noise	Adds vein-like procedural texture.
Wood Noise	Adds wood-ring style procedural texture.
Cloud Noise	Adds soft cloudy variation.
Perlin Noise	Adds procedural bands and fields.
Voronoi Noise	Adds cell-like procedural shapes.

Transform and filter effects

Feature	Explanation
Luminosity / Contrast	Adjusts brightness and contrast on the rendered layer result.
Rotation	Rotates the layer result.
Mirror	Adds mirrored copies or symmetrical output depending on the settings.
Arc Transform	Bends the result into an arc shape.
Smoothing	Softens harsh pixel contours.
Contour Smoothing	Smooths contour transitions while trying to preserve pixel-art readability.

Decoration effects

Feature	Explanation
Border Motif	Places a motif around a border.
Border Array	Repeats another element or state along a border.

Color and Theme Tools

PixMold separates direct colors, named colors, preview colors, and theme variations so a project can be recolored without rebuilding every element.

Feature	Explanation
Preview Colors window	Lists colors used in the current preview.
Collapsible usage rows	Shows where each color is used without making the color list too wide.
Usage click selection	Selecting a usage jumps to the related element and layer.
Edit matching colors	Applies a color change to matching usages when requested.
Cancel color changes	Restores colors to the snapshot taken when the color window opened.
Add to index	Adds every preview color to the active Aseprite indexed palette.
Named colors	Lets project colors have names such as Fill, Text, Highlight, or Shadow.
Named color links	Allows effects and layers to stay linked to a named color across theme variations.
Theme variations	Stores alternate color values for the same named color roles.
All Variations	Displays or renders every theme variation together.
Custom color picker	Provides a hue bar, saturation/value triangle, alpha slider, and scheme suggestions.
Theme color picker mode	Shows project theme colors inside the custom color picker.
Named-color dropdown	Selects a named color role instead of a raw color value.
Color schemes	Suggests complementary, split complementary, analogous, triadic, tetradic, and square palettes.
Color names in picker	Displays named color labels under swatches when available.

Projects, Templates, and Resources

PixMold projects store editable data and project assets separately from normal Aseprite documents.

Feature	Explanation
Managed project folder	Keeps project JSON, config data, resources, and assets together.
Project save/load	Restores elements, states, layers, effects, color themes, preview layouts, templates, resources, and window layouts.
Project import	Imports data from another project into the current one. Duplicate names are renamed instead of replacing existing content.
Built-in starter templates	Loads bundled starter projects from the Project tab.
Element templates	Stores reusable element structures.
Layer style presets	Stores effect and layer settings that can be applied later.
Noise presets	Saves reusable procedural noise setups.
Preview templates	Saves composed preview layouts.
Window layouts	Saves PixMold window positions and sizes.
Project source assets	Captures source-layer assets used by the project.
Manage Resources	Lists loaded project resources grouped by category.
Resource delete	Removes a resource from the project after confirmation.
Delete confirmations	Adds confirmation prompts for destructive actions.
Remember my choice	Allows a delete confirmation preference to be saved.
Extension preferences	Persists directory and confirmation choices when PixMold runs as an installed extension.

Export and Aseprite Integration

PixMold renders into Aseprite sprites, layers, slices, and palettes while keeping the source project editable.

Feature	Explanation
Draw to Active Layer	Draws the current element, preview, or render output into the active layer when supported by the workflow.
Draw to New Layer	Creates or uses a new layer for the rendered output.
Draw to New Sprite	Creates a new Aseprite sprite and draws the output there.
Canvas resize on draw	Expands the target canvas when the output is larger than the current sprite.
Aseprite slices	Adds slice metadata when slice export is enabled.
Indexed color support	Adds used colors to the active indexed palette when drawing.
Source layer dependency	Shape-from-layer and image-from-layer features read from the currently available source sprite/layers.
No-document workflow	Some draw-to-new-sprite workflows can create output even when PixMold was opened without an existing sprite document.