I read a few pages and watched a few random tutorials but still massively struggling with basic actions, like.... moving a thing

I really need to modernize the tutorial set. Meanwhile, if you have questions/difficulties, just ask here.

Wel... basically nothing I try works. I used the device menu to create a pmos, and now I try to [c]opy, [m]ove or [d]elete it but just... nothing happens. I can paint additional layers, but middle clicking in an empty area does nothing. So basically... once I place a pmos nothing I do has any effect on them.

I'm surprised that middle clicking on the background does not erase---does typing "erase <layer_name>" work? To move a cell, select it with the "i" key ("instance") and then use "m" for move. To move paint, select the paint with "a" and move with "m". To move both paint and cells at the same time, unexpand the cells ("shift-X"), select everything with "a", and move with "m".

wow it works. does anything visually indicate something is an instance?

(1) it shows up as an outlined box when you unexpand, and (2) it shows up in "pale" colors.

thanks I'll play with that