The Shift Readings option allows the user to change the relative positions of a set of neighbouring readings starting at a selected reading. Hence it can be used to change the alignment of readings within a contig. It prompts for the number of the first reading to shift and then the relative distance to move by. A negative shift will move the readings leftwards.
The reading and all its rightward neighbours are moved by the requested distance. Tags on the readings and the consensus are moved accordingly. The command also automatically updates then length of the contig.