Selecting Objects

If you read the previous chapter, you know that you can select objects by clicking them or by clicking a blank area to start a selection window. Once you have objects selected in this way, you can use grips to make changes to your selection.

But you can also select objects in another way. Most of the tools in the 2D Draw control panel or Modify menu present the Select objects: prompt. When you see this prompt, you can use the methods shown in Chapter 4 plus some additional options that give you more flexibility in selecting objects.

When you see the Select objects: prompt, you can use any of the options in the following list to refine your selection. For example, if you enter all↲ at the Select objects: prompt, the entire contents of a drawing are selected. Or if you enter p↲, the previous set of objects you edited is reselected. After you make a selection, the Select objects: prompt returns, allowing you to continue to select objects. To indicate that you've finished selecting objects, press ↲.

When single clicks or selection windows aren't powerful enough, you can use these section options. Some tools in the 2D Draw control panel require only that you select a single object, so these options do not apply to them.

All [all↲] Selects all the objects in a drawing except those in frozen or locked layers. (See Chapter 7 for information about layers.)

Crossing [c↲] Similar to the Window option (see the "Window" entry later in this list) but also selects anything that crosses through the window you define.

Crossing Polygon [cp↲] Lets you select an area by enclosing it with an irregularly shaped polygon boundary. Acts exactly like Window Polygon (see the "Window Polygon" entry later in this list) but, like the Select Crossing option, selects anything that crosses through a polygon boundary.

Fence [f↲] Selects objects that are crossed over by a temporary line called a fence. This operation is like crossing out the objects you want to select with a line. When you invoke this option, you can then select points as if you are drawing a series of line segments. When you finish drawing the fence, press ↲ to continue to select more objects using other selection options, or press ↲ twice to finish your selection.

Last [l↲] Selects the last object you entered.

Multiple [m↲] Lets you select several objects before AutoCAD highlights them. In a large file, selecting objects individually can cause AutoCAD to pause after each selection while it locates and highlights each object. The Multiple option can speed things up by letting you first select all the objects quickly and then highlight them all by pressing ↲. This option has no menu equivalent.

Previous [p↲] Selects the last object or set of objects that were selected in a previous operation.

Window [w↲] Forces a standard selection window. Once you enter w↲, you select two points to define a selection window. This option is useful when your drawing area is too crowded to use the autoselect feature to place a window around a set of objects. It prevents you from accidentally selecting an object with a single click when you are placing your window.

Window Polygon [wp↲] Lets you select objects by enclosing them in an irregularly shaped polygon boundary. When you use this option, you'll see the First polygon point: prompt. You can then select points to define the polygon boundary. As you select points, the Specify endpoint of line or [Undo]: prompt appears. Select as many points as you need in order to define the boundary. You can undo boundary-line segments as you go by pressing the U key. With the boundary defined, press ↲. The bounded objects are highlighted, and the Select object: prompt returns, allowing you to use more selection options.