object select problem

I keep running into this issue and I can seem to resolve it.

I have a rather large, detailed drawing that I'm trying to clean up. It's a site plan for a subdivision and I'm breaking out the individual lots so I can get them ready to make individual plot plans.

Typically, I'll offset the property lines 5.0m in all directions and trim everything around the offset section. The rest of the data can then be erased and this is where my problem begins...

Because the drawing is so large, I'll zoom extents, select a point to start a selection window up in the top right of the screen, and then I'll wheel mouse (zoom in) to a point near the trim lines I just made and select the second point of my selection window. Then I hit the delete button to erase everything within the selection window - HOWEVER, the only data that erases is what was in view when I selected the second window point. Everything else is still there when it shouldn't be.

I've read a few forums about this issue and most of them say that it's built into autocad as a safety mechanism. I don't agree with this because it use to work fine until recently. To check if this is in fact the design intent - I performed a quick test; if I zoom into a fraction of the drawing so I only see a couple of details, hit the CTRL+A or "select all" button, hit delete, then zoom out everything is erased - so the selection parameters can't be limited to the view limits.

Any idea how I can reset the selection window parameter to include the selected data that's off screen?

Thanks,

Shaun

This has been discussed in length on one thread, this is how AutoCADhas functioned. When you select by picking, fence, window, etc, they become unselected when they are out of the view. The "all" selection is different, objects can be outside window.

This has been discussed in length on one thread, this is how AutoCADhas functioned. When you select by picking, fence, window, etc, they become unselected when they are out of the view. The "all" selection is different, objects can be outside window.

CarlB, it just doesn't make sense to me that the "all" selection is immune to this issue. What's the parameter that allows "all" to be exempt? and why can't this parameter be applied to the window, fence, etc... options?

I'm almost certain that I found a thread that resolved this issue back in 2004 or 2005, but I can't seem to find it. I've been Googling for hours.

- Shaun

Here's a thread with same conclusion. "all" is the only method. I think, that doesn't require user to draw cursor over the object.

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=30569

Here's a thread with same conclusion. "all" is the only method. I think, that doesn't require user to draw cursor over the object.

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=30569

There wasn't really a concussion in that thread. It was very ambiguous - just a whole lot of personal opinion which isn't helpful.

I'll scour the net some more and see if I can find anything that's more absolute.

-Shaun

Perhaps I don't understand the issue exactly, but could you select the items inside your .5m buffer and WBLOCK them out instead of deleting everything else?

Perhaps I don't understand the issue exactly, but could you select the items inside your .5m buffer and WBLOCK them out instead of deleting everything else?

chulse:

That's a way to get around the problem, but I'd rather not generate a wblock for each lot. I have an established method that works well for me.

My main issue is with the select tool omitting selected items when I pan or zoom off screen. It's very frustrating as it should remember what was selected.

-Shaun