Selecting objects before a command is no longer working

Hello.

I'm not sure what I did to my AutoCAD 2000i, but now if I want for example explode an object, I must first click on explode icon and then select the objects I want.

If I first select the objects and then click explode button, it clears the selection and asks to select the objects again.

Any ideas how to fix this?

Thank you.

Found this:

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Entering-a-command-in-AutoCAD-clears-the-selection-set.html

Solution:

 

To resolve this problem, set the PICKFIRST system variable to 1.

 

The PICKFIRST system variable controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after (verb-noun) you issue a command.

 

1. Turns off PICKFIRST; you select objects after you issue a command.
   
2. Turns on PICKFIRST; you select objects before you issue a command.
   

The initial value is 1. The PICKFIRST value is saved in the registry, which means it affects all drawings.

Type OPTION, go to selection tab, and check "Noun/verb selection" if it is unchecked.

Thanks.

That option was checked. (it controls the PICKFIRST system variable)

I'm in process of starting over by reinstalling AutoCAD.

I would recommend trying a REPAIR first. Fast and easy.

What is your PICKADD variable set to?

Might it be 0, instead of 2?

For some reasone AutoCAD 2000i is very unstable on my W7 x64 system, very often I can't select anything, I click on an object and it want me do window select instead and then it doesn't select any objects at all after I drag the window over them, even if I zoom out and use window select on entire drawing it doesn't select any objects. REGEN REGENALL doesn't help, everything looks fine, but nothing can be selected. When that happens I have restart AutoCAD.

As of PICKADD, PICKFIRST and PICKAUTO variables, all of them were set to 1

:facepalm:When 2000i was released they had not even thought about the WIn 7 OS nor a 64 bit machine. I can understand why it's unstable. I am surprised it even installs.

You can try the following I found on another forum. I will not vouch for its correctness, but I have seen it done this way.

Information to help you load and run AutoCAD 2000 on your Windows 7 (64bit) system.

I had to upgrade from Windows 7 Home edition to Windows & professional ($90.00)

Then I downloaded Windows virtual PC and Windows XP Mode (free download). The Windows XP Mode runs in the background (in its own window). I loaded AutoCAD 2000 Architectural Desktop from my software CD. As I was doing this I had to go to the program compatibility (start-programs-accessories-program compatibility - pick 'from C D drive') I changed the compatibility to windows 98/ me.

I was glad to have found this so I don't have to spend $1000 to $5000 to upgrade AitoCAD.

I found what caused it:

QAFLAGS was set to 1

Set it to 0 and selection set before command is now accepted. Go figure...

I found what caused it:

QAFLAGS was set to 1

Set it to 0 and selection set before command is now accepted. Go figure...

Good detective work!

How did you figure that one out, as QAFLAGS isn't even listed in the SYSVDLG descriptions?

Glad you got it sorted out, and thanks for posting and sharing what you learned.

It happened again, so I traced it back to what I was doing and it turned out it was my routine that I've been working for several weeks. Sometimes it would give error and break before it restore all system variables that it changed.

Evidently setting bit 1 in QAFLAGS would allow select multiple objects and then explode them all at once within lisp routine, however it will cancel any selections when using explode manually.