Acurate selection using zoom

Looks like Rob's approach will be the best work-around me in most cases. Select approximately the qty needed in wide shot, then zoom in and add/delete to fine tune. Just seems like an unnecessary step and it doesn't solve the problem when more complex selection is needed.

Thx

Apparently you failed to read post #17 or you were unable to follow what I did. Bottom line: You can do it using the aerial viewer. You should also use the settings I posted as well for PICKFIRST, etc.

Actually, there's not an easy solution, Autodesk Knowledge Base --> Objects are lost from selection set

It seems that there is an easy solution that depends on technique of selecting.

Knowledge Base

Objects are lost from selection set

Issue

You started to create a selection set of objects using a window or crossing selection, and then you panned or zoomed to select more objects. Objects that were no longer displayed on the screen were dropped from the selection set.

Solution

To prevent objects from disappearing from the selection set, you should complete your selection of objects in view before you pan or zoom to a different part of the drawing.

"To prevent objects from disappearing from the selection set, you should complete your selection of objects in view before you pan or zoom to a different part of the drawing."

That was basically proven in the test I conducted and referenced earlier. I think the OP is just choosing to ignore my advice.

That's not exactly and "easy" solution if there are a lot of objects in a very busy drawing. In OP's particular situation, it "could" literally require all 100 objects to be selected/windowed individually. As I mentioned earlier, QuickSelect allows for filtering of individual objects within a broader selection set.

(If anyone thinks the "100" comment is an exageration, I'll gladly post a drawing with a series of objects that cannot be selected without either picking them individually, or windowing them individually.)

Now I think you are just going out of your way to make a point. The solution for the OP is as easy as stated by eldon and backed up by my real world test. Now if the OP has 100 objects scattered hither and yon then I might agree with you but he doesn't.

You could use the filter function, apply the appropriate settings and select all, then apply.

Or have I missed the point?

We all know that AutoCAD has a wide variety of ways to select objects. So many that the user usually has a choice for any given situation. Those situations can come in an infinite variety of flavors. Just because someone chooses one method over another does not mean they are ignoring a particular option, it may be because it requires a lot of work compared to others for the given situation. Personally, if my solution worked, I don't see why rkent's didn't. That would be the quickest. Requiring the fewest, clicks.

Now I think you are just going out of your way to make a point. The solution for the OP is as easy as stated by eldon and backed up by my real world test. Now if the OP has 100 objects scattered hither and yon then I might agree with you but he doesn't.

I'm making a point because I don't believe there's anything "easy" about using the methods described by you or eldon, (or in the Autodesk link I provided) to solve the OP's problem.

Here's a drawing (2000 format) with just 10 steel columns and nothing else. How would you all select just the I-beams to change their color or layer?

Filtering... yes, and I already suggested using Quick Select in my first reply. Windowing/Zooming/DSViewer..... someone is going to have to demonstrate those to me because I doubt those would be efficient techniques in this drawing, much less a drawing with 100 columns.

Columns.dwg

I think you misunderstood the OP.

If I have a long column (100) of blocks on, say, 1" centers.

My interpretation was that there are 100 blocks in one column or am I misunderstanding it?

That ^ ^ ^ was my interpretation too.

I think nestly has purposely muddied the waters. But I digress.

It's all up to the OP and the particular situation he is dealing with. If another way works better than using aerial view then by all means use it.

I think you misunderstood the OP.

 

My interpretation was that there are 100 blocks in one column or am I misunderstanding it?

No, I think you're correct, but isn't the problem still the same? ie zooming in tight enough to accurately define both ends of the selection window may result in some of the windowed objects being dropped from the selection set.

I've defended this behavior in the past as a good feature because of the danger of of unintentionally selecting objects the user can't "see". My issue is the suggestion there's an easy solution, and I posted an overly simple example of a condition I often encounter.

Here's a drawing (2000 format) with just 10 steel columns and nothing else. How would you all select just the I-beams to change their color or layer?

Send it back to the person that drew it and tell them to use proper layers.

No, I think you're correct, but isn't the problem still the same? ie zooming in tight enough to accurately define the selection window may result in some of the windowed objects being dropped from the selection set.

The solution is to avoid panning or zooming your selection window off the screen.

To paraphrase rkent. Start tight and end loose.

The solution is to avoid panning or zooming your selection window off the screen.

 

To paraphrase rkent. start tight and end loose.

And how does that work in my example? Tight zooming is required at both ends to create a selection window that only includes the "I-beams"

It doesn't. This is about the OP. BTW, your example is invalid. I stand by my original response.

Send it back to the person that drew it and tell them to use proper layers.

Seriously? Ok, assume that the base plates, holes, top plate, and columns are all on their OWN LAYER. What method would be used (as applicable to this topic) to select all the I-beams to adjust their position on the baseplate?

It doesn't. This is about the OP. BTW, your example is invalid. I stand by my original response.

Are you saying the OP's problem is not that windowed objects are dropped from the selection set when zoomed/panned off screen? Because that's EXACTLY what my sample drawing is intended to demonstrate. The fact that the sample drawing isn't an exact replica of the OP's is irrelevant to the problem.

Quoting the OP for clarity.

Looks like Rob's approach will be the best work-around me in most cases. Select approximately the qty needed in wide shot, then zoom in and add/delete to fine tune. Just seems like an unnecessary step and it doesn't solve the problem when more complex selection is needed.

*** bolded for emphasis as it's particurally relevant to whether the issue has been sufficiently resolved.

Seriously? Ok, assume that the base plates, holes, top plate, and columns are all on their OWN LAYER. What method would be used (as applicable to this topic) to select all the I-beams to adjust their position on the baseplate?

Yeah, seriously. Standards need to be followed and if someone gave me that drawing, I would tell them to fix it. If they did not know how, I would teach them.

In response to your example, I would not use a fence selection per the OP or window. See post #28.

Maybe the problem was that the OP was using AutoCAD in a way not foreseen by the creators and was wondering why it was not working as desired.

This was said in reference to the drawing attached to post #29: "Ok, assume that the base plates, holes, top plate, and columns are all on their OWN LAYER. What method would be used (as applicable to this topic) to select all the I-beams to adjust their position on the baseplate?"

It can be done using aerial view (.DSVIEWER). One just has to become familiar with the procedure. I was able to do it using AutoCAD 2014.