Click and drag selection?

[EShallbetter]

Hi Everyone,

 

I did a search and didn't find what I was looking for so I apologize if this has been covered.

 

I just started using Autocad at work coming over from Autosketch. I have a large part drawing with some very small hole details running along one edge. I am trying to drag a window around the entire group of details so that I can move them all at once.

 

The problem is, I zoom in (with the mouse scoll on all zooms) to start my window around the first object, then zoom out to pan over and zoom in on the last object. When I zoom in to drag my window precisely around the last object, all the other geometry in that window does not get selected! It is only selecting what is on the screen at that time, rather than everything in the window.

 

It is extremely frusturating, as I have never used any software that functioned this way before. Is there some option or setting I need to configure? Please help!

 

Thanks for any help in advance!

 

Erik Shallbetter

[Dana W]

Set these system variables to ...

FILEDIA = 1, PICKFIRST = 1, PICKADD = 1

 

Credit goes to CAD64's signature line.:wink:

 

F1 (Help) the variables to see what they do. PICKADD is the one messing you up with the select right now. With PICKADD set to zero, you have to hold down the shift key to ADDitionally select.

 

As well, since you are new to AutoCAD, the select boxes work as follows. If you do a Left to Right box, only those objects FULLY enclosed in the box get selected. If you do a Right to Left box, any object with any part of it in the box gets selected.

 

A good move would be to do a Zoom Window first to include all the objects to be selected, and then your select box.

[EShallbetter]

Hey Dana! Thanks for the info! Perhaps I should explain a little further. I have set pickadd=1. This allows me to select multiple geometries without needing to hold down the shift key. This works as it should.

 

My problem is I am zooming in and starting a window around my geometry on the left side of my part, then zooming over to geometry on the right side of my part to select the endpoint of my selection window. When I do this, the start point of my window, and several of the geometries go off screen. Anything that is off screen when I close my drag selection window does not get selected, it is only selecting what is visible on the screen and inside the box. I have tried using a window drag and a crossing drag with the same luck, if it is not on the screen, it does not get selected, regardless of where I place the startpoint of the selection box.

 

Any other ideas? Thanks again!

[RobDraw]

As far as I know this is normal behavior for AutoCAD.

[Dana W]

:lol:I wish I had not said what was here.

[Dana W]

As far as I know this is normal behavior for AutoCAD.

 

Depends on what your definition of normal is.

 

Ya know, I think you are right.

[Dana W]

I shot myself in the foot by reading too fast and not understanding.

 

I didn't realize you were using a continuous select window. You are going to have to use multiple windows. The stuff will just go away if one side of the window goes off screen.

 

Unfortunately it is normal.

 

(Watch, some 20 year CAD dude is gonna walk in here and show us how to make it keep 'em.)

[edwinprakoso]

Have you tried to type SELECT then [enter]? This will activate selection mode, and should keep the selection when your objects are off screen.

This is a list how you can select your objects: 10+ Ways to Use AutoCAD Object Selection

[kencaz]

As far as I know this is normal behavior for AutoCAD.

 

I thought that as well, Rob and never really thought about it because I never had attempted to pan offscreen during window selection.

 

I tried a number of way's from the link that Edwin, (thanks for that), had posted and found that "Crossing Polygon Selection" (CP) DID work.

 

KC