• AutoCAD

Select objects in AutoCAD

Effortlessly select objects to edit and customize with a simple click and drag window.


00:03

In AutoCAD, you can select one or more objects.

00:07

This option is available whenever the program prompts you to select an object.

00:12

With a drawing open, and with objects already in place, from the ribbon, Home tab, Modify panel, select Erase.

00:21

Select a single object by clicking on it.

00:24

As soon as you do, the object highlights.

00:26

To deselect the option, from your keyboard, hold SHIFT and click the object again.

00:32

The object highlight turns off.

00:34

You can also select objects with a window selection or crossing window.

00:39

These types of selections make it quick and easy to select multiple objects at once that are close together in a drawing.

00:48

Choose a location in the drawing area away from a few objects you want to select.

00:53

Then, click and drag your cursor toward the right.

00:58

The rectangular window highlights blue, indicating a window selection.

01:03

With window selections, only the objects that are completely enclosed in the rectangle are selected.

01:09

Now, while you are still holding down the mouse button, move the cursor in the opposite direction.

01:15

This creates a crossing window that highlights in green.

01:19

Objects that are both enclosed in and crossed by the window are selected.

01:24

Click to specify an opposite corner to create the crossing window.

01:29

Once the selection is made, notice that the Command line displays the number of selected objects.

01:35

With the Erase command still active, make another crossing window.

01:39

This time, practice creating a crossing window that does not include any object fully.

01:45

The Command line updates with the additional selection count, displaying the number of objects from both selections.

01:51

Again, because these are both crossing windows,

01:54

the count includes objects that are both enclosed in and crossed by the border of the crossing window.

02:01

Create a window selection this time.

02:03

Include objects that are not fully within the window selection boundary.

02:08

Notice that the additional selection count does NOT include the objects not fully within the boundary.

02:14

The program also ignores any objects selected previously.

02:18

In this example, the command line displays that 2 objects were found and 1 was a duplicate.

02:23

Thus, the program only adds a single new selection to its count.

02:29

While you can easily create window selections or crossing windows by moving your cursor in specific directions from the initial point,

02:36

you can also override this behavior.

02:39

To create a crossing window,

02:40

no matter the direction you move your cursor,

02:44

before picking your first point, on your keyboard, press C and then ENTER.

02:48

Now, you can move your cursor in any direction to specify the second point and still create a crossing window.

02:56

To do this with a window selection, you would pick a first point and then press W and then ENTER.

03:02

Knowing the ins and outs of how AutoCAD handles object selection makes it easy to modify several objects at once.

Video transcript

00:03

In AutoCAD, you can select one or more objects.

00:07

This option is available whenever the program prompts you to select an object.

00:12

With a drawing open, and with objects already in place, from the ribbon, Home tab, Modify panel, select Erase.

00:21

Select a single object by clicking on it.

00:24

As soon as you do, the object highlights.

00:26

To deselect the option, from your keyboard, hold SHIFT and click the object again.

00:32

The object highlight turns off.

00:34

You can also select objects with a window selection or crossing window.

00:39

These types of selections make it quick and easy to select multiple objects at once that are close together in a drawing.

00:48

Choose a location in the drawing area away from a few objects you want to select.

00:53

Then, click and drag your cursor toward the right.

00:58

The rectangular window highlights blue, indicating a window selection.

01:03

With window selections, only the objects that are completely enclosed in the rectangle are selected.

01:09

Now, while you are still holding down the mouse button, move the cursor in the opposite direction.

01:15

This creates a crossing window that highlights in green.

01:19

Objects that are both enclosed in and crossed by the window are selected.

01:24

Click to specify an opposite corner to create the crossing window.

01:29

Once the selection is made, notice that the Command line displays the number of selected objects.

01:35

With the Erase command still active, make another crossing window.

01:39

This time, practice creating a crossing window that does not include any object fully.

01:45

The Command line updates with the additional selection count, displaying the number of objects from both selections.

01:51

Again, because these are both crossing windows,

01:54

the count includes objects that are both enclosed in and crossed by the border of the crossing window.

02:01

Create a window selection this time.

02:03

Include objects that are not fully within the window selection boundary.

02:08

Notice that the additional selection count does NOT include the objects not fully within the boundary.

02:14

The program also ignores any objects selected previously.

02:18

In this example, the command line displays that 2 objects were found and 1 was a duplicate.

02:23

Thus, the program only adds a single new selection to its count.

02:29

While you can easily create window selections or crossing windows by moving your cursor in specific directions from the initial point,

02:36

you can also override this behavior.

02:39

To create a crossing window,

02:40

no matter the direction you move your cursor,

02:44

before picking your first point, on your keyboard, press C and then ENTER.

02:48

Now, you can move your cursor in any direction to specify the second point and still create a crossing window.

02:56

To do this with a window selection, you would pick a first point and then press W and then ENTER.

03:02

Knowing the ins and outs of how AutoCAD handles object selection makes it easy to modify several objects at once.

Was this information helpful?