Freeform Selection of Objects

[beefy]

Something I've needed to do on quite a few occasions is select multiple objects with a freeform marque.

The pick tool just creates a rectangular selection box.

Surely there's a way to freeform select objects or does this require a macro / plugin to accomplish this.

Keith.

[Gamelord]

If you are using Corel (or most programs) you can hold down the shift key while selecting objects and it will select all that you click on. Also, in corel you can hold down the ALT key while drawing a box with the pick tool, it will select all objects that the pick tool touches, even if they are not fully inside the box.

[beefy]

Thanks very much for the reply Gamelord.

Never knew about the ALT key and how that changes the selecting so you've taught me something there.

Unfortunately it's still a rectangle marque so it won't work for what I'm after.

Hmmm, just wondering. Is it possible to select several items (using either SHIFT or the marque method) then select some more in addition to that. If that's possible that's the next best thing to a freeform marque.

Keith.

[beefy]

Just went and tried it and it works.

So I'm not limited to one rectangular marque selection. I can select a bunch of objects with a rectangular marque then pressing the shift button do another marque selection somewhere else. Plus also select individual objects after that.

What you taught me with the ALT key also helps for when I want to avoid another object, I don't have to go completely ouside the objects I'm selecting.

Thanks Gamelord,

Keith.

[Gamelord]

Thank you for the kind words. I am glad to help.

Here's another feature that many don't know about: the CTRL key. When drawing boxes, circles or making rotation or node changes, holding down the CTRL key while doing so does some neat things.

While drawing shapes, holding the CTRL key makes the shapes perfectly proportional, so if you need to draw a perfect square or circle, you can use the CTRL key to do this. Just select the square or circle tool, press n hold CTRL and draw your object.

While rotating items (using the square boxes and the pick tool - click the item twice), holding down the CTRL key will rotate them in increments, so you can get 45 degrees or even perfect 90degrees (or a few in between). Double click the object so that the skew and rotate arrows show up, press CTRL, click on one of the corner rotate arrows and slide it around, it will "snap" to exact degrees.

Also, adjusting nodes - Holding the CTRL key while sliding a node either horizontal or vertical will keep it lined up. So if you have a node that you need to slide horizontally 1" but you don't want to move it vertically at all, hold the CTRL key while sliding and it will do it's best to keep it perfectly vertical while you slide it around. Choose an object, select the node tool, then select a node (or draw around a group of nodes), hold CTRL and slide it horizontally or vertically to where you need it.

Hope that helps someone.

[beefy]

Yes Gamelord that does help, thankyou again.

I knew about the CTRL key for making perfectly round circles, etc but didn't know the rest of what you taught.

That incremental rotate will certainly come in handy.

Lots of times I've wanted to move an object vertically or horizontally. If it's a short distance I'd use the up/down or left/right buttons together with the shift key to make it move faster, but it's still painfully slow. I don't know if I'm unaware of a faster way to move an object vertically / horizontally but now you've shown me that I could select all the nodes in the object to move is quickly.

My next mission is to see if there's any way (or macro) that selected objects are given some visual representation apart from the selection box around it/them. If you've got say four circles (2 rows & 2 colums) and 3 of those objects are selected, you don't know which is the unselected one. The selection box is all around them but there's no difference in each selected object so you know it's currently selected. Most cad programs change the line colour of selected items.

I've also found out that my Ecut plugin can use a shape to select objects. Unfortunately my license for that is only for my laptop and most of the time I'm playing at the always switched on desktop (wonder if the bigger screen has anything to do with it too).

Cheers,

Keith.

[Gamelord]

Yea, doesn't change colors which would be a nice touch. What I do is select everything I need, then move it over off the drawing and see if I missed anything. If so, I hit the undo (My FAVORITE button in the world) and then use the shift and select what I missed.

Just FYI, you don't have to just move the nodes, if you need to move an entire object horizontally or vertically and don't want to change it's alignment, you can use the picker tool and select the object (or select a group of objects by drawing around them) and then press CTRL and move the whole thing and it will stay lined up to whichever way you are moving it. It is not just for nodes.

[beefy]

Hi Gamelord,

just tried the rotate and vertical / horizontal moves with the CTRL key, very useful. I see the CTRL key also allows moving selected objects vertically / horizontally. I've needed that a few hundred times LOL. I was expecting I'd have to use the shape tool and select all the nodes first.

I also tried it with the shape tool and single & mulitiple nodes selected, works great.

Knowledge is power and my power is growing.

Gamelord I might start calling you Master and you can call me Grasshopper

Cheers,

Keith.