Controlling Selection Methods

The Selection tab controls settings that relate to object selection methods, display size for the pickbox, and AutoCAD’s grips. The Selection tab is organized into four areas, as shown in Figure 3.17. The four areas are as follows:

• Selection Modes. Controls settings that relate to object selection methods.

• Pickbox Size. Controls the display size of the AutoCAD pickbox. The pickbox is the box that appears inside the crosshairs, and is used to select objects. By dragging the button left or right, you increase or decrease the size of the pickbox.

• Grips. Controls the settings that relate to grips. Grips are small squares displayed on an object after it has been selected.

• Grip Size. Controls the display size of AutoCAD grips. By dragging the button left or right, you increase or decrease the size of the grips.

Selection Modes

The Selection Modes area allows you to control settings that affect AutoCAD’s behavior when selecting objects. There are six features you can control, described as follows:

• Noun/Verb Selection. When selected, this option allows you to select an object to edit before invoking a command. You can also select multiple objects to edit before invoking the command. When cleared, you can still select multiple objects, but invoking a command clears the current selection set and prompts you to create a new selection set.

• Use Shift to Add to Selection. This option controls how multiple objects are added to a selection set during the selection process. When selected, you must press the Shift key to add selected objects to the selection set. When cleared, AutoCAD automatically adds multiple objects to the selection set as you select them.

• Press and Drag. When this feature is on, you can draw a selection window by clicking a start point and dragging the pointing device to the end point. If this option is cleared, the dragging feature is disabled, and you must draw a selection window by clicking a start point, and then clicking the end point.

• Implied Windowing. When this feature is on, a selection window is automatically initiated by avoiding objects when picking onscreen, and picking a blank area instead. After a blank area is picked, the selection window is invoked, and dragging the selection window from left to right initiates a window selection, which selects only those objects within the window’s boundaries. Dragging from right to left initiates a crossing window selection, which selects objects within and crossing the window’s boundaries. When cleared, you must invoke a selection window during a command by typing W to initiate a window selection, or by typing C to initiate a crossing window selection.

• Object Grouping. When this feature is on, an entire object group is selected when you select one object in that group. When cleared, selecting an object that is in a group selects only that object. For detailed information about object grouping, see Chapter 11, “Advanced Geometry Editing.”

• Associative Hatch. When this feature is on, an associative hatch’s boundary objects are selected along with the associative hatch. When cleared, selecting an associative hatch selects only the associative hatch, not its boundary elements. For detailed information about associative hatches, see Chapter 16, “Drawing Hatch Patterns.”

Grips

The Grips area allows you to control settings that affect AutoCAD’s grips. Grips are small squares displayed on an object after it has been selected. There are four features you can control, described as follows:

• Enable Grips. When selected, this option controls whether grips are displayed on an object after you select it. You can edit an object with grips by selecting a grip to make it “hot.” When the grip is hot, you may move the grip, or you can invoke the shortcut menu to select a command. When you clear this option, you disable grips.

• Enable Grips within Blocks. This option controls how grips are displayed on a block after you select it. If this option is selected, AutoCAD displays all grips for each object in the block. You can edit an object with grips by selecting a grip to make it hot. When the grip is hot, you may move the object by the grip, or you can invoke the shortcut menu to select a command. If this option is cleared, AutoCAD displays one grip located at the insertion point of the block.

• Unselected Grip Color. You determine the color of an unselected grip from this drop-down list. AutoCAD displays an unselected grip as the outline of a small square.

• Selected Grip Color. You determine the color of a selected grip from this drop-down list. AutoCAD displays a selected grip as a small, filled square.

For detailed information about using grips, see Chapter 10, “Basic Object Editing,” and Chapter 11, “Advanced Geometry Editing.”