Select

Select and edit objects using the mouse and keyboard shortcuts.

You can select objects in the modeling window or Model Browser, before or after you activate a tool. The modeling window and the Model Browser are linked, so when an object is selected in one, it is automatically selected in the other.


To Do this Note
Select an object Click the object.  
Add to/remove from the selection Hold down Ctrl while clicking the object. When removing an object, click an edge of the object.
Select multiple objects

Cross Selection: Drag from left to right to select every object the cursor crosses.

Box Selection: Drag from right to left to only select objects entirely within the box.

(See the videos below.)

For loads and mesh controls, you can use box selection to select only the top-level features or faces on a part or across multiple parts.
  • Drag from left to right to select only top-level features.
  • Drag from right to left to select all features through the part.
Select a range in a list Hold down Shift while clicking the first object and the last object. You can only do this in the Model Browser.
Deselect an object Hold down Shift while clicking the object.  
Select all objects of the same type Press Ctrl+A. If several types of objects are selected when you press Ctrl+A, all objects of those types are selected. For example, if a part and a force are selected when you press Ctrl+A, then all parts and forces are selected.
Reverse the selection Press Ctrl+R.  
Clear the selection Right-click empty space.  

Video 1: Standard Box Selection, Left to Right

Drag from left to right to select every object the box touches.

Video 2: Standard Box Selection, Right to Left

Drag from right to left to only select objects entirely within the box.

Video 3: Feature Box Selection, Left to Right

For loads and mesh controls, drag from left to right to select only top-level features.

Video 4: Feature Box Selection, Right to Left

For loads and mesh controls, drag from right to left to select all features through the part.