Selection Shortcuts

Here's a list of entity selection shortcuts that are very helpful for scripts, menus, LISP routines, or plain CAD.

SELECT

The SELECT command simply lets the user select a bunch of entities, and ends only when the user punches in the enter key or spacebar at the command prompt. This behavior happens even in a script, so the script doesn't continue running until the user hits that enter key. This is very useful in conjuction with the Previous selection option.

Run the SELECT command to see all the selection options you can use, including the following ones.

ALL

Select everything in the current space.

PREVIOUS

Shortcut P. You can enter Previous whenever you have the Select Objects prompt. This selects all the objects that were selected during the previous command. I use it to align notes below other notes by snapping the insertion point right onto the other's insertion point, placing them right on top of another. Then I use MOVE again and punch in P to select only the ones I just moved onto the other and then ORTHO those puppies above/below/beside the others.

LAST

Shortcut L. Last simply selects the last item added to the drawing. I have a block that has a bunch of leader styles defined that I insert into the drawing to import the styles. But since I don't want the stupid block in the middle of my perfect drafting, I want it erased. SOooo, I have a routine that inserts the block and then erases the Last entity.

REMOVE

Shortcut R. Remove gets rid of those evil entities that are right in the middle of all the ones you just selected. Hit R and then select the things you want to leave alone.

ADD

Shortcut A. Add switches back to adding entities to the selection set during the selection prompt.

Windows and Fences

Try these out or look them up in the SELECT command help.

• Crossing
• Window
• CPolygon
• CWindow
• Fence

© Eastern Virginia AutoCAD User Group