How Do I Enable Multiple Selections in AutoCAD?

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In AutoCAD, enabling multiple selections can greatly enhance your productivity and efficiency. With this feature, you can select multiple objects or entities simultaneously, allowing you to perform various operations on them collectively. Whether you want to modify properties, move, copy, or delete objects, enabling multiple selections can save you a significant amount of time.

Enabling Multiple Selections in AutoCAD

To enable multiple selections in AutoCAD, follow these simple steps:

  1. Method 1: Using the Selection Window

    2. If you prefer using a selection window to select objects, follow these steps:

    • Click and hold the left mouse button at a point outside the objects’ boundaries.
    • Drag the cursor to create a selection window that encompasses all the desired objects.
    • Release the mouse button to complete the selection.
  2. Method 2: Using Individual Selections

    3. If you prefer selecting individual objects one by one, follow these steps:

    • Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard.
    • Click on each object you want to include in the selection while keeping the Shift key pressed.
    • Release the Shift key once you have selected all desired objects.

    Selecting Objects with Different Methods

    You can use different methods to make selections based on your requirements:

    • Select All Objects: To select all objects within your drawing, type “A” and press Enter.

    • Select Similar Objects: To select objects that share similar properties, such as color or layer, use the “SELECTSIMILAR” command. Type “SELECTSIMILAR” in the command line, press Enter, and then select one object with the desired properties.

      AutoCAD will automatically select all objects with similar properties.

    • Select Objects by Window Polygon: To create a selection window in the shape of a polygon, type “WP” and press Enter. Then click on each point to define the shape of the window.

    Performing Operations on Multiple Selections

    Once you have made your multiple selections, you can perform various operations on them:

    • Modify Properties: Use the Properties palette or type “PROP” in the command line to modify common properties of all selected objects simultaneously.

    • Move Objects: Select the objects and use the Move command by typing “MOVE” in the command line. Specify a base point and then enter a displacement value or specify a new location for your objects.

    • Copy Objects: Similar to moving objects, select them and use the Copy command by typing “COPY.”

      Specify a base point and enter a displacement value or specify a new location to create copies of your selected objects.

    • Delete Objects: To delete multiple selected objects simultaneously, type “ERASE” in the command line and press Enter. Confirm your selection by pressing Enter again.

    In conclusion, enabling multiple selections in AutoCAD can significantly improve your efficiency when working with complex drawings or large quantities of entities. By following these simple steps and utilizing different selection methods, you can easily select and perform operations on multiple objects at once. Take advantage of this feature to streamline your workflow and save valuable time.