AutoCAD is a powerful software tool used by architects, engineers, and designers for creating precise 2D and 3D drawings. One useful feature of AutoCAD is the selection cycling option, which allows you to easily select overlapping objects or entities. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of turning on selection cycling in AutoCAD for Mac.
Step 1: Accessing the Options Menu
To turn on selection cycling in AutoCAD for Mac, you need to access the Options menu. You can do this by either clicking on the AutoCAD menu at the top-left corner of your screen and selecting “Preferences,” or by using the keyboard shortcut Command + , (comma).
Step 2: Navigating to the Selection tab
Once you are in the Preferences window, navigate to the Selection tab. This is where you can customize various selection settings in AutoCAD.
Step 3: Enabling Selection Cycling
In the Selection tab, look for a checkbox labeled “Selection cycling” and make sure it is checked. Enabling this option will allow you to cycle through overlapping objects when selecting in AutoCAD.
Note:
- If the checkbox is already checked, it means that selection cycling is already enabled in your AutoCAD.
- If the checkbox is not visible or disabled, it could be because you are using an older version of AutoCAD that does not support this feature.
Step 4: Adjusting Selection Cycling Settings (optional)
Beneath the “Selection cycling” checkbox, there are additional options that you can customize according to your preferences. These options include:
- Highlight selected objects: When checked, this option highlights the selected objects for better visibility.
- Selection preview: When checked, this option provides a preview of the selected objects before confirming the selection.
- Selection cycling order: This option allows you to choose the order in which overlapping objects are cycled through during selection. You can select either “All” or “Last created.”
Feel free to experiment with these options and adjust them to suit your workflow.
Step 5: Applying the Changes
Once you have enabled selection cycling and adjusted any additional settings, click on the “OK” button to apply the changes and close the Preferences window.
Note:
The changes you make in the Preferences window will be saved for future AutoCAD sessions unless you modify them again.
Step 6: Testing Selection Cycling
To test if selection cycling is working correctly, open a drawing with overlapping objects or entities. Click and drag your cursor over the area containing overlapping objects, and you should see a cycle marker or highlight indicating that multiple objects have been selected. Keep clicking until you have selected the desired object from the cycle.
Note:
If selection cycling is not working as expected, make sure that your drawing contains overlapping objects, and that they are not grouped or locked. Also, ensure that no other commands or settings are interfering with selection cycling.
Congratulations! You have successfully turned on selection cycling in AutoCAD for Mac.
This feature will greatly enhance your productivity by making it easier to select overlapping objects in your drawings. Remember to regularly check for updates to AutoCAD as newer versions may introduce additional features or improvements to selection cycling.