AutoCAD: Take your Pick - Window, Crossing and FASTSEL

Let’s look at one of the most basic, yet most common activities in AutoCAD: object selection. Every time a modify command is initiated, AutoCAD asks you to select objects.  There are many ways to create a selection set; we will review some of the most common, and also some not-so common methods of selecting objects in AutoCAD.

Tried and True

The most common object selection tools are: Pick, All, Window, and Crossing.

Pick simply allows you to click the object to select.  

All will select everything in the drawing that is not locked or frozen (INCLUDING objects in OFF layers!). 

Clicking any two points on the screen will define a window selection. If your first point is left of the second point, the selection box will be light blue with a solid border: this is a window selection.

Window selection will select everything completely inside the box.

If your first point is right of the second point, the selection box will be light green with a dashed border: this is a crossing selection. 

Crossing selection will select everything completely inside the box, AND EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES, TOO!

For even more finesse, users can type WP to create a window polygon, or CP to create a crossing polygon. The resulting shape will perform in the same way as the rectangular method: Window will select everything it encloses, Crossing will select everything it encloses, and everything it touches.  

The Power duo: Fence and FASTSEL

Users can also use Fence as a selection method. Fence prompts users to click a series of points on the screen, creating a fence line. Everything the fence line touches is added to the selection set.

Fastsel is an express tool that allows you to select an existing object, and everything the object touches is selected! Type FS (or 'FS to activate it transparently) to invoke.

The drawing variable FSMODE controls the behaviour of fastsel:

When FSMODE is OFF (default), the selection set is the selected object and everything it touches.

When FSMODE is ON, the selection set is the selected object, everything it touches, AND everything those objects touch, too!  Powerful!

Previous, Last, Remove

AutoCAD remembers the last selection set in the session.  P, or Previous, will add the previous selection set to the current selection set.  Last, or L, will add the most recently selected or drawn object to the selection set. R, or Remove option will remove objects from a selection set.  Holding the SHIFT key and selecting will also remove objects.

AutoCAD makes it easy to take your pick!

What's your selection preference or secret?  Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Thanks!