I use P to get what I want, when I want it, and you can too!

There are many times in AutoCAD when you need to select certain objects, but there just isn't a good way to do it while you are in a command. That is where the power of P can empower you and your selection sets.

If a command requires an object or objects to be selected then you can use the P option to select all objects that were previously selected. P stands for Previous. You can also use the SELECT command to, well, select objects. Once a set of objects has been selected it is saved in AutoCAD's memory until the next set of objects are selected. Here is a use case.

Quick Tip - "Shift+Spacebar" To select Stacked Objects

How many times have you tried to pick an object that was underneath another object? Some times it's not so easy, especially if you have several objects in a busy area.

Solution: Start your command (move, copy, delete, whatever). Place your cross hair over the desired object (or stack of objects).

If you can't select the proper object, press the shift key and spacebar (Shift+Spacebar) simultaneously to toggle through the stacked objects. When the object you want is highlighted, pick it and you are on your way.

Happy CADDing.

(I had to edit this post because I wrote that you press the CTRL+Shift to do this - what a Moron I am. Sorry about that.)

AutoCAD 2009 - 3D Navigation Tools

How do you get around in your files? How do you navigate? Do you zoom, pan, change views to top, north, south, etc? How easy is that for you? It can be a pain. It can also be difficult remembering where it is you are and where it is you want to go. Well, AutoCAD 2009 has taken some features from other Autodesk products and bundled them together in the ViewCube and the Steering Wheel.

ViewCube

This new tool makes navigating in 3D much easier. It provides a visual aid to display your view orientation. It displays a view of a cube (hence the name) with a direction labeled on each face. For example: the top of the cube is labeled TOP, the front face of the cube is labeled FRONT, the left view of the cube is labeled LEFT, and so on. When your view is changed, the cube rotates informing you of where you are. Click on an area of the cube and your view will rotate to match.

With all things AutoCAD, there are settings for the View Cube. You can set the onscreen position, the size, and the opacity. There are snap settings, which will snap you to the nearest view when dragging the View Cube around to rotate the file (dragging the cube is similar to dragging around the 3D orbit command, but you use the cube.) There are also zoom settings and more. Just set it to fit your needs.

View Object Wheel

Autodesk took this from the Design Review program and adapted it to work in AutoCAD. In a nutshell, it is a visual device for panning, zooming, orbiting, and more. It is more of a 2D device while the View Cube is a 3D device. Activate the View Wheel by clicking on its icon in the status bar. Click the zoom button to zoom, pan, etc. Click the rewind button to replay the frames from previous orientations. This is a good way to restore your original view. Again, you can customize the View Wheel, size opacity, tool messages, and more.



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Overlapping Selections

Have you ever had the need to select an object in AutoCAD that was "underneath" another object? There is a way to toggle overlapping objects.

Start your command, then start picking objects. When you come to the overlapping objects, place your cursor over the object, press and hold the "SHIFT" key while pressing the space bar. While holding the SHIFT key down, press and release the space bar to "toggle" through the overlapping objects until the one you want is highlighted. Presto!! You can pick the proper object.

Filters

How do you select what you need? Some times it can be difficult picking between what you want and what you don't want. One way is to isolate the layer an object is on. That is not always practical. For example, suppose you want to select a certain block in a file that has been inserted several times. You can isolate the layer it's on, but the blocks entities are on different layers, or the block was drawn on certain layers, but was inserted on a different layer!! (not always the best thing to do)

There are several options. You can create a selection query through the "FILTER" command. This command can be done by itself, or transparently (that means it can be used while the user is already in a command.) If the same selection criteria is used over and over again throughout a project or just in daily tasks, creating a filter might be a good idea. That way the steps don't have to be repeated every time.

To do this, start the FILTER command. (Just type in FILTER at the command prompt.) A window opens with many options. Give the filter a name (it's a good idea to name the filter according to the desired selection.) There are many search criteria to choose from, or simply select an item that meets the needed criteria. All searchable criteria from that object will be placed in the window. Remove any item that is not needed, otherwise, the filter will only be able to find that one item!!! Save it. Start a command (copy, move, delete, etc.), when prompted to select the items type in 'Filter. Make sure the apostrophe is there. This makes a command "transparent." Select the saved filter, click OK, and any item that meets your search filter will be selected. Of course, you actually have to do some selecting. If the item doesn't match the criteria you can't pick it!!!

What if you don't have a pre-saved filter? Just start the filter command transparently within your command and select the needed criteria.

Another way of using filters is with the "Quick Select." It works much the same way as the filter command, but you can't save your criteria. It too is transparent. The interface is a little more simple to work with so it is quicker. It doesn't provide all of the criteria options that filter does, but typically it will provide enough to get your work done.

Start a command, type in 'qselect. Again, the apostrophe makes it transparent. There will be options to choose from like, layer, color, block, type, etc. Select the item that best fits your needs. A second choice that narrows down the selection is available. Select it and presto your needed items are selected.

After using these filters a few times they will become second nature. There are several ways to invoke the quick select command. Play with it to find out which way works best for you.