MicroStation CONNECT Edition Help

Element Selection

Used to select and deselect elements for modification or manipulation. The set of selected elements is called the selection set.

You can access this tool from the following:

  • Ribbon: Drawing > Home > Selection
  • Ribbon: Modeling > Home > Selection
  • Ribbon: Visualization > Home > Selection
  • Ribbon: Admin > Home > Selection
  • Quick Access Toolbar: Element Selection
  • Toolbox: Main
  • Default keyboard shortcut: <Q, Q> or <[, [>
  • Default Function key menu: <F10>

In the extended settings for the Element Selection window, tabs let you select elements by one or more attributes — Level, Color, Line Style, Line Weight, Element Type, Element Class, Element Template , Text Style, Dimension Style, Multi-line Style, Transparency, Display Priority, and Material. Alternatively, when you select elements graphically, the active set of attributes displays as a highlighted group in each tab's list box.

All tabs are not always visible by default. To see all tabs, right-click a tab and select Show All from the menu.

  • Under the extended settings, you can add to the attribute set by clicking on additional (unhighlighted) attributes. If an element exists with an attribute, the attribute is included in the set. Similarly, you can remove an attribute from the set by clicking on it. Switching tabs lets you continue the process of adding or eliminating other attributes. Where you have a number of attributes selected you can <Ctrl+click> a highlighted attribute and all other highlighted attributes will be deselected.
  • If you choose an attribute that exists in a complex element such as a cell, the entire complex element is selected. For example, if you choose the Element Type attribute for text, Element Selection finds normal text elements as well as cells that contain text. In each tab's list box, attributes that belong to complex elements are highlighted in gray, rather than the standard highlighting for attributes that belong to simple elements.
  • If you choose a Color, Line Style, or Line Weight attribute, Element Selection finds all elements with this active symbology, including ByLevel attributes. For example, if you select the color blue, Element Selection finds blue elements as well as elements with ByLevel color that are set to blue. ByLevel attributes are listed separately in the list box.

While the Element Selection tool is not selected, it is available for selection in the Reset pop-up menu .

While the Element Selection tool is selected, you can use the tool pointer in conjunction with the Reset pop-up menu to operate on the element at the pointer location or on the selected elements.

While the Element Selection tool is selected, the pointer becomes an arrowhead with an aperture encircling the tip. The aperture denotes the design plane area in which MicroStation searches for elements. The aperture size or Locate Tolerance is a user preference that is adjustable in the Preferences dialog (Input category).

If the desired element is visible in the aperture but you cannot select it, check the following:

  • To select a shape, the pointer must be close to one of the enclosing lines. To select a circle or an ellipse, the pointer must be close to the circumference or center. A filled element can be selected by its interior or surface, which is set in the Locate Interiors option menu of the Preferences dialog Input category.
  • If Level Lock is on, you can only select elements on the active level.




SettingDescription
Method Sets the selection method. The method works in conjunction with the Mode setting. The Method settings allow you to select individual elements or drag to select elements with a dynamic rectangle, block, shape, circle, or line. Use a left-right direction for inside selection and a right-left direction for overlap selection. The line style for the dynamic rectangle/block/shape/circle changes from a solid line (inside) to a dashed line (overlap). A tap of the <Shift> key while dragging/defining points will invert the current inside/overlap direction.
  • Individual — Lets you select individual elements graphically. To select additional elements:
    • (when mode is set to New) Hold the <Ctrl> key, then click on the elements.
    • (when mode is set to Add) Click on the elements.
    • (when mode is set to New or Add) Click in the view window, then drag to select elements with a dynamic rectangle.

    If you double-click an existing text element with the Element Selection pointer, the Edit Text tool activates and the Text Editor window opens.

    If you double-click an existing tag element with the Element Selection pointer, the Edit Tags dialog opens.

    If you double-click an existing flag with the Element Selection pointer, the Show/Edit Flag tool activates and the Define Flag Information dialog opens.

    If you double-click a blank area of a view, the selection mode toggles between Block and Individual.

  • Block — When set to inside selection, all elements inside the block are selected. When set to overlap selection, all elements inside or overlapping the block are selected.
  • Shape — When set to inside selection, all elements inside the shape are selected. When set to overlap selection, all elements inside or overlapping the shape are selected.
  • Circle — When set to inside selection, all elements inside the circle are selected. When set to overlap selection, all elements inside or overlapping the circle are selected.
  • Line — Lets you select elements by defining a line that intersects them.
Mode Sets the objective of using the tool. The Mode works in conjunction with the Method setting.
  • New — Clears the current selection set and starts a new selection set.
  • Add — Adds elements to the selection set.
  • Subtract — Removes elements from the selection set.
  • Invert — Toggles the selection status of an element (selects deselected elements and deselects selected elements).
  • Clear/Select All — Deselects all selected elements if element handles are not visible. If handles are visible and selected (orange), selecting the Clear mode deselects the handles (blue). Selects all elements if no elements are currently selected.
Disable Handles If on, handles are not displayed for selected elements.

With the Individual method plus New mode, element handles are displayed by default if you select a single element or multiple elements using <Ctrl+click>. Element handles are not displayed when you select multiple elements by dragging a rectangle or with another selection method (Block, Shape, Circle, or Line).

Select Handles If on, the Block/Shape/Circle/Line selection methods and the Add/Subtract/Invert/Clear selection modes apply to selecting handles rather than elements. (To use this icon, Disable Handles must be off.)
Attribute Tabs Clicking the Show Extended Settings arrow expands the tool settings window to reveal the Attribute tabs.
  • Level — Lets you select the required levels from a list of levels in the model.
  • Color — Lets you select the required colors from a list (0–254 plus By Level).
  • Line Style — Lets you select the required line styles from a list (standard line styles plus custom line styles, plus By Level).
  • Line Weight — Lets you select the required line weights from a list (0–31 plus By Level).
  • Element Type — Lets you select the required element types from a list.
  • Element Class — Lets you select the required element classes from a list.
  • Element Template — Lets you select the required element template from a list.
  • Text Styles — You can select the required text style from a list.
  • Dimension Styles — You can select the required dimension style from a list.
  • Multi-line Styles — You can select the required multi-line style from a list.
  • Transparency — You can select the required transparency from a list.
  • Display Priority — You can select the display priority from a list.
  • Material — You can select the attached material from a list.
Key-in: CHOOSE ELEMENT
Key-in: SELECT < BYELEMID | BYNAMEDGROUP | BYSAVEDVIEW | BYINSTANCEID >
To Select a Single Element
To Select One or More Elements with the Individual Method
To Select Additional Elements with the Individual Method
To Select All Elements in the Active Model
To Select Elements Inside or Overlapping a Rectangular Area
To Select Elements Contained In or Overlapping a Polygonal Area
To Select Elements Contained In or Overlapping a Circular Area
To Select Elements That Intersect a Line
To Select Elements Based on Their Attributes
To Select Additional Elements or Deselect Some Selected Elements Based on Their Attributes
To Deselect an Element
To Deselect All Elements
To Restore the Previous Selection Set
To Filter Parametric Cells Using the Element Selection Dialog
Parent topic: Application Window Layout