Selecting Objects

Use the 2D Selection or 3D Selection tool on the Basic palette to select objects, which makes the objects active. The Shift key and the Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh) key are modifiers for selection actions. Create rectangular, lasso, or polygonal marquees around objects to select single or multiple objects. The following table describes the various selection methods.

 

Method	Selection Action
Click	Standard selection method; selects a single object only
Option-click (Macintosh) or Ctrl-click (Windows)	Creates a copy of the object and places it directly over the selected object
Shift-click	Selects multiple objects as each object is clicked.; also can be used to deselect one or more objects without affecting other selected objects.
Option-drag (Macintosh) or Ctrl-drag (Windows)	Places a copy of the object where the mouse button is released
Rectangle, lasso, polygon marquee	Selects all objects that are completely contained within the marquee
Shift-marquee	Reverses the selection status of objects inside a marquee; if objects inside the marquee are selected, this method deselects those objects
Option-marquee (Macintosh) or Alt-marquee (Windows)	Selects all objects that the marquee passes through, as well as those contained within the marquee
Invert Selection command (on the Edit menu)	Deselects everything that is currently selected, and selects all visible objects in editable layers and classes that are not currently selected

To deselect all selected objects, click in an empty area of the drawing, or press the “x” key twice in rapid succession.