topic Re: Can't click+drag to box-select multiple objects in a scene with floor object in Modeling

Can't click+drag to box-select multiple objects in a scene with floor object

Espen da Silva — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 08:58:42 GMT

In Archicad, you can click, drag, click, to select multiple objects (very useful)

but if there are any objects in the initial clicking point (like a floor slab that is covering the whole area), this is no longer true. Clicking simply selects the object. Clicking+dragging will just start dragging that slab...

Is there a way to keep using the functionality consistently? Currently, you can really only use the feature in limited situations, making it unreliable.

The marquee tool is also not suitable for this. You mark an area, but the elements that are included in that area are not highlighted, so you can't know which elements will move when you move the marquee.

Also, the marquee is always in "select everything it touches" and does not have an alternative "select only things that are fully enclosed" method like the initial click-drag-click (dragging from right to left VS left to right)

Am I simply expecting the wrong thing from Archicad? Is there a way to always be able to use the simple click-drag-click? Of course, clicking should always select the object under the cursor, but alternatively you could have click-hold-drag-release, that would do the box-select without automatically dragging the object under the cursor. Right now I'm furnishing a room full of chairs and tables and it's becoming very frustrating to move a constantly-changing amount of tables at a time (grouping only gets you so far until you need to move some tables in a group along with other tables from another group).

Re: Can't click+drag to box-select multiple objects in a scene with floor object

Espen da Silva — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 09:13:29 GMT

I found out you can press and hold spacebar to temporarily disable quick-selection. When turned on, it selects objects if you click on anywhere inside the object. When disabled, it will only select an object if you click on the control points/edges of that object.

So now I have it turned on, and hold spacebar whenever I want to make a box selection, which gives me space to do my first click somewhere away from any control-points edges, but still on top of an object.

This works fine but I'd like it if spacebar disabled click-selection entirely, so that you can click-drag-click anywhere at all to make your box selection. With the new solution I still have to be aware of where I click for fear of accidentally selecting something.

Re: Can't click+drag to box-select multiple objects in a scene with floor object

Barry Kelly — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 10:24:34 GMT

You can turn the quick selection off with the magnet icon.

Now the space bar will toggle it on instead of off.

I prefer it that way, use space bar only when I want to select a surface.

Barry.

Re: Can't click+drag to box-select multiple objects in a scene with floor object

EmilSS — Tue, 20 May 2025 06:53:41 GMT

Is it possible to deactivate the click & drag option completely?

Re: Can't click+drag to box-select multiple objects in a scene with floor object

Lingwisyer — Tue, 20 May 2025 07:16:35 GMT

I have moved things so many times while just making multiple selections in quick succession...

Re: Can't click+drag to box-select multiple objects in a scene with floor object

Barry Kelly — Tue, 20 May 2025 07:53:06 GMT

I don't think so.

It is a matter of making sure you mouse is stationary as you click and let go.

Then it will only select the object and not move it.

Barry.

Re: Can't click+drag to box-select multiple objects in a scene with floor object

EmilSS — Tue, 20 May 2025 08:14:03 GMT

i never use mouse. i use pen tablet or trackpad. But my colleagues do and they still have the problem.

In teamwork projects the dragging is delayed by the reserve process.

Re: Can't click+drag to box-select multiple objects in a scene with floor object

mthd — Wed, 21 May 2025 04:33:24 GMT

What we can do with the marque tool, is to draw a polygon around the items we want to select.

This video goes back a bit but it has some very helpful tips in using the marque tool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyx1YSp1Bvg