topic Re: Lock Unselected? in Modeling

Lock Unselected?

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:26:18 GMT

Hello all,
is there a way to lock all unselected items?
I found this feature very useful in applications like SketchUp
It allows me to manipulate an entity in isolation.

Any ideas if such feature exists in AC?
thanks

Re: Lock Unselected?

Dwight — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:03:55 GMT

Here's one way.
There's an extra step:

Select all
Use Quick Layers Palette to lock all
Select pieces to work with
Use Quick Layers Palette to unlock them

Re: Lock Unselected?

Link — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:46:53 GMT

A point to note: this is on a layer level, not an element level.

Unfortunately, there's no easier way.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Dwight — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:58:31 GMT

It seems that if you use the lock/unlock button it NOT layer specific.

That is the 2nd from left.

Test it out.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Link — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:04:08 GMT

Are you using the Quick Layers palette or the Quick Elements palette?

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Dwight — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:14:03 GMT

When i click "Quick Layers" I get this palette

Re: Lock Unselected?

Ignacio Azpiazu — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:58:14 GMT

habiatuq wrote:
is there a way to lock all unselected items?

I don't know if there is a cleaner way, but a quick workaround is

1- Select your items
2- CUT
3- Select All
4- Lock
5- PASTE

Everything from the keyboard. If there is something cleaner it can't be much faster.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:08:25 GMT

thank you all for your suggestions.

I am currently employing the technique that Ignacio has described.
I wish graphisoft includes this feature in ArchiCad. I don't think its a complex undertaking, but it is a very handy one.

thanks again for your suggestions

Re: Lock Unselected?

Dwight — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:12:15 GMT

As long as there is no power failure after step 2.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Ignacio Azpiazu — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:14:00 GMT

habiatuq wrote:
It allows me to manipulate an entity in isolation.

I had missed the intent here. Other basic options that sometimes help and that you may be aware of but just in case: select or marquee your relevant thingies and go to the 3D window using 'Show Selection in 3D' (beautiful for intersecting roofs); and the dirtier but bulletproof classic cut, go one story down or wherever your 'workshop/crap depository' story is, paste, do your thing, cut, go back up, paste.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Link — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:50:29 GMT

Dwight wrote:
When i click "Quick Layers" I get this palette

Sorry mate, just being a sarcastic punk again. The name of the palette is Quick Layers, so it makes sense that it controls things by layer. Even the button you made mention of.

Ignacio wrote:
I don't know if there is a cleaner way, but a quick workaround is

1- Select your items
2- CUT
3- Select All
4- Lock
5- PASTE

Everything from the keyboard. If there is something cleaner it can't be much faster.

This could play havoc with any Solid Element Operations. If it's all one one story, maybe it is better to select the elements, then shift select as you swipe of every element, then go to Edit> Locking> Lock?

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Dwight — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:55:26 GMT

So just to be perfectly clear, tool naming flaws aside, that the Quick Layers palette has two buttons on the left hand side that control element visibility and locking state independent of layer.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Ignacio Azpiazu — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:25:27 GMT

Link wrote:
If it's all one one story, maybe it is better to select the elements, then shift select as you swipe of every element, then go to Edit> Locking> Lock?

Hah that one is neat if you can see 'all'. I had never done shift-'swipe' including unselect and took me a while to understand what you were saying.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Dwight — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:10:51 GMT

Link wrote:
Are you using the Quick Layers palette or the Quick Elements palette?

Made me look.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Link — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 06:53:02 GMT

Dwight wrote:
So just to be perfectly clear, tool naming flaws aside, that the Quick Layers palette has two buttons on the left hand side that control element visibility and locking state independent of layer.

Wow. Are you sure those buttons don't just switch the visibility and locking of all layers?

If they adjust locking on an element level, I'll eat my shorts!

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Dwight — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:01:10 GMT

You are right, altho when i did it earlier i woulda sworn...

Re: Lock Unselected?

Link — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:46:38 GMT

Well that's a relief. I was wearing my favorite boardshorts.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Dwight — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:50:06 GMT

I am considering a forum poll asking "Is Dwight an idiot" but finding out would be heartbreaking.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Link — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:00:03 GMT

Some things are better left unknown mate.

FWIW I would never have questioned you if it was related to lightworks, sculpture, or Canadian Milk Bags.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Lock Unselected?

Dwight — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:08:13 GMT

You are going to give our colleagues a false impression about Canada.
These "milk bags" are part of a simple but clever packaging system where a poly bag is dropped into a modular container.

There is only one trick to operating the milk bag - nipping the corner of the bag to pour: if you don't do it just right, you get a "twin-streamer."

Very hard to "drink from the carton."

The bags come in packs of four - all in a larger bag, yet. Just the thing for delivering fresh milk to the growing nippers.