arrow select tool - need shortcut

[Anonymous]

Is it possible to asign shortcut to the selecet arrow tool. I didnt find it in shortcuts menu.
Any idea?
Thanx!

[Anonymous]

Thanx guys!

[__archiben]

HOLD DOWN THE SHIFT KEY!

(seems like that one's an arcane piece of knowledge that still manages to slip through the training. who'd have thought )

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

Archiben wrote "HOLD DOWN THE SHIFT KEY"

Sorry to be dense, but what does that achieve, exactly??

[__archiben]

Keith wrote:
Archiben wrote "HOLD DOWN THE SHIFT KEY"

Sorry to be dense, but what does that achieve, exactly??

the arrow 'tool' . . . selection!

holding down the SHIFT key toggles between your current tool and the arrow tool and allows you to make selections and multiple selections. the arrow 'tool' is actually a complete waste of space in the toolbox because it's button does nothing that simply holding down SHIFT doesn't do. (ESC gets you back to the default state in the info box to change the selection 'constraint' types if you actually ever need to change them . . .)

and of course, SHIFT and then the SPACEBAR toggles selection, then quick-select on/off . . .

why would anyone need an arrow tool, nevermind an arrow tool shortcut key?!

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

~/archiben wrote:
why would anyone need an arrow tool, nevermind an arrow tool shortcut key?!

~/archiben

I have to differ with you here Ben. I use the arrow all the time (and I started with ArchiCAD in the days before there was an arrow tool). It saves me having to hold down the shift key. I often use the toggle between last tool and the arrow (set to accent/backquote key - used to default to left arrow).

The shift select method can also be dangerous when there is something selected out of view, since the shift select is cumulative. It is also not as reliable in cycling through overlapping elements.

[Anonymous]

I think that holding down shift is not equivelent to the arrow tool.

If for example you have the wall tool selected and press SHIFT you select wall entities only. I use it very often with lines that are over other elements. I select the line tool press shift and click... and i have the line instead of other overlapping element.

[TomWaltz]

Keith wrote:
Hey Rakela, so would I.

What's the point in having a shortcut to select the arrow tool, if you still have to trail the mouse up to the top of the screen to pick the mode?

A certain other program (which shall be nameless) gives you one type of selection box if you drag from top left to bottom right and the other type if you drag from top right to bottom left. Now there's a clever idea!

You know, even what AutoCAD was the only program I new (back in the late 1800s and the wagon wheels were being whittled), I really hated that. I wanted my windows to act the same regardless of direction because sometimes it was just more convenient to go one way or the other.

[__archiben]

Matthew wrote:
It saves me having to hold down the shift key. I often use the toggle between last tool and the arrow (set to accent/backquote key - used to default to left arrow).

but what's the difference between pressing the SHIFT key or the accent key?! letting go of the SHIFT key leaves you right back where you were without having to toggle back to that tool yourself . . ?

The shift select method can also be dangerous when there is something selected out of view, since the shift select is cumulative.

the info box tells you if something is selected. no?

It is also not as reliable in cycling through overlapping elements.

oreopoulos wrote:
If for example you have the wall tool selected and press SHIFT you select wall entities only.

not true! SHIFT + Cmd (or Ctrl i guess) cycles through all over lapping elements, just like the arrow tool. the priority is given to elements of the tool that is selected in the toolbox . . . which is pretty handy - especially when editing elements that you're currently working on.

i'm pretty sure that i can honestly say the only time i work with the arrow tool active is when i've accidentally pressed ESC too many times! SHIFT-select is your friend, use it!!!

~/archiben

[TomWaltz]

I'm with Ben. I barely ever use the Arrow Tool. I just use its Info Box to control how my selection windows and marquee work.

Once in a while I need some weird polygon selection box and I'll use it, but that's about it.

[Anonymous]

Tom Waltz wrote: "..I just use its (the Arrow tool's) Info Box to control how my selection window ...works"

Well - isn't that just it? Whether or not you use a shortcut key to select the arrow key - you still need another shortcut to control how the selection works. And this doesn't seem to be possible!

Using buttons around the edge of the screen is all very well, but it reminds me of using a drawing board before they invented drawing pens with ink reservoirs. You had to keep leaving the area you were working on so that you could dip your pen in the ink. (Oops I'm showing my age!)

So we appear to have come full circle!