Altium Designer Documentation

Select

Created: January 26, 2023 | Updated: January 26, 2023
Applies to Altium Designer version: 21

Parent page: Schematic Commands

The following pre-packaged resources, derived from this base command, are available:


Applied Parameters: Action=Lasso

Summary

This command is used to select design objects within a user-defined, free-form 'lasso' area.

Access

This command can be accessed from the Schematic Editor, and the Schematic Library Editor by:

  • Choosing the Edit » Select » Lasso Select command from the main menus.
  • Locating and using the Lasso Select command () on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
  • Pressing S in the main design window to access the Selection pop-up menu, and choosing the Lasso Select command.

Use

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair, and you will enter lasso selection mode. Selection is made by performing the following sequence of actions:

  1. Click, or press Enter, to anchor the starting point for the lasso.
  2. Move the cursor to create the free-form outline for the required selection area.
  3. Once the shape is as required, click, or press Enter, to have the software complete the shape from the last cursor position, back to the starting point.
  4. All objects that fall completely within the boundary of the defined lasso area will be selected, and you will exit lasso selection mode.

You can exit lasso selection mode at any stage by right-clicking, or pressing the Esc key.

Tips

  1. The selected objects will be highlighted in the selection color defined in the Selections field, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  2. If you wish subsequent selection of additional objects to be cumulative, ensure that the Click Clears Selection option is disabled, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  3. For available resources concerning deselection of selected design objects, see the DeSelect command.


Applied Parameters: Action=InsideArea

Summary

This command is used to select design objects within a user-defined area.

Access

This command can be accessed from the Schematic Editor, and the Schematic Library Editor by:

  • Choosing the Edit » Select » Inside Area command from the main menus.
  • Locating and using the Select Inside Area command () on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
  • Clicking the  button on the Schematic Standard toolbar (Schematic Editor), or Sch Lib Standard toolbar (Schematic Library Editor).
  • Clicking within the workspace (away from objects), holding, and dragging (left-to-right) to define the selection area.
  • Pressing S in the main design window to access the Selection pop-up menu, and choosing the Inside Area command.

Use

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will be prompted to select the first corner of the selection area. Position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to anchor this first corner. You will then be prompted to select the second corner. Move the cursor to size the selection area and click, or press Enter, to anchor this second corner. All objects that fall completely inside this defined area will become selected.

Smart Drag Selection

The Schematic Editor and Schematic Library Editor support drag-to-select functionality, directly within the workspace. How the feature behaves, and what gets selected, depends on the direction in which you drag the selection rectangle:

  • Drag the selection window from left-to-right - you will select all objects that fall completely within the bounds of the selection area. This behavior is the same as using this (Edit » Select » Inside Area) command.
  • Drag the selection window from right-to-left - you'll select all objects that fall completely inside the selection area, or are touched by its boundary. This behavior is the same as using the Edit » Select » Touching Rectangle command.

Coloring is used to visually distinguish which mode of selection is being used. Dragging left-to-right uses a blue rectangle, while dragging right-to-left uses a green rectangle.

Smart Drag Selection in action on a schematic.
Smart Drag Selection in action on a schematic.

Tips

  1. The selected objects will be highlighted in the selection color defined in the Selections field, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  2. If you wish subsequent selection of additional objects to be cumulative, ensure that the Click Clears Selection option is disabled, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  3. For available resources concerning deselection of selected design objects, see the DeSelect command.


Applied Parameters: Action=OutsideArea

Summary

This command is used to select design objects outside of a user-defined area.

Access

This command can be accessed from the Schematic Editor, and the Schematic Library Editor by:

  • Choosing the Edit » Select » Outside Area command from the main menus.
  • Locating and using the Select Outside Area command () on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
  • Pressing S in the main design window to access the Selection pop-up menu, and choosing the Outside Area command.

Use

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will be prompted to select the first corner of the non-selection area. Position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to anchor this first corner. You will then be prompted to select the second corner. Move the cursor to size the area and click, or press Enter, to anchor this second corner. All objects that fall completely outside of this area will become selected.

Tips

  1. The selected objects will be highlighted in the selection color defined in the Selections field, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  2. If you wish subsequent selection of additional objects to be cumulative, ensure that the Click Clears Selection option is disabled, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  3. For available resources concerning deselection of selected design objects, see the DeSelect command.


Applied Parameters: Action=TouchingLine

Summary

This command is used to select any design objects that are touched by a user-defined line.

Access

This command can be accessed from the Schematic Editor, and the Schematic Library Editor by:

  • Choosing the Edit » Select » Touching Line command from the main menus.
  • Locating and using the Select Touching Line command () on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
  • Pressing S in the main design window to access the Selection pop-up menu, and choosing the Touching Line command.

Use

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will be prompted to select the starting point for the selection line. Position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to anchor this point. Move the cursor to extend the line as required, then click, or press Enter, to anchor its end point. All objects that are touched by this line will become selected.

Tips

  1. The selected objects will be highlighted in the selection color defined in the Selections field, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  2. If you wish subsequent selection of additional objects to be cumulative, ensure that the Click Clears Selection option is disabled, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  3. For available resources concerning deselection of selected design objects, see the DeSelect command.


Applied Parameters: Action=TouchingArea

Summary

This command is used to select any design objects that are touched by a user-defined rectangle.

Access

This command can be accessed from the Schematic Editor, and the Schematic Library Editor by:

  • Choosing the Edit » Select » Touching Rectangle command from the main menus.
  • Locating and using the Select Touching Rectangle command () on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
  • Clicking within the workspace (away from objects), holding, and dragging (right-to-left) to define the selection area.
  • Pressing S in the main design window to access the Selection pop-up menu, and choosing the Touching Rectangle command.

Use

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will be prompted to select the first corner of the selection rectangle. Position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to anchor this first corner. You will then be prompted to select the second corner. Move the cursor to size the rectangle and click, or press Enter, to anchor this second corner. All objects that fall completely inside this defined area, or are touched by its boundary, will become selected.

Smart Drag Selection

The Schematic Editor and Schematic Library Editor support drag-to-select functionality, directly within the workspace. How the feature behaves, and what gets selected, depends on the direction in which you drag the selection rectangle:

  • Drag the selection window from left-to-right - you will select all objects that fall completely within the bounds of the selection area. This behavior is the same as using the Edit » Select » Inside Area command.
  • Drag the selection window from right-to-left - you'll select all objects that fall completely inside the selection area, or are touched by its boundary. This behavior is the same as using this (Edit » Select » Touching Rectangle) command.

Coloring is used to visually distinguish which mode of selection is being used. Dragging left-to-right uses a blue rectangle, while dragging right-to-left uses a green rectangle.

Smart Drag Selection in action on a schematic.
Smart Drag Selection in action on a schematic.

Tips

  1. The selected objects will be highlighted in the selection color defined in the Selections field, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  2. If you wish subsequent selection of additional objects to be cumulative, ensure that the Click Clears Selection option is disabled, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  3. For available resources concerning deselection of selected design objects, see the DeSelect command.


Applied Parameters: Action=All

Summary

This command is used to select all objects on the current document.

Access

This command can be accessed from the Schematic Editor, and the Schematic Library Editor by:

  • Choosing the Edit » Select » All command from the main menus.
  • Locating and using the Select All command () on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
  • Using the Ctrl+A keyboard shortcut.
  • Pressing S in the main design window to access the Selection pop-up menu, and choosing the All command.

Use

After launching the command, all design objects on the current document will become selected.

Tips

  1. The selected objects will be highlighted in the selection color defined in the Selections field, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  2. For available resources concerning deselection of selected design objects, see the DeSelect command.


Applied Parameters: Action=Connection

Summary

This command is used to select all electrically connected objects for a chosen point in the circuit.

Access

This command can be accessed from the Schematic Editor by:

  • Choosing the Edit » Select » Connection command from the main menus.
  • Locating and using the Select Connection command () on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
  • Pressing S in the main design window to access the Selection pop-up menu, and choosing the Connection command.

Use

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will be prompted to select an object. Simply position the cursor over an object whose connected electrical objects you wish to have selected and click, or press Enter. All objects that are electrically connected to that chosen object will be selected, with filtering applied to dim all other objects on the sheet.

Continue selecting by connection, or right-click, or press Esc, to exit connection selection mode.

Tips

  1. The selected objects will be highlighted in the selection color defined in the Selections field, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  2. Only those objects electrically connected to the chosen object will be selected each time - selection can not be made cumulative (the Click Clears Selection option, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog, will be ignored if disabled).
  3. Adjust the level of masking applied to all objects not in the connection (non-selected objects), by using the slider bar available in the Objects not passing the filter region of the SCH Filter panel.
  4. The filtering can be quickly cleared by using the Shift+C keyboard shortcut.
  5. For available resources concerning deselection of selected design objects, see the DeSelect command.


Applied Parameters: ContextSensitive=True|Action=AllInUnion

Summary

This command is used to select all objects in the union of which the object currently under the cursor is a member.

Access

This command is accessed from the Schematic Editor by right-clicking over an object that is a member of the required union, and choosing the Unions » Select All In Union command, from the context menu.

Use

First, ensure that the cursor is positioned over an object in the required union, in the main design workspace.

After launching the command, all objects in the union will become selected.

Tips

  1. The selected objects will be highlighted in the selection color defined in the Selections field, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  2. If you wish subsequent selection of additional objects to be cumulative, ensure that the Click Clears Selection option is disabled, on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
  3. For available resources concerning deselection of selected design objects, see the DeSelect command.

 

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