selecting an object that is behind another object

I like tools to have have somewhat narrow uses, so although I see where Wade is going it's not what I'd like. My CAD program has a lasso tool that selects everything completely inside it. If you hold down the option key it selects everything it touches. This works the best for me. The selection-by-attribute is handled by a menu called "custom selection." It gives you just about every attribute to either select or deselect: color, stroke, thickness, shape type, etc. You then press "select" and it then selects everything in the window with that combination. Wade's idea could do the same operation on a collection of lassoed objects, rather than an entire viewing window. This would be an improvement for me. Of course it will never happen in the near future. Absent any real competition in the graphics design market, Adobe will only make superficial changes in their "upgrades." The only recourse is for users to stop upgrading until Adobe sees a real hit in their revenue.

:(

There has been no change in the select options, Arthur.

Does anyone know if CS4 addressed this issue? Especially now with multiple artboards, choosing "Next Object Below" from the Select menu is a very poor substitute for FreeHand's control click to select the object directly below. The "Next Object Below" may be on a completely different artboard! Is there a fix? I see no mention of this in any of the feature lists in Illustrator CS4.

I have a question or two to ask before I make my request. So say the lasso tool that it has now continues to work the way it does but has options for instance the one you are most concern and i have often been stymied by this as well. First one option would to to select all items that fall completely in the selection area. Once select and while the lasso tool is still select if you control or right click on that selection would it be useful for there to be a drop down (contextual) menu that gives you all the objects selected regardless of the layer they are on. even if the object is completely hidden.

Two if there were a way to set the lasso tool to select only objects with certain prescribe characteristics such as stroke width and a particular type of effect would this be cumbersome or a shortcut.

I am thinking you can load the lasso tool by option clicking it on an appearance in the appearance panel or in a panel listing all the effects in the document.

Then making your selection with the lasso tool by holding down the option key while dragging. Would this be helpful or too much to think about and look at.

Of course I do not know if any of this can be done or if this totally off the wall but i thought i ask before I made a fool of myself on the feature page?

BTW do you think any of this is do-able?

You are correct, James, that AI has something called a "lasso" tool. It also has the characteristics you describe. It is, however, not a lasso tool. I can call an apple a brick, but that doesn't make it a brick. Its "appleness" is an absolute, not subject to definition. The word "lasso" predates Adobe in both its original and computer related meaning. It's pretty much the same if Adobe insisted on calling your mouse a keyboard. It'd still be your mouse.

Oh, yeah, Wade that's great that you can join me in this request. I've been asking for it for a while. I think Adobe actually listens to its users...it just takes a while.

MGuilfoile

>A "lasso" selects what is completely inside it.

You are correct but that does not mean it could not have it in the future. I m going to the page and feature request forum to make such a request