How do I turn a path made with the pencil tool into a selection in Illustrator?

[Chris P. Bacon]

In Photoshop I just have to hit Ctrl Enter to make an active path a selection, but it doesn't work in Illustrator.

[jane-e]

@Chris P. Bacon 

In Illustrator, use the Selection tool (black arrow) and click on an object to select it. Shift + click or marquee drag to select multiple objects.

Jane

[Monika Gause]

There are scripts that attempt to do it and I think that plugins can also do it, but all in all try different methods. Besides the selection tool, you can also use the lasso tool. It works similar to the Direct selection tool, but can use a freeform drawn shape.

[Chris P. Bacon]

If I release the lasso tool, I cannot continue the selection, it's all gone if I don't connect the start point to its end point. and that is difficult to select everything in one move and then connect the end with the start.

[jane-e]

@Chris P. Bacon 

The Lasso tool selects anchor points. If you want more than you selected initially, use the Shift key and drag across the ones you missed. You can also use the Direct Selection tool if you want anchor points.

Jane

[MikeGondek]

Illustrator does not have bitmapped selections, sometimes known as marching ants. Illustrator is a vector based not tile/bitmap based program.

In Photoshop you ctrl enter on on a selected path you get a bitmapepd selection. In Illustrator if you already have the path selected, that is the best you can do.