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Answered

Is it possible to box deselect objects from a selection?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
August 3, 2022
3 replies
2761 views

I'm working on creating marketing floor plans from architectural drawings done in Revit.

Am I simply missing the shortcut to box deselect objects from a selection without reselecting new objects?

Is there an option I need to check in the settings somewhere?

Here is an example of the function I'm describing in AutoCAD:

https://autocadtips1.com/2011/08/02/deselect-objects-from-selection-set/

This is neccessary when I'm trying to move/edit/delete lines/fills (shapes) that are stacked and put them on separate layers.

Correct answer m1b

Hi @Trent2549556141cc, in addition to the great answer you already have, here's what I often use in cases like this. Hide Others or Lock Others. See screenshots of my Keyboard Shortcuts:

These are great for when I have a fiddly selection and then have to fiddle some more. I hit key for Hide Others or Lock Others (choice might depend on what I already have hidden or locked) and then I can easily alter my selection. In your case, deselect items, by just selecting them normally with a rectangular marquee and either hiding or lock them, too. Then I "Select All" to get my selection back.

- Mark

m1b

Correct answer

Community Expert

Hi @Trent2549556141cc, in addition to the great answer you already have, here's what I often use in cases like this. Hide Others or Lock Others. See screenshots of my Keyboard Shortcuts:

These are great for when I have a fiddly selection and then have to fiddle some more. I hit key for Hide Others or Lock Others (choice might depend on what I already have hidden or locked) and then I can easily alter my selection. In your case, deselect items, by just selecting them normally with a rectangular marquee and either hiding or lock them, too. Then I "Select All" to get my selection back.

- Mark

jduncan

Community Expert

You are not missing anything, that functionality doesn't exist. I would recommend making your selection and then using the layer panel to deselect the objects you don't want. You can do that by clicking the little selection circle(s) in the screenshot below. Make sure to hold down the Command key (or the Windows equivalent) so that you remove that object from the selection.

T

Trent2549556141ccAuthor

Participant

Yeah this is what I was afraid of. Unfortunately my exported drawings have hundreds of individual paths that make up the drawing. There is no feasible way to select all outlining paths of say my windows through the layers panel as you described. (Especially since I can't Shift click to select multiple

I have found that I can use: Select > Same > Fill and Stroke

in order to select the appropriate linework and move/edit them from there.

This requires an extra step of exporting to an appropriate line style from Revit the Ai can read.

Thank you for the help.

D

donald newlands

Participating Frequently

I was looking for this too! It's amazing that Illustrator doesn't have such basic selection function after all these years!

I am used to working in CAD and 3D software where we have mutliple ways of selecting and deselecting objects:

select or deselect objects that cross a window or not
select or deselect objects that cross a path or fence
specify a crossing or window type selection box by the direction that the box is dragged

Charu Rajput

Community Expert

If you are looking for shortcut to deselect an object in Illustrator

On windows:

Ctrl + Shift + A

On mac:

Cmd+ Shift + A

Best regards

T

Trent2549556141ccAuthor

Participant

No, not at all. That deselects everything. I believe I was fairly clear of what I am trying to accomplish in my original post.

Thank you for the attempt though.

Charu Rajput

Community Expert

If multiple objects selected, to deselect the single object, you need to press Shift key + object that you want to deselect

Best regards

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