AutoCAD Quick Selection and object selection filtering

When a user constructs a selection set in AutoCAD, the select set can be filtered using either the Quick Select (Quick Select) or the Objects Selection Filters (Object Selection Filter) dialog box to filter the selection based on object attributes or object types. That is, the user can select only objects that meet the specified criteria, and other objects will be excluded from the selection set.

With a quick selection, you can quickly define a selection set based on the filter criteria you specify. With object selection filter, you can name and save filters for future use.

7.2.1 Quick Selection

Users can use the "qselect" command for quick selection, which creates a selection set within the scope of an entire graphic or an existing selection set, by including or excluding all objects that match the specified object type and object attribute conditions. The user can also specify whether the selection is used to replace the current selection set or to attach it to the current selection set.

The "qselect" command is invoked in the following way:

Menu: "Tools" → "Quick Select ... (Quick selection) "

Shortcut menu: Terminate any active commands, right-click the drawing area, and select "Quick Select ..."

Command line: Qselect

In addition to the above three types of access, buttons are also available in window or dialog boxes such as properties, block definition, and so on to access the Qselect command.

After calling the command, the system pops up the Quick Select (Quick Selection) dialog box, as shown in Figure 7-5.

The specific descriptions of the items in this dialog box are as follows:

(1) "Apply to": Specifies the scope of the application of the filter condition, including "Entire drawing (entire graphics)" or "Current selection (currently selected)". Users can also click the button to return to the plot area to create a selection set.

(2) "Object Type": Specifies the type of filter object. If a selection set does not currently exist, the list will include all available object types and custom object types in AutoCAD, with the default value "multiple (all entities)" displayed, and if a selection set exists, this list displays only the object types of the selected object.

(3) "Properties": Specifies the characteristics of the filtered object. This list includes all the searchable attributes of the selected object type.

(4) "Operator (operator)": Controls the range of values of the object's attributes. The possible options in this list are shown in table 7-1.

Table 7-1 Types and functions of operators

Operator	Description
= Equals	Equals
<> not Equals	Not equal to
> Greater than	Greater than (unavailable for some options)
< less than	Less than (unavailable for some options)
* Wildcard Match	Wildcard characters. Used for editable text fields only, can match any string
Select All	Select All. No filter criteria required

(5) "value": Specifies the value of the object attribute in the filter condition. If the specified object attribute has an available value, the item is displayed as a list from which the user can select a value, and if the specified object attribute does not have an available value, the item is displayed as an edit box, and the user enters a value as needed. In addition, if the Select all item is selected in the Operator drop-down list, the Value item is not visible.

(6) "How To Apply": Specifies the relationship between an object that conforms to a given filter condition and a select set:

? "Include in new selection set (included in new select Set)": Creates a new selection set for objects that match the filter criteria.

? "Exclude from new selection set (excluded from the new selection set)": Creates a new selection set for objects that do not conform to the filter criteria.

(7) "Append to" selection set (attached to the current selection): A new selection set created by filtering criteria after the item is selected is appended to the current selection set. Otherwise, the current selection set is replaced. If the user selects the item, the current selection (currently selected set) and the button are not available.