Selecting Elements

You can select elements using various ways.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Create a 3D shape containing a subdivision surface.
Related Topics
ima-m-VisibleElements-sb.htm

Select Using Icons

You can select elements using icons.

This kind of selection enables a filter mode to select only specified elements.

It is available through the Tools Palette, which appears when creating or modifying a surface for instance, and when one of the transformation icons (translation, rotation, affinity or attraction) is selected. It is also available through the Alignment, Link, and Compass commands.



  • Click one of the following icons to:


    • (All Type Selection) select any kind of element (faces, edges and points).

    • (Face Selection) select faces only: the compass is aligned on the mean plane of the face.

    • (Edge Selection) select edges only: the compass is aligned along the edge direction.

    • (Vertex Selection) select points only: the compass' origin is defined.

      Tip: In case of a multi-selection, the compass is computed using the mean plane computation of the selected elements.
    • (All Elements Selection) select all elements: for instance, if you first click then all edges of the mesh will be selected.

    Important: If the View and Selection Mode icon in the Operations toolbar is set to , only visible elements (not grayed out elements) will be selected even though the All Elements Selection icon is activated. Refer to Selecting Visible Elements for further information.

Select Using Option Keys

You can select elements using option keys.

This kind of selection lets you manage the selection and perform various operations.



  1. Press Ctrl to add an element to the selection.

    An unselected element is added to the selection and a selected element is removed from the selection.

    Or,

  2. Press Shift to select using a trap, draw the trap and release Shift.Note: Use both Shift and Ctrl to add or remove a trap selection.

Select Using Two Edges

You can select elements using two edges.

This kind of selection lets you select the optimum path between two edges.

  1. Select the first edge:



  2. Press Shift.

  3. Move the mouse over the mesh.

    A path of connected edges between (and including) the first selected edge and the edge under the mouse is computed and all edges in this path are highlighted. As you keep moving the mouse, the path is always recomputed between the two edges.

  4. Click to select the second edge.

    All the edges selected in the path can be modified:

    The path is computed based on the following criteria:

    • If you select a free edge as the first edge, the preference is given to free side edges:

    • If you select an edge with weight, but not sharp, the preference is given to the weight edges:

    • If you select a sharp edge, the preference is given to the sharp edges:

    • If the first selected edge does not meet the above criteria, the shortest cumulative length or the smallest number of edges is defined.

    Important:
    • When there is more than one path for the selected edges, the first path found is highlighted.
    • When using the Shift key, two types of selections are available:
      • Trap Selection: this mode is activated when you press the Shift key along with the left mouse button and you move the mouse before releasing the Shift key.
      • Range Selection: this mode is activated when you press the Shift key along with the left mouse button but without moving the mouse before releasing the Shift key. This mode is available only to select edges. To compute the path, the trap selection mode is used.
    • The help text shows the selection mode.

Use Specific Colors

You can select elements using specific colors for the selected elements.

You can select and set the color in which the selected elements should be displayed.

  • Select the Use specific color for all selected elements check box in Tools > Options > Shape > Imagine & Shape > Display tab. In the Specific color for selected element drop-down list, select the color. You can see that the selected elements are displayed in the color specified:

    Edge selection

    Vertex selection