Selection Mode

 

The Selection operating mode (F2) allows you to interact directly with the 3D surfaces to modify the selection.

Action	Shortcut
Select a single surface	Click on the surface.
Add a surface to the selection	Shift + click on the surface.
Remove a surface from the selection	Ctrl + click on the surface.
Cancel a selection	Click anywhere in the background of a viewport.

By holding the mouse button down and moving the mouse cursor, you plot a rectangular region. When you release the mouse button, all the surfaces that are visible in this region are included in the selection operation.

Action	Shortcut
Select all surfaces in a region	Click and drag the mouse pointer in the viewport.
Add all surfaces in a region to the selection	Shift + click and drag the mouse pointer in the viewport.
Remove all surfaces in a region from the selection	Ctrl + click and drag the mouse pointer in the viewport.
Cancel a selection	Click anywhere in the background of a viewport.

There are two methods of determining which surfaces are included when using regions to select groups of surfaces:

Icon	Function	Description
	Edit menu > Touched by Region (F3)	By default, the selection system is configured to designate all the surfaces contained or partially contained in the designated region during the click and drag.
	Edit menu > Enclosed by Region (F4)	Only the surfaces that are fully contained in the region are designated during the click and drag. This operating mode is particularly advantageous when you wish to designate the surfaces of a more complex assembly.

Clicking any area of the background in a 3D viewport will cancel the selection.