Selection Tab

When you select objects, you specify what type of object you want to select (lines, parts), and how you want to select it (point, rectangle). In addition, the <Shift> and <Ctrl> keys can be used to adjust the selection method (add, toggle, subtract).

Set type of object to select

You set the type of object to select under SelectionSelect. You can also find the same commands under Quick Access ToolbarSelect.

Note: You can change the object type without clearing the current selections.

Options available in all environments

• Click SelectionSelectParts to select entire parts. You can also select parts in the browser (tree view).
• Click SelectionSelectSurfaces to select surface entities. You can also select surface entries in the browser.
  Tip: With one or more parts selected in the Results environment, you can right-click and control transparency of the parts. You can also right-click to control the visibility of the results, the mesh, or the faces of selected parts or of selected individual surfaces. When Visibility of Results is unchecked, the part color is used instead of the current result contour colors.

Options available in FEA Editor environment

• Click SelectionSelectEdges to select edges. You can apply an edge force, boundary condition, or elastic, rigid, or displacement boundary element to edges you select.
  Note: Edges only exist for models that originate in a CAD solid model application.
• Click SelectionSelectLines to select lines. Use when you change the layer attributes for lines in your model.
• Click SelectionSelectConstruction Objects to select construction circles, arcs, lines, and vertices.
• Click SelectionSelectVertices to select vertices. Use to apply boundary conditions and forces to vertices.
  Note: If a vertex coincides with a snap point on a construction object, you can hide the construction object. You can also click near the vertex or use a rectangle selection.

Options available in Results environment

• Click SelectionSelectNodes to select nodes. Use to view the results at a specific node.
• Click SelectionSelectElements to select elements. Use to view element statistics.
• Click SelectionSelectFaces to select element faces. Use to view results on element faces such as the heat rate of a face.
• Click SelectionSelectBeam Members to select beam members for code checking.
• Click SelectionSelectLoads and Constraints to select FEA-type objects such as loads and boundary conditions. Use Results InquireInquireLoads and Constraints to list properties for selected FEA-type objects.

Set how to select objects

How you select objects is set from SelectionShape. You can also find the same commands under Quick Access ToolbarSelect.

Note: When you select objects, their color changes to magenta. In addition, a yellow pre-selection highlight color is applied during the selection process when objects are within the target zone of the cursor or selection rectangle, circle, or polyline. These colors can be customized within the Graphics tab of the application Options dialog box. Choose Highlight and Selection from the list of items in the lower left area of the dialog box to see these settings. In addition to changing the Highlight color, pre-selection highlighting can be disabled by deactivating the provided checkbox.

Combination selection mode—click a single object or use a rectangle to select multiple objects:

This mode will suit the vast majority of selection tasks. Click to select the object at the cursor location. Alternatively, hold down the left mouse button, drag to draw a selection rectangle, and release the button. In the FEA Editor, objects fully enclosed within the rectangle will be selected. In the Results environment, objects that the rectangle intersects will also be selected.

1. Click SelectionShapePoint or Rectangle.
2. Click near the target object, or click and drag to draw a rectangle enclosing the target objects.

Use a rectangle to select multiple objects:

1. Click SelectionShapeRectangle.
2. Click in the display area to set the first corner of the rectangle.
3. Click in the display area to set the diagonally opposed corner.
   Note: The Rectangle selection shape is useful when panning of the view is required between the first and second click (in other words, when the area being selected overflows the display area width). An example of this is when the amount of zoom needed to clearly isolate the objects being selected causes a target object to be at least partially off-screen.

Use a polygon to select multiple objects:

1. Click SelectionShapePolyline.
2. Click in the display area to begin the polygon.
3. Click in the display area to set the polygon corners. Use the <Esc> key to return to the previous corner.
4. To close the polygon...
   1. Click near the initial point. A small box with the word Close will appear at the cursor location, which indicates that the last segment will snap to the initial point when you click, closing the polygon.
   2. Press <Enter> to automatically close the polygon. A segment will be created from the last point clicked to the initial point.

Use a circle to select multiple objects:

1. Click SelectionShapeCircle.
2. Click in the display area to set the circle center.
3. Click in the display area to set the circle diameter.

Use Reset To Point:

When active, Reset To Point resets the selection shape to Point or Rectangle after you perform a selection. The command functions as a toggle—click it to activate the option and click again to deactivate it. The option highlights when active.

If you typically use the Point or Rectangle selection shape, you may find it convenient to use Reset To Point. For example, when Reset To Point is active and you perform a Polyline selection, the selection shape reverts to Point or Rectangle once you close the polygon. If you want to make multiple selections with other shapes, such as Polyline or Circle, deactivate Reset To Point.

Selection methods

You can use four methods when you select objects with the selection shapes:

• Default Method This method is active when you select objects with the mouse and no hot keys. Using this method, the objects in your current selection region are the only objects in the selection set. Previously selected objects outside of your selection region are unselected.
• Toggle Method This method is active when you hold down the <Ctrl> key and make multiple selections. Using this method, the selection status of the objects in your current selection region is toggled from the original status. The status of the objects outside of your current selection region are not changed.
• Add Method This method is active when you hold down the <Shift> key and make multiple selections. Using this method, the objects in your current selection region are added to the selection set. Any objects previously selected and outside the current selection region remain selected. If you select an object that is already selected, it remains selected.
• Subtract Method This method is active when you hold down both CTRL and SHIFT and make multiple selections. Using this method, the objects in your current selection region are subtracted from the selection set. Any objects previously selected and outside the current selection region remain selected. If you select an object already unselected, it remains unselected.

The following commands are similar to the selection methods but operate on the entire model:

• Click SelectionSelectNone to unselect everything. You can also click the <Esc> key if the cursor is in a selection mode.
• Click SelectionSelectAll or <Ctrl><A> to select all objects of the current selection type and unselect other types of objects.
• Click SelectionSelectInvert to unselect objects not in the current selection type and invert the items selected in the current selection type. For example, if part 1 and some other vertices were selected, the Invert command in part selection mode selects all parts except for part 1. While in vertices selection mode, the Invert command selects all vertices except the original ones.

Set the filter

Use the filter to control the items you select.

• Click SelectionFilterLoads Constraints to filter the selection set for the appropriate FEA objects. In the Filter dialog, options are available based on the analysis type and selection method. The options you select in the filter determine which objects remain in the selection set.
• Click SelectionFilterLine Length to select lines between the minimum and maximum filter lengths.
• Click SelectionFilterAll Parts/Surfaces or SelectionFilterNo Parts/Surfaces to change the filter status for all parts and surfaces. You can also right-click parts and surfaces in the tree view and select or clear Enable Filter. The filter icon appears on appropriate items when the filter is on.

Selection modes

Select Neighbors

You have two neighbor selection modes available in the FEA Editor environment. With Selection ModeSelect Neighbors active, the vertex or line you select and all vertices or lines immediately next to it are selected, respectively. For example, if you select a line in the middle of a square grid, all lines in contact with the line are also selected:

Use SelectionExpandNeighbors after you select one or more vertices. The command adds all the vertices or lines, immediately near the current selections, to the current selection set of vertices or lines, respectively. Use this command several times to quickly select vertices or lines in a specific area of a model.

Select Chain Border

In line select mode, use SelectionExpandChain Border to select a chain of lines beginning and ending with the line you select. The chain also ends when it runs into a previously selected line. This command is useful when you select the perimeter of a part or hole.

The SelectionExpandChain BorderLargest Chain setting determines which chain of lines you select. If the selection is not appropriate, try toggling the Largest Chain option. In general, to select the outside perimeter, use this option. To select an internal perimeter with sharp corners, do not use this option.

Note: The Select Largest Chain Border setting affects the outcomes when the algorithm encounters a choice about which line to add to the selection. If Select Largest Chain Border is active, the algorithm choose the line most colinear to the current line. If Largest Chain is not active, the algorithm chooses the line that makes the sharpest angle with the current line.

Change types of objects in selection sets

You can right-click in the display area and click Subentities to change the type of objects selected. You can also click SelectionSubentities. For example, if you select a part, but want to apply pressures to all the surfaces on the part, right-click and click SubentitiesSurfaces. All surfaces on the part are selected.

The following list displays the geometry object hierarchy. You can change the selection set object type to any subentity of the select parent. For example, if your selection set is Elements, you can down-select to Faces, but you cannot up-select to Surfaces.

• Parts
• Surfaces
• Elements (Results environment only)
• Faces (Results environment only)
• Edges (FEA Editor environment only)
• Lines (FEA Editor environment only)
• Vertices or Nodes

Note: The Subentities command changes the SelectionSelect setting to the chosen subentity type.