There are several ways to select objects in MapViewer. An object is selected if there is a bounding box with selection handles surrounding the object. The name of the selected object appears in the status bar. You can set the selection options in File | Options. By default, when multiple objects are selected a bounding box is displayed for an entire selection, and selection boxes are displayed for each selected object. The bounding box is represented by a solid blue line, and individual selection boxes are represented by blue dashed lines.
Several procedures are available to select objects in a map window:
Objects may be selected using the Object Manager. To display the Object Manager, use the View | Managers | Object command. Once displayed, click on the object you wish to select in the Object Manager list. The object is then selected in the map window. If an object is not visible, it is not selected. Hold down the CTRL key while clicking on objects to select multiple objects in the Object Manager or hold down the SHIFT key to select adjacent objects.
To select a single object in the map window, move the pointer over the object using the mouse or the arrow keys. When the pointer is over the desired object, click the left mouse button or press the SPACEBAR on the keyboard. Eight rectangular selection handles appear indicating that the object is selected. If an object other than the one you want is selected, hold down the CTRL key and continue clicking with the mouse until the desired object is selected. Any objects that were previously selected become deselected. (The bounding boxes for the objects are most likely overlapping.)
To select two or more objects in the map window hold down the SHIFT key while making your selections. This retains previously selected objects and includes the newly selected objects. You can hold down both the CTRL and SHIFT keys to select several overlapping objects in the map window.
The block select mouse procedure allows you to select one or more objects contained in a user-defined rectangle. Press and hold the left mouse button on an empty portion of the map window. Drag the mouse to form a rectangle around the group of objects you wish to select. Alternatively, you can use the arrow keys to position the pointer on an empty portion of the map window, press and hold the SPACEBAR, and move the pointer with the arrow keys. If the Rectangle must fully surround check box is activated in File | Options, then only objects fully surrounded by the selection rectangle are selected. If the check box is not activated, then all objects with any portion of their bounding boxes within the block select rectangle are selected.
The Block Select command allows you to select one or more objects. This command operates the same as the procedure above.
The Select All command is used to select all the objects in the map window. Pressing the CTRL+A keys performs the same command.
The Invert Selection command selects all unselected objects and deselects all selected objects. This command is useful for selecting a large number of objects and leaving a few isolated objects unselected. Select the objects you do not want to select and use the Invert Selection command.
The Select by Object command allows you to select objects based on type. For example, if you wish to select all areas check the Areas box in the Select dialog.
Choose Select/Deselect from List to select objects based on their primary IDs.
You can also select objects based on queries. See the Analysis tab for more information.