Selection Bug

[PiperPilotJohn]

I hope I'm using the right description for this strange bug. I use the cursor to select a group of elements for copying, moving, deleting, or whatever. Unfortunately, more elements than lassoed by the cursor end up getting selected. I'm using the latest Mac version, 3.12.8.0. Since a video is worth a million bucks (or so), I'm uploading a short screen grab showing the problem. This occurs on multiple files, but interestingly enough, not on ALL files I've tested. Very strange...

[andrew]

Could it be that the selected texts are block attributes? Block attributes are selected when the block reference they belong to is selected.

If you cannot solve the problem, please attach or e-mail the original drawing file (DXF / DWG).

[PiperPilotJohn]

Andrew,

The texts definitely are part of a block attribute, but I've never seen that happen before and I've used this technique a lot over the years. I haven't done any CAD work for a few months now so I'm not sure in which version this first showed up. I'm attaching a copy of the same print that I used in the video. Thanks for looking into this.

[andrew]

Thanks for the file.

As far as I can tell, the behavior seems to be correct:
- Block attributes are selected when the block reference they belong to is selected.
- This is desirable since block attributes are logically a part of the block references and should always be modified (moved, deleted, etc) together with the block reference.
- Block attributes should be kept in sync with their definitions. You can see that this is not the case in your drawing if you run Block > Attributes > Synchronize Attributes. Individual attributes have been moved around.
- If you require individual text entities instead (not connected to any block reference), you should use simple text entities instead.

[PiperPilotJohn]

I would generally agree with you Andrew, except that if I delete each element separately (instead a lassoing them as I did in the video), one by one, the other entities are not affected.

[andrew]

except that if I delete each element separately (instead a lassoing them as I did in the video), one by one, the other entities are not affected.

Yes, that is also intended behavior. Selecting single attributes makes it possible to change their appearance (text, height, etc) or delete or move them which is all fine as long as you are aware of what you are doing.

You can configure this behavior in the application preferences:
Edit > Application Preferences > Graphics View > Behavior > Select block references together with attributes

[PiperPilotJohn]

Andrew - ok, I think I found the bug then. I looked at the behavior you mentioned and noticed that it was unchecked. (I didn't ever recall checking it.) So I checked it. Same behavior as before. So I went back and unchecked it (putting it back to where it was). Guess what, now the behavior works the way I expected it. Apparently there's a mode (perhaps from a previous update or ???) that activates the function but does not place a check in the box. Toggling it on and back off fixes the problem.