Select objects

Tekla Structures
2021
Tekla Structures

Select objects

Many Tekla Structures commands require to select objects. You can make single selections and area selections. Tekla Structures highlights the selected objects. The number of selected objects and handles is displayed in the bottom right corner of the status bar. For example:

Use the different commands and methods to select the objects. To control which type of objects can be selected, use the selecting toolbar and the selection switches.

Select single objects

  1. Ensure that the correct selection switches are active.
  2. Click an object to select it.

    Tekla Structures displays dimensions and dimension lines for column, beam, reinforcing bar group, and for rebar set. If you want to hide the dimensions, use the advanced options XS_​DISPLAY_​DIMENSIONS_​WHEN_​SELECTING_​OBJECTS and XS_​DISPLAY_​DIMENSIONS_​WHEN_​SELECTING_​REBARS.

Note:

When direct modification is switched on, the object dimensions and dimension lines are always hidden. Only the direct modification dimensions are then shown. This makes it easier to know which dimensions can be edited.

Select multiple objects using area selection

You can select multiple objects using area selection. By default, the dragging direction affects the selection of objects.

  1. Ensure that the correct selection switches are active.
  2. To select all objects that are completely within a rectangular area, hold down the left mouse button and drag the mouse from left to right.

  3. To select all objects that are at least partly within a rectangular area, hold down the left mouse button and drag the mouse from right to left.

  4. If you want to change how area selection works, click File menu > Settings and select or clear the Crossing selection check box.
    By default, the option is switched off. When the option is off, the dragging direction affects the selection of objects. When the option is on, all objects that fall at least partially inside the rectangular area are selected, regardless of the dragging direction.

Select all objects

To select all objects at once, do one of the following:

  • On the ribbon, click the small down arrow next to the arrow button , and then click Select all objects.
  • Press Ctrl+A.

Note that

  • the Select all objects command respects the selection filter so that only the objects that are matching the current selection filter are selected.

  • the Select all objects command selects also those objects that are hidden by a view filter, work area, or that have been hidden by using the Hide command, if they match the selection filter.

Select previous objects

Sometimes you need to select again the same objects that you selected previously but have then deselected. To select previously selected objects, do one of the following:

  • On the ribbon, click the small down arrow next to the arrow button , and then click Select previous objects.
  • Press Alt+P.

Select objects by identifier

If you know the GUID (globally unique identifier), or the ID of an object, or the IFC GUID of a reference object, you can use the Select by identifier command to locate the objects in a model or in a drawing.

You can often find information about the object GUID or ID, for example, in reports and log files. By using the Select by identifier command you can quickly find the objects in a model or in a drawing, instead of defining a view filter or a selection filter with the specific GUID or ID. You can use IFC GUIDs to find IFC reference objects. This is useful if you need to track updates and changes in IFC reference models.

Additionally, you can use the Select by identifier command to inquire the GUIDs of selected objects, instead of using the traditional inquiry.

To Do this
Find objects based on the object GUID, ID, or IFC GUID identifier
  1. Do one of the following:

    • In the modeling mode: on the ribbon, click the small down arrow next to the arrow button , and then click Select by identifier.
    • In the drawing mode: in Quick Launch, type Select by identifier.

    The Select by identifier dialog box opens.

  2. Copy the object identifier, for example from a log file, to the dialog box.

    You can enter multiple identifiers in the dialog box. Either enter each identifier on its own row, or separate them with semicolon ;.

  3. To define the search, select the needed check boxes.
    • Reference objects: Tekla Structures selects IFC objects based on their GUID or IFC GUID.
    • Keep selection: Tekla Structures keeps the currently selected object and appends it with new selection.
    • Zoom to selected: Tekla Structures selects the object and zooms to it.
  4. Click Select.

    Tekla Structures selects the objects based on the GUID in the model or in the drawing.

    If there are identifiers that are not found in the model or in the drawing, they are listed in the status bar as identifier?.

Find a model object in a drawing

You can select an object in a model, get its identifier, and then find it in a drawing based on the identifier.

  1. In the modeling mode: on the ribbon, click the small down arrow next to the arrow button , and then click Select by identifier.

    The Select by identifier dialog box opens.

  2. Select an object or objects in the model.
  3. Click Get.

    The Select by identifier dialog box lists the identifiers of the selected objects.

    If you want to get IFC GUIDs, ensure that the Reference objects check box is selected.

  4. Keep the dialog box open.
  5. Open a drawing.
  6. In the drawing mode, click Select to find the objects in the drawing.

    You can then continue working with the found objects.

Find a drawing object in a model

You can select an object in a drawing, get its identifier, and then find it in a model based on the identifier.

  1. In the drawing mode: in Quick Launch, type Select by identifier.

    The Select by identifier dialog box opens.

  2. Select an object or objects in the drawing.
  3. Click Get.

    The Select by identifier dialog box lists the identifiers of the selected objects.

  4. Keep the dialog box open.
  5. Close the drawing.
  6. In the modeling mode, click Select to find the objects in the model.

    You can then continue working with the found objects.

Select handles

Sometimes you need to select only the handles of a part, for example when moving the part.

Before you start, make sure that Crossing selection is switched off. Ensure that the Direct modification switch is not active.

  1. On the File menu, click Settings and make sure that Crossing selection is switched off.
    If the Crossing selection is not switched off, selecting the handles with the Alt key does not work.
  2. Ensure that the correct selection switches are active.
  3. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the mouse from left to right to include the entire part.

    The part becomes selected:

  4. Hold down the Alt key and drag the mouse from left to right again.

    Now only the part handles are selected:

Note:

When direct modification is switched on, Tekla Structures also displays the direct modification handles for reference points, corners, segments, and segment midpoints of the selected part. These handles are blue.

Modify the selection

You can add objects to the current selection, or remove objects from the selection.

  1. To add objects to the current selection, press the Shift key and select more objects.
  2. To switch the selection of an object on or off, press the Ctrl key during the selection.
    Tekla Structures deselects the objects that were already selected and selects those that were previously not selected.
  3. To clear the selection of all objects and handles, click somewhere else.
    For example, click on the empty background of the current view.
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