1.5Selection, grips, rectangular & polar array
Selecting well is an art that speeds up everything. Two key modes: the window (drag left to right — only selects what is entirely inside) and the crossing (right to left — catches everything the rectangle touches). This distinction, subtle but essential, avoids many selection mistakes.
Once selected, you can edit with grips — those small blue squares let you stretch, move and rotate directly, without any command. Finally, arrays (ARRAY/AR) duplicate an object in a rectangular, polar (circular) or along a path pattern — ideal for rows of posts, holes, parking spaces. These techniques multiply working speed.
Section vocabulary
- Window selection
- Rectangle drawn from LEFT to right: selects objects ENTIRELY contained (solid/blue outline).
- Crossing selection
- Rectangle drawn from RIGHT to left: selects everything it TOUCHES (dashed/green outline).
- Grips
- Small squares appearing on a selected object, to edit it directly (stretch, move, rotate).
- Array
- Duplication of objects in a pattern: rectangular (rows/columns), polar (circular) or path.
- Associative array
- Array that remains editable (number, spacing) after creation, while it is associative.
Left-to-right selection (window): what does it take?
In practice — Selecting and duplicating by pattern
- Practice: window selection (left→right, what is entirely inside) vs crossing (right→left, what is touched).
- Select an object and play with its grips to stretch and move it without starting a command.
- Create a rectangular array (ARRAY): duplicate an object in rows and columns with a given spacing.
- Create a polar array: distribute objects in a circle (e.g. holes around an axis).
Key points to remember
- Window (left→right) = objects entirely inside; crossing (right→left) = everything touched.
- Grips edit directly (stretch, move, rotate) without a command.
- Arrays duplicate in a rectangular, polar or path pattern.
- An associative array remains editable after creation.
Frequently asked questions
Window or crossing: how to never mix them up again?
Remember the direction: from left to right = window (solid blue rectangle) which only takes what is entirely inside; from right to left = crossing (dashed green rectangle) which takes everything it crosses. Mnemonic trick: crossing "catches things on the way". Choosing the right direction depending on what you want to select avoids including or forgetting objects.
The associative array, should you keep it associative?
As long as it is associative, you can easily re-edit the number of items and the spacing — handy during the design phase. Once fixed, you can explode it (EXPLODE) to edit each copy individually. Keep it associative as long as the pattern may change; only explode it when you need to modify items one by one.