Can't use CTRL or SHIFT to select multiple things (not really dwg related)

[bluefox]

So this really doesn't have much to do with objects in a drawing, as far as I know right now.

Say for instance, I go into the PURGE dialogue box, and I want to select multiple layers to purge, but not all of them. If I click a layer, and the hold CTRL and click other layers, the only one that stays highlighted is the one I just clicked...so using CTRL doesn't allow me to highlight multiple entities at the same time.

It's gets a little more weird using SHIFT. The conventional SHIFT method (works in Windows Explorer and other applications) is clicking an object, holding SHIFT, and then clicking another object further down the list...this will highlight both of those entities clicked, plus every single entitiy in between them. In AutoCAD (use the PURGE dialogue box again for reference), if I click an object, hold SHIFT and click an object down the list, it will highlight the last object clicked and everything in between the two, but it will deselect the original object. Also, if I use SHIFT to select multiple objects, and then go back to the original that was deselected and hold CTRL to select it, the last object that was selected using SHIFT gets deselected.

I really have no idea what is making this happen. It's done it to me since day one at my new job, but I've never seen it before at any other job.

[steve216586]

It works exactly as you desire on my workstation. Check with your IT people. I suspect it is a computer setting and not an Autocad one.

[pendean]

AutoCAD version/variant?

[bluefox]

AutoCAD 2010 - Vanilla from Mechanical 2010. My coworker is running the same thing, but his works fine (the way I'm normally accustomed to).

[pendean]

Since it works fine here too, perhaps you are using a custom keyboard with a driver that is overriding those keys for you, or a loaded CUIx file that has these redefined?

What else is unique about your setup that is not found at your colleague's station?

[jggerth1]

I don't run Mechanical, but Map3D & Civil3D, and the "run as autocad" option is still running the acad.exe installed in the Map3d/C3d folders.  As a rule, that's _always_ going to be an earlier build of the executable than is in the stand-alone product.  Ergo - there may be fixes/patches that made it into vanilla that did not get into a given vertical.

There is some inconsistency on the Map/C3d side where not all dialogs that ought to support CTRL select and SHFT select work as one would expect.  Un-checking 250 data fields from a shp file import whn you only want two is one that is highly aggravating.

But at least the purge multiple select works properly here.

[bluefox]

---

@pendean wrote:
Since it works fine here too, perhaps you are using a custom keyboard with a driver that is overriding those keys for you, or a loaded CUIx file that has these redefined?

What else is unique about your setup that is not found at your colleague's station?

---

Not a custom keyboard as far as I know, just a generic-looking Logitech. I doubt it's a driver overriding the keys, because SHIFT and CTRL work fine in Windows Explorer...I only have this issue in AutoCAD. As far as what's unique about my setup compared to my coworker's, I really don't think there's much difference. From what I can tell, other than a few minor differences that shouldn't affect this issue, our systems are set up pretty much the same.

[pendean]

Perhaps your vertical, even run as AutoCAD, has this?
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Civil-3D/Shift-Key-not-operating-properly/td-p/2694279

or an add-on you may not know about:
http://cadpanacea.com/node/14

[bluefox]

Nah, that seems like a completely different issue. MAPIOPTIONS is an unknown command anyway. SHIFT and CTRL work fine with drawing objects (grips, CTRL picking, etc.), it's just when I open a dialogue box and try to select mutiple entities.

But even if I go to OPEN, if I try to select multiple drawings using SHIFT or CTRL, it works fine. 

And even more confusing, if I go into, let's say, the text STYLE dialogue box, CTRL and SHIFT work fine in there too (like, I can highlight multiple styles without issue). I'm starting to suspect this issue is only somehow related to the PURGE dialogue box.

[bluefox]

bump

[steve216586]

"I'm starting to suspect this issue is only somehow related to the PURGE dialogue box."

Since two other users have stated theirs works fine as well as a co-worker of yours, I'm starting to think this is a "local" issue.  Repair AutoCAD. If that doesn't work Uninstall and reinstall. Otherwise, you're stranded on the CTRL/SHIFT island with no rescue ships passing by any time soon. And you're looking for a rescue plane anyway.

[bluefox]

---

@steve216586 wrote:

"I'm starting to suspect this issue is only somehow related to the PURGE dialogue box."

Since two other users have stated theirs works fine as well as a co-worker of yours, I'm starting to think this is a "local" issue.  Repair AutoCAD. If that doesn't work Uninstall and reinstall. Otherwise, you're stranded on the CTRL/SHIFT island with no rescue ships passing by any time soon. And you're looking for a rescue plane anyway.

---

I've had my AutoCAD reinstalled a couple times to resolve other issues. I'm guessing another reinstall isn't going to do anything. And I doubt my employer wants to run the costs of my downtime for such a petty issue.

I've never done a REPAIR on AutoCAD in any of my past jobs. What exactly does it do? Does it overwrite anything (ie. custom installed toolbars, aliases, profiles, etc.)?

[Merlin66]

I've just switched to Windows 7 and re-installed autoCAD, I have the same problem in hte Purge dialog box.  did you ever solve the problem?