topic Re: AutoCAD - ESC not deslecting objects in AutoCAD Forum

AutoCAD - ESC not deslecting objects

emacekLDT46 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 12:28:36 GMT

I'm having a recent issue with my selections in AutoCAD. When I select something then run a command then hit ESC I expect the items to be unselected so I move onto the next thing I have to do. When I make a new selection on items I find that the other items are still selected. It's caused me a lot of grief because sometimes the items are no longer in the view and things get erased or moved without me knowing about it. I figured it out once and the fix was a command but I dont remember the command name since it was a while since it's happened. Does anybody know what the command is to deselect everything after ESC is selected?

[ The subject line of this post has been edited for clarity by @handjonathan Original: selection issue ]

Re: selection issue

imadHabash — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 19:58:38 GMT

Hi,

I suggest from OPTIONS >> Selection tab >> Selection modes .. try to see if any setting needs to change.

Re: selection issue

pendean — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 19:59:13 GMT

Recent issue? As in you got a new computer, or upgraded AutoCAD, or removed/included a 3rd party add-on since then, or.... what?

How do we recreate your issue:
Which command specifically? Walk us through a scenario, step by step, so someone here can follow along.
Are the initially selected items off-screen (aka you cannot see them) when you tap ESC?

Does this happen in ALL files, or some just? Or is it totally random?

TIA

Re: selection issue

dmfrazier — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 21:10:21 GMT

Your keyboard might be malfunctioning. Can you swap it out for another to test that hypothesis?

Re: selection issue

TomBeauford — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 21:20:38 GMT

What command was it and was it completed when you hit escape?

Please copy & paste from the textscr the output to the command line including the command entry.

Re: selection issue

Zlatislav.atanasov — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 06:49:06 GMT

I had suffered the same thing. Quick close and reopen of AutoCAD fixes the issue, at least in my end.

Re: selection issue

emacekLDT46 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 11:28:25 GMT

I found the answer after a search of the web for "AutoCAD system variables with 0 or 1 or 2".

PICKADD is the culprit. For some reason it changes to a "2" which keeps the old selection set.

Now I can forget it again and ask the forum after 6 months! Good thing I have it saved.

Thanks everyone for looking into this and giving me suggestions and hopefully this will help others who want to amend their PICKADD.

Re: selection issue

nrz13 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:01:34 GMT

Add PICKADD to your System Variable Monitor to be alerted the next time AutoCAD randomly changes it (and more easily change it back):
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/AutoCAD-DidYouKnow/files/GUID-BE77D014-8D90-45C8-A55E-5609062E3E0F-htm.html?v=2022&st=system%20Variable%20Monitoring

Re: selection issue

emacekLDT46 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:10:13 GMT

That is a great idea!

When Autodesk adds Pickadd to the list I will...lol!

Re: AutoCAD - ESC not deslecting objects

nrz13 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:15:34 GMT

It's not showing up for you?

Re: AutoCAD - ESC not deslecting objects

emacekLDT46 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:20:47 GMT

No. A ton others PICKFIRST...etc.. not PICKADD.

Re: AutoCAD - ESC not deslecting objects

nrz13 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:36:07 GMT

What version of AutoCAD are you using? I'm using 2022.1.2 and the variable appears for me in SVM.

Re: AutoCAD - ESC not deslecting objects

emacekLDT46 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:41:47 GMT

I'm on 2021.

When Ie get 2023 it'll be on there... until then I just have to remember the command.

Re: AutoCAD - ESC not deslecting objects

TomBeauford — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 20:39:11 GMT

AutoCAD 2021 Help for PICKADD (System Variable) https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2021/ENU/?guid=GUID-47C2A568-30EE-4F07-916F-884CDE25CBCA
Just enter PICKADD at the command line and set it to whatever you want but it should be set to the Initial value of 2 which is how most users prefer.

Re: selection issue

aadish_bin_abdul_sathar — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 03:36:54 GMT

thank you very much

Re: selection issue

eugenio_gonzalez-garcia_1 — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 06:52:57 GMT

It happen to me and pickadd is not the issue, pickadd 0 foi example will allow just select one and when click in second it will deselect the first without pressing ESC but my ESC when off deselecting without reason

Re: selection issue

cadffm — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 08:22:02 GMT

Hi,

is it always, or just partial/random?

Restart AutoCAD, run a test, does [ESC] works as expected or not?

If yes: Acad/memory issue, I can't help.

If no: What value is set to QAFLAGS

Try value 0 and test it again.