Selecting multiple faces at part using window crossing

[Anonymous]

Many times, in Inventor we need to select multiple faces for a command. For example, if you want to select multiple face to change the colour or copy or etc, it is not possible.

Why wouldn't it be possible to do so?

[mcgyvr]

Window selection of faces in a 3D model doesn't make sense to me unless there is an option to only select "visible" faces or "all faces"

I wouldn't want to be doing a window select and its selecting the faces on the back (non-visible) side or internal faces,etc... when I just want the faces I can see on my screen. 

Currently you can select multiple faces using the shift or ctrl buttons.. To me that is more than sufficient already.. 

[mercerc]

Hi,

For selecting multiple faces hold down the Ctrl and select the different face you would like to change then select the properties command. Normally the Ctrl and Shift command can be used just like in other Windows application to select multipule instances. 

Give this a try and let us know if that works out for you.

[SteveMDennis]

Hamid,

 If you have a specific command that only functions on one face at a time and you would like it to work on multiple faces (after picking them like Charlie said) please let us know.

There are some commands inside Inventor that do not operate on more than one object at a time and my team is responsible for addressing those as we find them.

[Anonymous]

Well, as a user that works 10 hours per day with Inventor. I find myself many time in a situation that I need to select multiple face (both front and back).

For changin colour of faces, to copy them, etc.

Using ctrl+shift work and, beleive me, it is not fun to select 50 faces but clicking and clicking and clicking and clicking and clicking and clicking and clicking

[SteveMDennis · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Well, as a user that works 10 hours per day with Inventor. I find myself many time in a situation that I need to select multiple face (both front and back).

For changin colour of faces, to copy them, etc.

Using ctrl+shift work and, beleive me, it is not fun to select 50 faces but clicking and clicking and clicking and clicking and clicking and clicking and clicking

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OK then so you would benefit from a window select that selected all faces in the rectangle infinitely?

If so please add that idea to IdeaStation so we can prioritize it against other requests.

Please Accept as Solution if my post answers your question.

[ChrisMitchell01 · Accepted solution]

Hamid,

The concept of multi-selection for appearance (clour) changes was considered; if you open the appearance browser then you should find that window select is active. After you've selected the areas of interest you right click on an appearance & use Apply to selected.

Not particularly discoverable, I know.

-Chris

[Anonymous]

Great.

I like it and admit it that it was not very intuitive.

Still there are other commands that will benefit from this like "delete face".

[SteveMDennis · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Great.

Still there are other commands that will benefit from this like "delete face".

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Hamid,

 What version of Inventor are you on currently?

In 2016 my team added the ability to window select multiple faces in the delete face command.

[Anonymous]

We have 2015.

I am glad you add this one.

kudo

[Anonymous]

I really need window selection in the shell tool. 

Thanks!

[tayfun]

Hi @mcgyvr

I just logged in to put this message through.

There are many people like you in Autodesk forums answering questions without offering any solution to it.

You are almost judging the user about why would he/she have to select multiple faces in a part or assembly using rectangular selection method. Mate, I assure you that there are many cases where you really want to select multiple faces by dragging a rectangular zone on your screen.

It could be a knurled area where you do not want to select all faces one-by-one, rather select them as a whole. Then you can clear the unwanted faces from your selection.

Anyways,

Check the message #7 by ChrisMitchell01, you are going to find that this multi-selection thing is already implemented but not in an obvious manner. 

So, my suggestion to you, if you really want to help users of this forum, just don't answer any question that you do not know the exact answer, let alone ask people why would they want to do what they are trying to do within the software. You are just wasting the time of people like myself who might come into the thread occassionaly after many years, and getting nothing out of reading your nonsense reply.

Best regards,

Tayfun

[SBix26]

I strongly disagree that @mcgyvr 's reply was "nonsense".  It is never inappropriate to ask questions or make suggestions that clarify the original poster's question/suggestion/request.  If our responses are limited to only those that directly answer the poster's question, many questions will remain unanswered or will be poorly answered because those who might have useful insight didn't understand the question.

I agree with @mcgyvr on his response, that a window face selection tool will be much more useful if it has options available such as "only visible faces", or filtering by some other attribute(s).

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Sam B

Inventor Pro 2023.2 | Windows 10 Home 21H2

[tayfun]

Thanks for taking time to respond to my message. But, clearly he wasn't trying to understand what the original poster was after.

That guy was just making assumptions and telling the person that he/she doesn't need window multiple selection at all. Why would he/she!

Anyways mate, this forum is full of arrogants and I know I cannot change this fact, neither do you. 

Probably, they just want to pump their profile statistics up for some reason.

[birger.debrabanter]

I've been looking for a thread like this,

To give an example to why this could be useful:

We need to indicate surface treatement in our parts. These contain a lot of features features on the inside that need treatment.

Imagine having to select all those faces and features seperatly to color them ...

So a cross-window selection method (or shortcut) that allows you to only select the faces that are visible to you (or facing towards you), would be very meaningful.

Example of an internal shape with lots of features that need a specific color (to indicate treatment).

[CGBenner]

@birger.debrabanter 

Hello and welcome.  The best place to propose something like this would be in the Inventor Ideas forum, where the development team will have a better chance of seeing it.  Then, other users can vote for your idea and offer their support for it.  Good luck!