How to Specify Selection Methods in the FEA Editor Environment

In the FEA Editor environment, there are four methods that can be used to select items. These methods are valid when selecting any type of object (part, surface, line or vertex) with any selection mode (point, rectangle, circle or polygon).

• Default Method: is active when you select objects with the mouse and no hot keys. The objects in your current selection region will be the only objects in the selection set. 

For example, if you select one vertex by using point select mode and then click on another vertex, the original vertex will be unselected and the new vertex will be selected.

• Toggle Method: is active when you hold down the <Ctrl> key while making multiple selections. The selection status of the objects in your current selection region will be toggled from the original status. The status of the objects outside of your current selection region will not be changed. 

For example, if you selected one end of your model by using rectangle select mode and then box in the other end while holding down the <Ctrl> key, the vertices at the original end will still be selected as well as the vertices at the new end. If you then selected one of the ends a second time while holding down the <Ctrl> key, those vertices will be unselected and the other end will still be selected.

• Add Method: is active when you hold down the <Shift> key while making multiple selections. The objects in your current selection region will be added to the selection set. Any objects currently selected will remain selected.

For example, if you selected one end of your model by using rectangle select mode and then box in the opposite end while holding down the <Shift> key, the vertices at the original end will still be selected as well as the vertices at the new end. If you were to select one of the ends a second time while holding down the <Shift> key, those vertices will still be selected and the other end will still be selected.

• Subtract Method: is active when you hold down both the <Ctrl> key and the <Shift> key while making multiple selections. The objects in your current selection region will be subtracted from the selection set. Any objects currently selected will remain selected.

For example, if you selected one end of your model by using rectangle select mode and then box in the opposite end while holding down both the <Ctrl> and <Shift> keys, the vertices at the original end will still be selected but the vertices at the new end will remain unselected. If you were to select the original end while holding down both the <Ctrl> and <Shift> keys, those vertices will be unselected.

For more information about selecting items in the FEA Editor environment, see the ALGOR User's Guide.