Custom Selection please show me where my symbols are?

[Bruce Kieffer]

I do a Custom Selection like this. Vectorworks knows there are 4 in my drawing. OK show them to me please. I know they are on a different layer, but I want Vectorworks to show me. How do I make Vectorworks do that?

[Boh]

Hi Bruce.

 

I don't know how to use the custom selection tool to find the item but you can instead use a worksheet to find them. You use a similar process to set the criteria for the custom selection tool as you do for the worksheet. Once you have the worksheet you can select a line item and select it in your drawing file. Attached is one I use all the time along with another one that simply lists all objects in a class which can be used in a similar way. There are some instructions in the worksheet itself if you are not familiar with how worksheets work.

 

It's important that the columns aren't summarized otherwise you can't select a line item in your file.

 

HTH

Symbol locator.vwx

[Bruce Kieffer]

3 minutes ago, Boh said:

Hi Bruce.

 

I don't know how to use the custom selection tool to find the item but you can instead use a worksheet to find them. You use a similar process to set the criteria for the custom selection tool as you do for the worksheet. Once you have the worksheet you can select a line item and select it in your drawing file. Attached is one I use all the time along with another one that simply lists all objects in a class which can be used in a similar way. There are some instructions in the worksheet itself if you are not familiar with how worksheets work.

 

It's important that the columns aren't summarized otherwise you can't select a line item in your file.

 

HTH

Symbol locator.vwx 907.12 kB · 0 downloads

I see what you are suggesting. It's a good workaround. Too bad the Custom Selection command can't do it.

[Boh]

You could just turn on all classes and layers, show/snap/modify others on your layer options, and then when you use the custom selection tool you can then zoom to selection (ctrl 6 on windows). This gets tricky on a busy cluttered file.

[Bruce Kieffer]

8 hours ago, Boh said:

You could just turn on all classes and layers, show/snap/modify others on your layer options, and then when you use the custom selection tool you can then zoom to selection (ctrl 6 on windows). This gets tricky on a busy cluttered file.

I'm not able to make that work.

[bcd]

Also use Layer as a criterion in the Custom Selection

This way you will be able to see the number on the selected Layer,

Cycling through a few likely candidates will quickly show you where they are.

[Bruce Kieffer]

Using a worksheet to find them is so far the best workaround. I will add "Show Me The Selection" to the wish list.

[bcd]

=L in B1 will show you which Layer they are on.

[Bruce Kieffer]

2 hours ago, bcd said:

=L in B1 will show you which Layer they are on.

That helps.

[Boh]

19 hours ago, Bruce Kieffer said:

I'm not able to make that work

Possibly your symbols were nested in groups or symbols or possibly on sheet layers or in viewport annotations. I can’t think of another reason why that shouldn’t work.

[Bruce Kieffer]

5 hours ago, Boh said:

Possibly your symbols were nested in groups or symbols or possibly on sheet layers or in viewport annotations. I can’t think of another reason why that shouldn’t work.

They are in groups, but still Vectorworks knows they are in the drawing, and for that reason I feel Vectorworks should be able to tell me where they are. Again, it's a wish list item at this point.