Selecting Objects

Before you can move, scale, rotate, or otherwise adjust an object, it must first be selected. Objects can be selected in a few different ways, mainly depending on whether you want to select just one object or several objects at a time.

Selecting

To select objects one at a time

1.   Move your mouse over the object in your design that you wish to select. You will notice a dashed line appear around the object to let you know that it will be selected when you click.

2.   Note: This dashed line is a highlighting feature that can be turned off if needed. See Program Settings for more information.

3.   Click the left mouse button to select the object. Any other objects that may have been selected will now be deselected. If several objects are on top of each other, you can click several times to cycle through them. For example, if a gazebo is sitting on top of a patio, and you want to select the patio, click once to select the gazebo, and then click again to select the patio.

4.   If you would like to have multiple objects selected at the same time, repeat the steps above while holding the Shift key. Having multiple objects selected is useful when making changes to many items at the same time.

To select objects using a selection rectangle:

1.   Adjust your view until you can see all of the objects you intend to select.

2.   Click and hold down the left mouse button, and then move the mouse to draw a “selection rectangle”. Once the rectangle fully encases the objects you wish to select, release the left mouse button to select them.

To select objects of a certain type:

1.   Select Edit, Select, and Select All by Type, and then choose the desired object type from the list.

2.   All objects of the specified type will be selected.

Note: Grouped objects must be ungrouped before they can be selected using this command.

To select objects similar to the current selection:

1.   Click the object that you wish to select more of. For example, if you have 50 plants of a certain type in your design, and you want them all selected, then just select one to start with.

2.   Click Edit, Select, and Select Similar, or just press the L key on your keyboard.

3.   All of the objects in your design that are similar to the object you selected originally will now be selected.

Note: Objects that are grouped must be first ungrouped before they can be individually selected.

To select all objects in the landscape:

1.   Click Edit, Select, and Select all, or just press the A key on your keyboard.

2.   Every object in your landscape design will now be selected.

To select plants:

1.   Click Edit, Select, and Select Plants. The following dialog will appear:

Common name
Within the Common name field, part or all of the common name of the plant(s) you wish to select can be entered. If you do not wish to search by common name, then leave the Common name field blank. The field is not case sensitive, meaning that searching for “rose” is the same as searching for “Rose”.

Botanical name
Within the Botanical name field, part or all of the botanical name of the plant(s) you wish to select can be entered. If you do not wish to search by botanical name, then leave the Botanical name field blank. The field is not case sensitive, meaning that searching for “rosa” is the same as searching for “Rosa”.

Types
The Types checkboxes can be selected to indicate which plants should be selected.

Planting zones
The Planting zones checkboxes can be selected to indicate which planting zones should be selected. For example, if you wish to select only plants that thrive in zone 10, then uncheck all Planting zones checkboxes except for “10”.

Plant Hardiness Zones
To display a map showing planting zones, click the Plant Hardiness Zones… button. This map can help you to determine which plants will grow in your region.

All
Click to check all types and zones.

None
Click to uncheck all types and zones.

2.   Input the desired selection options and then click the Select Plant button. All plants in your landscape that match the selection criteria will be selected.

Note: Grouped plants must be ungrouped before they can be selected using this command.

Deselecting

To deselect objects one at a time:

1.   Move your mouse over the object you wish to deselect.

2.   Hold the Shift key.

3.   Click the left mouse button to deselect the object.

4.   Repeat the above steps for each selected object that you wish to deselect.

5.   Note: The steps above assume you have multiple objects selected. If you only have one object selected, simply click a different object to change your selection.

To deselect all objects:

1.   Click Edit, Select, and Select None, or just press the N key on your keyboard.

- OR -

1.   Move your mouse over an empty area of the ground or sky in your landscape.

2.   Click the left mouse button to deselect all objects.

Any selection change can be undone simply by clicking Edit and Undo.

To help you see which objects you currently have selected, a special white rectangle is shown around them. In the picture below, the door is currently selected and is displaying the white rectangle. The two green dots that appear on the white rectangle are explained in the Moving Objects section. The silver car in the picture below is not selected, but is displaying the highlighted outline which means that clicking the mouse button will select it.

See also:

Moving Objects
Rotating Objects
Scaling Objects
Deleting Objects
Cut, Copy, & Paste
Grouping & Ungrouping Objects
Setting Object Properties
Undoing and Redoing Changes