Selecting Objects
There are several ways to select objects in Grapher. An object is selected if there is a bounding box with selection handles surrounding the object. The name of the selected object appears in the status bar. You can set some selection options in the General section after selecting the File | Options command.
Several procedures are available to select objects in a plot window:
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Objects may be selected using the Object Manager. If an object is selected in the Object Manager, it is also selected in the plot window and vice versa.
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To select a single object in the plot window, move the pointer over the object using the mouse or the arrow keys. When the pointer is over the desired object, click the left mouse button or press the SPACEBAR on the keyboard. Eight square selection handles appear, indicating that the object is selected.
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Bounding boxes for several objects may be overlapping if an object, other than the one you want, is selected. Hold down the CTRL key and click with the mouse until the desired object is selected. Any objects that were previously selected become deselected.
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To select two or more objects in the plot window, hold down the SHIFT key while making your selections. This retains previously selected objects and includes the newly selected objects. You can hold down both the CTRL and SHIFT keys to select several objects with overlapping bounding boxes.
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The block select mouse procedure allows you to select one or more objects contained in a user-defined rectangle. Press and hold the left mouse button on an empty portion of the plot window. Drag the mouse to form a rectangle around the group of objects you wish to select. Alternatively, you can use the arrow keys to position the pointer on an empty portion of the plot window, press and hold the SPACEBAR, and move the pointer with the ARROW keys. In the File | Options dialog, in the Selection section, use the Rectangle must fully surround option to control how the block select command functions. If the box is checked, the block select rectangle must be drawn completely around the object to select it. If any portion of the object extends beyond the block select rectangle, the object is not selected. If this option is unchecked, the block select rectangle only needs to partially intersect an object to select it.
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The Home | Selection | Block Select command allows you to select one or more objects. This command operates the same as the procedure above.
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In the File | Options dialog, in the Selection section, check the Select using full bounds box option to click anywhere within an object’s bounding box to select the object. If this check box is not checked, you must click directly on an object in order to select it; clicking on any white space around the object does not select an object. If this is not checked, clicking inside an unfilled rectangle will not select it, either.
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The Home | Selection | Select All command is used to select all the objects in the plot window. Pressing the CTRL+A keys performs the same command.
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The Home | Selection | Invert command selects all deselected objects and deselects all selected objects. This command is useful for selecting a large number of objects and leaving a few isolated objects deselected. Select the objects you do not want to select and use the Home | Selection | Invert command.
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The TAB key can be used to cycle through all objects, selecting each one at a time.