Selecting single entity when stacked, and outlines

vroomfogle

Hi, I've got two questions that I think are relatively simple, but can't find an answer in the help.

I recall sometime ago reading about how to select a single entity when there are two stacked on one another. For example I've got an outline and a filled shape that are right on top of one another. How do I drop the one I don't want from my selection of 2 entities?

On a related note, if I want a visible outline of an entity, say an outline along the coast or body of water, etc... what is the best way to handle this? Do I copy the entity and make the new one just an outline and change the color? Or is a sheet effect the preferred way of doing it?

Thanks in advance !

Monsen

There are multiple ways. The most cumbersome, but also the most precise is to select by tag id. Use the list command on the two entities, and find the tag number of the one you need. Then, start the desired command, right click, more, Entity tag #. Then just type in the tag number of the entity to select. (Do not manually select any of the entities by clicking on them)
You can also use the difference in properties.
After selecting both (all) entities, right click, select Combine -> And. Right click again, select for example color, then select the color of the entity you wish to keep selected from the color bar (Or right click to bring up the full color picker). You'll notice that only the entity with the matching color is kept.

To create an outline, the simplest way is to use the Outline Tool . Right click it to select between a black outline, and using the current color. This basically creates a new hollow entity in the selected outline color.

Simon Rogers

Posted By: vroomfogleHi, I've got two questions that I think are relatively simple, but can't find an answer in the help.

I recall sometime ago reading about how to select a single entity when there are two stacked on one another. For example I've got an outline and a filled shape that are right on top of one another. How do I drop the one I don't want from my selection of 2 entities?

Thanks in advance !

Usually two stacked entities have obviously different colours or fill styles. The "And" method will work, but you can also do "Not" and select a property of the entity you don't want to choose.

For single entity editing commands it's a bit more tricky, They will select the first in the database (lowest in the stack).

If you select a single entity, the default is that the first one in the database (the lowest) is selected.