AutoCAD Tip: Quick Select (QSELECT) — Rapid Object Filtering and Batch Editing

Quick Select (QSELECT) is a fast, visual way to filter and select objects by properties—no scripts required. Use it to clean drawings, batch-edit attributes, and isolate issues in seconds.

Ways to launch

• Type QSELECT and press Enter.
• Right‑click in the drawing > Quick Select.
• Properties palette (Ctrl+1) > Quick Select button.

Core workflow

1. Start QSELECT and set “Apply to”:
   • Entire drawing: broad search.
   • Current selection: refine what you’ve already picked.
2. Choose Object Type (e.g., Line, Polyline, Block Reference, Hatch). “Multiple” lets you target all objects.
3. Pick a Property (Layer, Color, Linetype, Length, Name, Elevation, etc.).
4. Set Operator (Equals, Not Equal, Greater Than, Less Than, etc.) and enter a Value.
5. Choose Include or Exclude:
   • Include narrows your selection to matches.
   • Exclude removes matches from the current set.
6. Decide whether to create a new selection set or append to the current one.
7. Click OK. Your filtered set is ready for editing in Properties, Quick Modify, or layer tools.

Practical scenarios

• Fix linetype display: Select all objects on a “Hidden” layer and adjust LTSCALE/PSLTSCALE or change Linetype.
• Purge duplicates visually: Select overlapping Lines with Length > 0 and run OVERKILL for cleanup.
• Hatch control: Grab all hatches by pattern or layer to standardize scale, angle, or transparency.
• Block management: Select Block Reference by Name to update properties or swap with BLOCKREPLACE.
• QA checks: Isolate objects with Color not equal to ByLayer to enforce standards.
• 3D hygiene: Find polylines with Elevation > 0 to flatten with FLATTEN or set Elevation to 0 in Properties.

Pro tips

• Refine in passes: First filter by Layer, then append a second filter by Object Type or Property for precision.
• Pre-isolate: LAYISO a suspect layer, then QSELECT for rapid, lag‑free results in large files.
• Combine with SELECTSIMILAR: QSELECT a seed set, then SELECTSIMILAR to expand by style or layer rules.
• Edit at scale: After QSELECT, use Properties to batch‑change Color, Layer, Elevation, or Linetype in one move.
• Selection math: Use Include to narrow, Exclude to subtract—great for “all text except room tags,” etc.
• Remember context: “Apply to Current selection” lets you progressively filter without losing your set.

Troubleshooting and performance

• Layer locks: QSELECT can select on locked layers, but you can’t modify—unlock if changes don’t apply.
• Overrides vs standards: Objects not set to ByLayer may dodge layer‑based edits; standardize after selection.
• Xrefs: QSELECT doesn’t edit inside external references; open source files or use XCLIP/Layer controls.
• Heavy drawings: Freeze distant layers and turn off hatch boundary display before filtering for speed.

Pair it with

• OVERKILL for geometry cleanup after a filtered selection.
• LAYMRG to merge stray layers you’ve isolated.
• FILTER command when you need multi‑criteria sets saved for reuse.

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