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Use Groups to Select Many Elements at Once
Tip# 4325 By Joey Price On 30-Jun-2014
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Categories : 2D Operations
Software type : AutoCAD 2015
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Using groups helps you move several objects quickly.

In my office we use multiple symbols and tables in our notes. For a long time I struggled with selecting all of the symbols when I needed to move the notes, or I would forget to do a large crossing and select the tables. I now use groups to ensure that I keep all of the symbols and tables in the correct location within the notes; that way all I have to do is select the group and everything within the group moves.

You have the option to name the group and give a description when creating the group. Once the group is created, you can ungroup and edit the group as well.

There is a panel on the ribbon for creating groups. If you want to name the group, you have to execute the Group command first, then select the objects. Otherwise, you can select the objects first and then select Group.

I have also found groups to be helpful when laying out sheets. I can easily create a group out of a detail and move it around on the sheet without having to reselect all the lines, text, etc., every time I need to move it. Once I get the sheet layout complete, I ungroup the details and align the text, and so on.   

Notes from Cadalyst tip reviewer R.K. McSwain: Like blocks, you can use groups to group multiple objects together. Note that Pickstyle controls whether grouped items are selected together as a group or not.    
    
 

 

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User comments
Comment by Maeding,James
Posted on 2014-06-30 16:24:23
Groups are awesome, and we have a few key-ins to help. I also set ctrl-A to toggle groups, like it was in the good, not so old, days. One is MG, which makes an anonymous group of whatever is picked, code is: (defun c:MG () (IF (SETQ SS (SSGET))(command "-GROUP" "_Create" "*" "" ss ""))) and XG (explode group, really just removes grouping): (DEFUN C:XG ( / e gname) (IF (setq e (car (entsel " Select group to ungroup: "))) (IF (AND (gnames e)(setq gname (nth 0 (gnames e)))) (command "-GROUP" "Explode" gname) ) ) ) you need: (defun gnames (ename / key dct rtn) (setq key (cons 340 ename) dct (dictsearch (namedobjdict) "acad_group") ) (while (setq dct (member (assoc 3 dct) dct)) (if (member key (entget (cdadr dct))) (setq rtn (cons (cdar dct) rtn)) ) (setq dct (cddr dct)) ) (reverse rtn) ) orig lisp attached with full function names.
Comment by Maeding,James
Posted on 2014-06-30 16:29:16
where did the file go? I think I forgot to press upload. Love how theses comments do not respect carriage returns...