Temporary highlight

I see.  I was thinking about someone using the Show Element command.

Thanks John & Randy - say I have a .brd...I now invoke highlight command on the symbols (footprints in brd) using Display > Highlight > select Symbols in Find Filter > left click on the symbols.  At this point, I'd like to know how to obtain the dbid of the symbols that are highlighted...is there a way to do that?  I was doing this by invoking axlIsHighlighted() on the components but I guess I need to use symbol def or symbol or some other def?

In that case, I think axlGetSelSet() would work for what you're trying to do (see below).

last pick:  3600.0000  5200.0000
No element found.
Skill > axlGetSelSet()
nil
last pick:  3500.0000  5600.0000
Symbol "Npin1181" assigned color.
Skill > axlGetSelSet()
(dbid:247928168)
Skill >

Of course, this only works for the currently selected symbol and while you are still in the highlight command.  To get more than one symbol you could right-click and Temp Group.  Hopefully this helps for what you're trying to do.

Still, we can check and temporary highlighting:

; "object" contain dbid

if( axlDehighlightObject(object nil)
then
    highlighted = t ; object is temporary highlighted
    axlHighlightObject(object nil) ; restore highlighting
else
    highlighted = nil
)

And  I did not understand a bit: the topic is called "Temporary highlight", but you use Display> Highlight, which gives permanent highlighting ...

Will try this...will blame Temporary highlight on what it says in Color Dialog under Display...thanks!