Concept Design Entry HDL: how to select multiple groups of items in Windows Mode

You can probably do this a couple of different ways.  I like to have the "Group" toolbar available.  Go to View > Toolbars > check Group > OK.

 The first two items in the Group toolbar allow you to select a group either by Rectangle or Polygon.  Move your cursor over them to see.  Click on the Create by Rectangle icon then click in one corner of the group you want to select then click on the opposite corner.  The group highlights.  Now put your cursor over any of the other items in the Group toolbar to either Include an object, Exclude an object, Move, Copy, Copy All (that will copy everything like reference designators if they are assigned), Delete, etc.

 Play a bit.  I hope this helps.

Oops!  Sorry, I don't know how I missed it but you stated you are in Windows Mode.  I do not use Windows Mode so the steps I mention earlier may not work in Windows Mode.

 Hi KoolKat,

I've been trying to get your solution to work, but I'm having trouble getting to the tool to do exactly what I'd like.  

1) I turned off Windows Mod

2) Group -> Create -> By Rectangle (now I have a couple items in the group)

3)  I want to add another "By Rectangle" to the same group, but when I click on Group -> Create -> Include, I'm only able to add components to the existing group 1-by-1 (by clicking on them).

I'm unable to find a way to use the "By Rectangle" tool twice to 1) create a group and 2) add more items to the same group.

Is this possible?

 Hey,

I just realized that the steps above are wrong.  I'm able to use the "By Rectangle" tool multiple times in a row by simply:

1) Turn off Windows Mode

2) Group -> Create -> By Rectangle (now I have a couple items in the group)

3) Keep selecting items by creating additional rectangles

I think I figured it out for Windows Mode as well:

1) Turn on Windows Mode

2) Group -> Create -> By Rectangle (now I have a couple items in the group)

3) Drag to create a rectangle around multiple items

4) Group -> Create -> Include (this actually adds the new items to the group)

For some reason, these newly added items immediately loose the group highlight color making them appear to not be part of the group (part of what was confusing me in the first place).  However, after Group -> Highlight, these items get highlighted again and are actually added to the group.

KoolKat, thanks for the help!

I find the Group toolbar easy to work with so I would recommend you get that on your schematic page.

From the Group toolbar click on the first icon (create by rectangle) select your first group by a click in one corner and a click in the opposite corner, go to the next group and again do two clicks in opposite corners, you can keep going and grab more groups, then when you have your multiple groups go to your Group toolbar again and click on whatever it is you want to do - Move, Copy, Copy All, etc. and all of the symbols will be attached to your cursor, then click where you want them to Move, Copy, whatever...

Alternatively, once you have your first Group selected and highlighted, go to your Group toolbar click on "Include Object" and click on all of the items (symbols, wires, text, etc.) you want to add to your Group, these will highlight also, go to your Group toolbar again and click on whatever it is you want to do - Move, Copy, Copy All, etc. and all of the symbols will be attached to your cursor to do as you wish.

Alternatively, you may want to grab a large Group and use the "Exclude object" selection.

Note: To do as I have outlined above.  You want to make sure you have "Enable Pre-select Mode" UNchecked.  This is directly above the "Enable Windows Mode" setting.  And if you have turned off your "Windows Mode" setting inside of Design Entry HDL (DEHDL) you need to close DEHDL and open it again.  This is just something that is needed to get the changed settings to "stick."