4 Replies Latest reply: Apr 23, 2014 11:37 AM by HappyCamper RSS

    How to select multiple objects on Layers Panel in Illustrator CC

    Revenga Community Member
    Revenga Mar 11, 2014 3:16 AM

      i have a guge artwork and i need to select a small groups (around 10-100) of objects from about 4000 overlayed objects and then group'em/split-to-layers for usability (This is a human body infographics for medical institute)

      There IS NO way selecting them from canvas because they are overlayed, and sometimes not visible at all.

      in CS5 there was a feature to select multiple objects by Alt+drag selection icon on the most right in the Layers Panel.

      Now the duplication mode turns-on when i try to perform it.

      So..

      Ho do i select multiple object without need to click through thousands of them? (i need drag-select)

      Im totally frustrated.

        • 1. Re: How to select multiple objects on Layers Panel in Illustrator CC
          rcraighead Community Member
          rcraighead Mar 11, 2014 7:38 AM (in response to Revenga)

          There is a definite difference in Layer panel selection function between CS5 and CC. I'm just getting used to CC myself.

           

          I do not see a way to replicate the Alt+drag feature either. You CAN click+drag across multiple objects. Once highlighted, they can be "Collected" into a new layer by using the flyout menu. Unfortunately, I don't see a way to ADD to the highlighted list with another drag, but you can add one object at a time with "cmd+click".

           

          Update:

          You CAN highlight discontiguous groups in the Layer panel by clicking an object, then "Shift+clicking" another object further down the list. Add to the selection by "Cmd+clicking", then "Shift+click" further down the list to add multiple objects. Clicks must be on or right of the "layer thumbnail" for this to work.

           

          This method will not "Select" the objects on the artboard, but will allow you to collect them into a new layer or drag to a new location in the layer hierarchy.

          • 2. Re: How to select multiple objects on Layers Panel in Illustrator CC
            Revenga Community Member
            Revenga Mar 11, 2014 8:31 AM (in response to rcraighead)

            rcraighead wrote:

             

            There is a definite difference in Layer panel selection function between CS5 and CC. I'm just getting used to CC myself.

             

            I do not see a way to replicate the Alt+drag feature either. You CAN click+drag across multiple objects. Once highlighted, they can be "Collected" into a new layer by using the flyout menu. Unfortunately, I don't see a way to ADD to the highlighted list with another drag, but you can add one object at a time with "cmd+click".

             

            Update:

            You CAN highlight discontiguous groups in the Layer panel by clicking an object, then "Shift+clicking" another object further down the list. Add to the selection by "Cmd+clicking", then "Shift+click" further down the list to add multiple objects. Clicks must be on or right of the "layer thumbnail" for this to work.

             

            This method will not "Select" the objects on the artboard, but will allow you to collect them into a new layer or drag to a new location in the layer hierarchy.

            Unfortunately this doesn't work for me because i have tons of unnamed "Paths" and when i highlight object in Layers Panel there is no way to know which object i've just highlighted, but if i could select them they whould be highlighted on canvas.

            • 3. Re: How to select multiple objects on Layers Panel in Illustrator CC
              rcraighead Community Member
              rcraighead Mar 11, 2014 8:56 AM (in response to Revenga)

              Understood. And "select similar" does not work either?

               

              We DO need the Alt+drag selection option.

              • 4. Re: How to select multiple objects on Layers Panel in Illustrator CC
                HappyCamper Community Member
                HappyCamper Apr 23, 2014 11:37 AM (in response to rcraighead)

                Yes, we do not our old ALT-DRAG shortcut returned.

                 

                I need to highlight multiple items in the layers panel and not mess around with the supplied layer structure.

                I use this feature several times a week.

                 

                I cannot fathom why Adobe keeps removing features that have been engraved in several previous versions of this software for years. It is not like Adobe has removed it because they want to use the key stroke combination elsewhere?