Selecting Elements Based on Attributes

In addition to graphically selecting elements with the Element Selection tool (see Selecting Elements), you can easily select them based on their attributes using the Select By Attributes dialog box. The dialog box has controls for specifying attribute-based search criteria. In essence, the dialog box is an extension of the Element Selection tool.

For example, you can request MicroStation to select all text elements or all elements with line weight 3. You can even specify search criteria based on different kinds of attributes — for example, green, dotted arc elements on level 22 and level 23.

Any kind of attribute can be specified as search criteria:

• level

• type (such as line, arc, B-spline, text)

• color

• line style

• line weight

• class

• tag values (see Selecting Tagged Elements)

• properties, including the area attribute (Solid or Hole), whether an element can be snapped to, whether it is locked, and whether it has been modified.

General Procedure — To use Attributes as Selection Criteria

1. From the Edit menu, choose Select By Attributes.
   The Select By Attributes dialog box opens. The second option menu in the Mode section should be set to Selection.


2. (Optional) Use the controls in the dialog box to specify selection criteria. (To specify criteria based on element properties, click the Properties button and use the controls in the Select by Properties dialog box. To specify criteria based on tag values, click the Tags button and use the controls in the Select By Tags dialog box.)


3. In the Mode section, make sure On is chosen from the third option menu.


4. Click Execute.
   The elements meeting the specified selection criteria are highlighted.



The above procedure can be adapted for locating (highlighting) elements or filtering their display based on their attributes. The effect of the Execute button in the Select By Attributes dialog box is controlled with the second option menu in the Mode section, which is set to Selection by default. The other options are Location and Display.