Creating Temporary Groups

Temporary groups are created, for example, to move several components (which are not already snapped together) at the same time, or to change the color or material of several components at the same time. You can create a temporary group in a number of different ways:

 

A. Using the Ctrl key:

  1. Press and hold the Ctrl key and click on the components that you want to group.

  2. Release the Ctrl key.

  3. The components are now temporarily grouped.

 

B. Using the Select Rectangle:

  1. Click on the blue Select Rectangle button on the toolbar.

  2. Move the cursor onto the drawing area where it will be accompanied by a small blue rectangle. Alternatively, it is possible to simply press and hold down the Shift key from here and onwards.

  3. Position the rectangle next to one of the components that you want to include in a temporary group.

  4. Click and hold the mouse button, and drag the rectangle across all the components you want to group.

  5. Release the mouse button and the light-blue rectangle will disappear. All the components you selected are now activated (their yellow snap points are visible) and they form a temporary group.

 

 Note:

  • A quicker way of accessing the select command is done by pressing and holding down the Shift key at the same time as you click and hold the mouse button and drag the rectangle across all the components you want to group.

  • In order to select a component, by using the Select Rectangle, the blue rectangle only needs to touch or cover part of the component.

  • When drawn from left to right, only objects that are fully included in the rectangle are selected. When drawn from right to left, all objects that are included or only touched by the rectangle are selected.

 

 

C. Use the Select and Add to Group button:

  1. Click on the Select and Add to Group button on the toolbar.

  2. Move the cursor into the drawing area. The text +Group appears next to the cursor.

  3. Move the cursor to one of the components which you want to group, until the text +Group snaps to the component and then click the mouse button. The component becomes activated.

  4. Move the cursor to each of the components in turn that you want to group and click on the component when the text +Group snaps to the component.

  5. Move the cursor outside the drawing area to release the +Group tool when you have finished creating the group.

 

 Note:

    • The temporary group is moved by clicking anywhere on one of the components (except on the snap points - this would only rotate the whole group). Hold down the mouse button and drag the component across the drawing area. A black rectangle that surrounds all components in the group will appear.

    • A temporary group can also be grouped permanently.

 

Ungroup

To split up a temporary group, click anywhere in the drawing area.