The "Select" drop-down button provides functionality to select map elements, geometries, or text in the current layout through various methods. The "Select" drop-down button consists of two parts: one is the button part, clicking which directly executes the corresponding function; the other is the drop-down part, clicking which pops up a drop-down menu, and by selecting items in the menu, further functions can be implemented.

Objects that can be selected in the layout include: geometries such as points, lines, and polygons; text; map elements such as maps, scale bars, legends, and north arrows. The "Select" drop-down button provides four selection methods: point selection, circle select, polygon select, and line select.

Point Selection and Rectangle Selection

Click the button part of the "Select" drop-down button in the "Browse Layout" group under the "Layout" tab to select objects in the layout using point selection or drag-box selection.

• Point selection: Users can select an object by clicking with the mouse. When another object is selected, the selection state of previously selected objects is canceled; after selecting one object, hold down the Shift key and select other objects to select multiple objects simultaneously.
• Box selection: Users can click and hold the left mouse button, drag diagonally to create a temporary rectangle whose size changes with mouse movement. Release the left mouse button at an appropriate position to define the selection rectangle area, then all objects with centroids within the rectangle area are selected. Users can hold the Shift key to continue rectangle selection, adding more objects to the existing selection.

Circle Select

In the layout, select objects that meet the selection criteria within a temporary circular area by drawing it. Click the drop-down part and select "Circle Select" from the pop-up drop-down menu.

• Click the left mouse button at a position in the layout to set it as the center of the temporary circular area. Drag the mouse to see a temporary circle with a changing radius during movement.
• Click the left mouse button again at an appropriate position to define the radius of the temporary circle and thus the selection area, then all objects with centroids within the circular area are selected.
• Users can hold the Shift key to continue circle select, adding more objects to the existing selection.

Polygon Select

In the layout, select objects that meet the selection criteria within a temporary polygonal area by drawing it. Click the drop-down part and select "Polygon Select" from the pop-up drop-down menu.

• Continuously click the left mouse button in the layout to draw a temporary polygon. Right-click to complete the drawing, then all objects with centroids within the polygon area are selected.
• Users can hold the Shift key to continue polygon select, adding more objects to the existing selection.

Line Select

In the layout, select objects intersecting with a temporary polyline by drawing it. Click the drop-down part and select "Line Select" from the pop-up drop-down menu.

• Continuously click the left mouse button in the layout to draw a temporary polyline. Right-click to complete the drawing, then all objects intersecting with the polyline are selected.
• Users can hold the Shift key to continue line select, adding more objects to the existing selection.

These selection methods can be mixed. As long as the Shift key is held while selecting objects, more objects can be added to the existing selection. In the layout, all selected objects are displayed in a special state (selected state).