Selecting groups or an object within a group using selection tools


    Once objects are grouped, selecting any part of the group with the Selection tool selects the entire group and surrounds the group with a bounding box. If you are unsure whether an object is part of a group, selecting it with the Selection tool will show you. (See Grouping objects.)

    The Direct Selection tool, Lasso tool, Group Selection tool, and the Layers palette let you select a single object that is part of one or more groups. If you have a group of objects within another group, you can select the next group in the grouping hierarchy by using the Group Selection tool. Each successive click adds another subset of grouped objects to the selection.

    Tip iconYou can also use the Layers palette to quickly select a group or a single object within a group. (See Selecting objects using the Layers palette.)

To select one or more groups with the Selection tool:

  1. Select the Selection tool Selection tool .
  2. Do one of the following to any object that's within the group:
    • If the object is filled and the artwork is in Preview view, click the object.

    Note: Clicking within a filled object's path in Preview view selects the object only if the Use Area Select option in the General Preferences dialog box is selected. (See Selecting filled objects.)

    • Click the object's path.
    • Click an anchor point of the object.
    • Drag around part or all of the object's path.
  3. To add or remove a group to the selection, hold down Shift while clicking the group to add or remove.

To select a single object within a group:

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Select the Group-Selection tool Group Selection tool , and click the object.
    • Select the Lasso tool Lasso tool , and drag around or across the object's path.
    • Select the Direct Selection tool Direct Selection tool , and click within the object (if the object is filled and the Use Area Select preference is on), or drag a marquee around part or all of the object's path.
  2. To add or remove an object or group to the selection (with any selection tool), hold down Shift and select the object to add or remove.

To select one or more grouped groups with the Group-Selection tool:

  1. Select the Group-Selection tool Group Selection tool , and click an object that's within the group you want to select. The object is selected.
  2. To select the object's parent group, click the same object again.
  3. Click the same object again to select additional groups that are grouped with the selected group until you have selected everything you want to include in your selection.
  4. The tulip is composed of three separate groups that are grouped into a single group; one group is part of another group, which in turn is part of another group. The first click with the Group Selection tool selects an object in a group (left); second click selects the object's group (right).
    The tulip is composed of three separate groups that are grouped into a single group; one group is part of another group, which in turn is part of another group. The first click with the Group Selection tool selects an object in a group (left); second click selects the object's group (right).
    Third click adds the next group to the selection (left); fourth click adds the third group (right).
    Third click adds the next group to the selection (left); fourth click adds the third group (right).