Using Selection Priority Modes to Create Selection Sets in Autodesk Inventor

Platform: Autodesk Inventor Professional

Level of difficulty: Beginners

Author: Ndianabasi Udonkang

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Components, parts, features, and sketches must be selected before they can be edited or modified in anyway. Autodesk Inventor provides selection priority modes to enable the user create selection sets. A selection set is simply those components, parts, features, or sketches that you have selected on your graphics area. The selection priority modes available depend on the active environment. So, the some priority modes available in the assembly environment might not be available in the part environment, drawing environment, and presentation environment.

In this lesson, we are going to learn how to create selection sets with the help of priority modes. We are also going to use an assembly from the tutorial_files project that is shipped with Autodesk Inventor.

Close and save all opened file. On the Ribbon, go to the Get Started tab > Launch panel and click on the Projects command.



On the Projects dialog box, double click on the project tutorial_files to make it current or active. Click Done.

COMPONENT PRIORITY

The component priority mode allows the selection of only the first-level components of an active (or edited) assembly. When component priority is on, children parts or components of a subassembly cannot be selected individually.

STEPS

1. Click the Open tool on the Quick Access Toolbar.
2. 
3. In the Open dialog box, open Tube & Pipe folder > Accumulator folder > Accumulator.iam.
4. 
5. Take some time and observe the Browser at the left-hand side of the Inventor window. There are only two subassemblies on the first-level of the active assembly: Tube & Pipe Runs and Mount Frame. The rest are parts.
6. On the Quick Access Toolbar, click on the Selection Priority drop-down.
7. 
8. 
9. On the list, click Select Component Priority.
10. Point and click the Mount Frame subassembly graphics window. The entire subassembly is selected. Note that the individual frames making up the subassembly cannot be selected.

HOT TIP: The selection priority list can also be accessed via a shortcut menu. Just hold down the Shift key and right-click the mouse while the cursor is positioned within the graphics window!

PART PRIORITY

The part priority mode allows the selection of individual parts in the active or inactive assembly or subassembly. When a subassembly is edited in-place, the parts belonging to the edited subassembly and those belonging to the parent assembly can be selected.

STEPS:

1. With the accumulator assembly still open, go to the Quick Access Toolbar. Click on the Selection Priority drop-down and click Select Part Priority.
2. Now, point at the various parts of the assembly and notice that all the individual part can be selected including those belonging to the two subassemblies (Mount Frame & Tube & Pipe Runs).
3. Double click on the Mount Frame subassembly in the Browser to edit it in-place. Other components of the parent assembly are grayed out.
4. 
5. With the part priority mode still active, point the mouse over the assembly. Notice that the individual frames making up the Mount Frame subassembly can be selected in addition to other parts that do not belong to the active assembly.
6. Click Return at the right of ribbon to return to the parent assembly.

FEATURE PRIORITY

The feature priority mode allows the selection of features on any part in the active part or assembly. Features located on part not belonging to the active part or assembly cannot be selected. Sketched, placed, and work features can be selected in this mode. Sketched features are those features that are created with the Extrude, Revolve, Loft, Sweep, Rib, Coil, and Emboss tools. Placed features are those features that are created with the Fillet, Chamfer, Hole, Shell, Draft, and Thread tools. Work features include work planes, work axes, and work points.

STEPS:

1. With the accumulator assembly still open, go to the Quick Access Toolbar. Click on the Selection Priority drop-down and click Select Feature Priority.
2. In the graphics area, point the cursor over the assembly. Notice that only features are selected.
3. Double click on any component on the Browser to edit it in-place. Notice that only the features belonging to the edited component is selected and those belonging the inactive components cannot be selected.
4. Click on Return at the right end of the ribbon to return to the parent assembly.

FACES AND EDGES PRIORITY

The Faces and Edges priority mode allows the selection of only faces and edges of an active. Faces and edges of parts that do not belong to the active part cannot be selected.

STEP:

1. With the accumulator assembly still open, go to the Quick Access Toolbar. Click on the Selection Priority drop-down and click Select Faces and Edges Priority.
2. Point the cursor over the assembly. Notice that only the faces and edges of the parts are selected.

SKETCH FEATURE PRIORITY

The Sketch Feature priority mode allows the selection of only visible sketches and model edges and vertices of any part in the assembly.

STEP:

1. With the accumulator assembly still open, go to the Quick Access Toolbar. Click on the Selection Priority drop-down and click Select Sketch Feature priority.
2. Point the cursor over the assembly. Notice that only model edges and vertices are selected. If there is any visible sketch, it can also be selected in the mode.