Surface selection difficulties

Stiglr · 21st April 2011, 11:59 AM

Since using the latest AC3D 6.7, I've noticed that it's increasingly difficult to get any kind of accuracy when selecting surfaces. Even when I zoom in to an area, when I drag or click to select a surface, the selection I get is often just plain "wrong". As an example, I'm trying to get rid of a duplicate or unnecessary surface. I maneuver the 3D view such that the surface I want is below the surface I don't want to select. I start a drag select from below the surface I wish to select, and let go of the mouse button when the edge of the "lasso" is just touching the lower surface. The upper surface (the one I DON'T want) gets selected and the lower one stays unselected!!! This is with Select Through checked.

Is this possibly a video driver issue, or what?

Andy · 21st April 2011, 03:31 PM

Check you haven't got global anti-aliasing set in your graphics card control panel.

Stiglr · 21st April 2011, 04:01 PM

This is on a laptop, and it hasn't any standalone graphics card. The control panel object "Intel GMA Driver for Mobile" to manage the onboard video makes no mention whatever of antialiasing.

Andy · 22nd April 2011, 02:12 AM

Aha - Intel - Try reducing the acceleration or changing the screen depth.

Stiglr · 22nd April 2011, 12:04 PM

What do you mean by "screen depth"?

Is that the resolution (currently at 1280 x 960, where I LIKE it) or the bit setting (I'm currently at 32-bit, but have option for 16-)?

zilverenmist · 29th April 2011, 12:23 AM

http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=82814&mpage=1

I think you might find an answer searching for yourcard and settings, obove answer looked to be best to solve your problem.

It is a ques.

coldby · 12th May 2011, 10:13 AM

Sorry for the stupid question but... have you tried unmarking the "select through" checkbox?
In my experience that should allow you to select only the uppermost surface with just a click, no dragging.

Stiglr · 12th May 2011, 11:56 AM

No question is stupid. I don't mind.

I'm very familiar with the Select Through box. No, this is definitely the program "misreading" selections. Although I haven't got to the bottom of it, I'm sure it's some kind of video setting issue.

Side note: the specs listed in my signature are of my home gaming rig, not of the laptop that's having these difficulties. Just to avoid confusion....

zilverenmist · 12th May 2011, 12:03 PM

could also be a hierarchy issue, if some backfaced polygons are in front you don't see them, but are collected. can also happen if you grouped parts, or if you used the mirror option the mirrored part is automatically merged to the original.
Hope this may lead to new insights, I think I had that problem starting to learn ac3d.

bofore doing partial sellection you can also use to fragment an object before sellecting.

am not that sure anymore it is a videocard issue

Snow · 15th November 2012, 09:26 AM

AC3D 7.0.11 and it's still hard to get a selection as intended.

21st April 2011, 11:59 AM	#1
Stiglr Senior Member Professional user Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 604	Surface selection difficulties Since using the latest AC3D 6.7, I've noticed that it's increasingly difficult to get any kind of accuracy when selecting surfaces. Even when I zoom in to an area, when I drag or click to select a surface, the selection I get is often just plain "wrong". As an example, I'm trying to get rid of a duplicate or unnecessary surface. I maneuver the 3D view such that the surface I want is below the surface I don't want to select. I start a drag select from below the surface I wish to select, and let go of the mouse button when the edge of the "lasso" is just touching the lower surface. The upper surface (the one I DON'T want) gets selected and the lower one stays unselected!!! This is with Select Through checked. Is this possibly a video driver issue, or what? __________________ Flight Sim Project Contributor My Gaming Rig: i5 2500K Quad-Core CPU at 3.3GHz MSI P67A-C43 mobo 4GB of PC12800 DDR3 memory Windows 7 1GB Galaxy GeForce GTX550 Ti video card GeForce 270.61 drivers (4/2011) Cougar joystick/throttle combo CH Pedals

21st April 2011, 03:31 PM	#2
Andy Administrator Professional user Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 4,565	Re: Surface selection difficulties Check you haven't got global anti-aliasing set in your graphics card control panel.

21st April 2011, 04:01 PM	#3
Stiglr Senior Member Professional user Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 604	Re: Surface selection difficulties This is on a laptop, and it hasn't any standalone graphics card. The control panel object "Intel GMA Driver for Mobile" to manage the onboard video makes no mention whatever of antialiasing. __________________ Flight Sim Project Contributor My Gaming Rig: i5 2500K Quad-Core CPU at 3.3GHz MSI P67A-C43 mobo 4GB of PC12800 DDR3 memory Windows 7 1GB Galaxy GeForce GTX550 Ti video card GeForce 270.61 drivers (4/2011) Cougar joystick/throttle combo CH Pedals

22nd April 2011, 02:12 AM	#4
Andy Administrator Professional user Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 4,565	Re: Surface selection difficulties Aha - Intel - Try reducing the acceleration or changing the screen depth.

22nd April 2011, 12:04 PM	#5
Stiglr Senior Member Professional user Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 604	Re: Surface selection difficulties What do you mean by "screen depth"? Is that the resolution (currently at 1280 x 960, where I LIKE it) or the bit setting (I'm currently at 32-bit, but have option for 16-)? __________________ Flight Sim Project Contributor My Gaming Rig: i5 2500K Quad-Core CPU at 3.3GHz MSI P67A-C43 mobo 4GB of PC12800 DDR3 memory Windows 7 1GB Galaxy GeForce GTX550 Ti video card GeForce 270.61 drivers (4/2011) Cougar joystick/throttle combo CH Pedals

29th April 2011, 12:23 AM	#6
zilverenmist Member Advanced member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Netherlands Posts: 32	Re: Surface selection difficulties http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=82814&mpage=1 I think you might find an answer searching for yourcard and settings, obove answer looked to be best to solve your problem. It is a ques. __________________ If it does not work, I'll try again

12th May 2011, 10:13 AM	#7
coldby Senior Member Professional user Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 102	Re: Surface selection difficulties Sorry for the stupid question but... have you tried unmarking the "select through" checkbox? In my experience that should allow you to select only the uppermost surface with just a click, no dragging.

12th May 2011, 11:56 AM	#8
Stiglr Senior Member Professional user Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 604	Re: Surface selection difficulties No question is stupid. I don't mind. I'm very familiar with the Select Through box. No, this is definitely the program "misreading" selections. Although I haven't got to the bottom of it, I'm sure it's some kind of video setting issue. Side note: the specs listed in my signature are of my home gaming rig, not of the laptop that's having these difficulties. Just to avoid confusion.... __________________ Flight Sim Project Contributor My Gaming Rig: i5 2500K Quad-Core CPU at 3.3GHz MSI P67A-C43 mobo 4GB of PC12800 DDR3 memory Windows 7 1GB Galaxy GeForce GTX550 Ti video card GeForce 270.61 drivers (4/2011) Cougar joystick/throttle combo CH Pedals Last edited by Stiglr; 12th May 2011 at 12:02 PM.

12th May 2011, 12:03 PM	#9
zilverenmist Member Advanced member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Netherlands Posts: 32	Re: Surface selection difficulties could also be a hierarchy issue, if some backfaced polygons are in front you don't see them, but are collected. can also happen if you grouped parts, or if you used the mirror option the mirrored part is automatically merged to the original. Hope this may lead to new insights, I think I had that problem starting to learn ac3d. bofore doing partial sellection you can also use to fragment an object before sellecting. am not that sure anymore it is a videocard issue __________________ If it does not work, I'll try again Last edited by zilverenmist; 12th May 2011 at 12:06 PM. Reason: added one more option

15th November 2012, 09:26 AM	#10
Snow Member Advanced member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Deiningen, Germany Posts: 45	Re: Surface selection difficulties AC3D 7.0.11 and it's still hard to get a selection as intended. __________________ Mac Pro 8-Core - 12 GB RAM - ATI Radeon HD 5870 - VRAM 1024 MB - Mac OS X 10.6.7 - Cinema Display 20'' Whisky Air Charter - Virtual X-Plane Charter Company