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Select Multiple Items

With Volt MX Iris, you can select multiple items located under the same parent at the same nesting level, making it easier to make changes to their common properties.

Select Multiple Items from the Project Explorer

Select Multiple Items from the Iris Canvas

Deselect All Items

Availability of Properties and Commands with Multiple Items Selected

The following tables list the common properties that are editable and the context-menu commands that are functional when multiple items are selected. These vary depending on where in the Volt MX Iris user interface you access them.

Availability of Properties

Availability of Context Menu Commands

Availability of Properties

Availability of Tabs in the Properties Editor

Available Properties on the Look Tab

Availability of Tabs in the Properties Editor

The following table lists which tabs are available and unavailable in the Properties Editor when multiple items are selected:

TabAvailability
LookSome properties are available, depending on what properties are common among the selected items. The Look tab properties available across all selectable items are listed in this table.
SkinUnavailable.
WidgetUnavailable.
ActionUnavailable.
ReviewAll functionality is available.

Available Properties on the Look Tab

The following properties are available to edit on the Look tab of the Properties Editor when multiple items are selected:

PropertyAvailability
Appearance propertiesUnavailable.
Padding propertiesUnavailable.
VisibleAvailable.
LeftAvailable.
RightAvailable.
TopAvailable.
BottomAvailable.
WidthAvailable.
HeightAvailable.
Min WidthAvailable.
Max WidthAvailable.
Min HeightAvailable.
Max HeightAvailable.
Center XAvailable.
Center YAvailable.
Z IndexAvailable.

Availability of Context Menu Commands

Available Project Explorer Commands

Unavailable Project Explorer Commands

Available Iris Canvas Commands

Unavailable Iris Canvas Commands

Available Project Explorer Commands

The following context menu commands are available on the Project tab of the Project Explorer when multiple items are selected:

Context Menu CommandDescription
CutCuts the selected items, removing them and placing them on the clipboard.
CopyCopies the selected items.
PasteDeselects the selected widgets and pastes the widgets from the clipboard into the selected container or form.
DeleteDeletes the selected items.
Hide on Canvas and Unhide on CanvasWhen items are visible on the Iris Canvas, the Hide on Canvas command is available. Selecting Hide on Canvas makes the selected items invisible on the Iris canvas, but they are still listed on the Project tab of the Project Explorer. When items are invisible on the Iris Canvas, the Unhide on Canvas command is available. Selecting Unhide on Canvas makes the selected items visible once again on the Iris canvas.
Lock and UnlockSelecting Lock makes the selected items undraggable or resizable using the mouse on the Iris Canvas, although their common properties on the Look tab of the Properties Editor can be modified. Selecting Unlock unlocks the selected items and makes them capable of being dragged and resized using the mouse on the Iris Canvas.

Unavailable Project Explorer Commands

The following context menu commands are not available on the Project tab of the Project Explorer when multiple items are selected:

Context Menu FunctionDescription
Move UpDisabled since widgets may belong to too many separate hierarchies
Move DownDisabled since widgets may belong to too many separate hierarchies
Rename 
UnparentDisabled since widgets may belong to too many separate hierarchies

Available Iris Canvas Commands

The following context menu commands are available on the Iris Canvas when multiple items are selected:

Context Menu CommandDescription
CutCuts the selected items, removing them and placing them on the clipboard.
CopyCopies the selected items.
PasteDeselects the selected widgets and pastes the widgets from the clipboard into the selected container or form.
DeleteDeletes the selected items.
DuplicateDeselects the selected widgets and duplicates them into the selected container or form
Bring ForwardBrings the entire set of selected widgets to a higher Z Index
Bring to FrontBrings the entire set of selected widgets in front of the highest Z Index
Send BackwardBrings the entire set of selected widgets to a lower Z Index
Send to BackBrings the entire set of selected widgets to the behind the lowest Z Index
Hide on Canvas and Unhide on CanvasWhen items are visible on the Iris Canvas, the Hide on Canvas command is available. Selecting Hide on Canvas makes the selected items invisible on the Iris canvas, but they are still listed on the Project tab of the Project Explorer. When items are invisible on the Iris Canvas, the Unhide on Canvas command is available. Selecting Unhide on Canvas makes the selected items visible once again on the Iris canvas.
Lock and UnlockSelecting Lock makes the selected items undraggable or resizable using the mouse on the Iris Canvas, although their common properties on the Look tab of the Properties Editor can be modified. Selecting Unlock unlocks the selected items and makes them capable of being dragged and resized using the mouse on the Iris Canvas.
Group IntoThe available sub-commands are:Flex ContainerFlex Scroll Container
Convert to ComponentNests the selected items, along with any instance of a component that might be present, into a new component.
Select AllSelects all of the widgets within the Iris Canvas or the selected container. Selects only the widgets that are direct descendents of the Iris Canvas.

Unavailable Iris Canvas Commands

The following context menu commands are not available on the Iris Canvas when multiple items are selected:

Context Menu CommandDescription
Widget ActionsNo Widget Actions are available in the context menu when multiple widgets are selected.
Add to Collection 
Create Widgets From ComponentAvailable only if a single component is selected.

Select Multiple Items from the Project Explorer

To select multiple items from the Project Explorer, do the following:

  1. On the Project Explorer, navigate to the form that contains the widgets you want to select.
  2. Expand the form on the Project Explorer so that all of its widgets are listed.
  3. While holding down the Ctrl key, click the widgets within the same nesting level that you want to select. The name of each widget you select becomes highlighted.

Note: If you mistakenly select an item, to deselect, click it again.

Select Multiple Items from the Iris Canvas

To select multiple items from the Iris Canvas, do one of the following:

  • On the Iris Canvas, while holding down the Ctrl key, click the widgets that you want to select. The boundary handles of each widget you select become highlighted. For multiple to be selected, they must all be located under the same parent at the same nesting level.
  • On the Iris Canvas, click anywhere outside of the outline of the device, and then drag the widgets, selecting the ones you want.

Note: If you mistakenly select an item, to deselect, click it again.

Deselect All Items

  • To deselect all items, on the Iris Canvas, click anywhere outside the outline of the device.