Selecting

This page discusses specific selecting tools for curve objects in Edit mode. The Curve Edit more also uses the general select tools used which are described in the interface section.

Curve selection in Edit Mode has fewer options than with meshes. Mainly this is, because there is only one selectable element type, the control points (no select mode needed here…). These points are a bit more complex than simple vertices, however, especially for Bézier curves, as there is the central vertex, and its two handles…

The basic tools are the same as with meshes, so you can select a simple control point with the LMB, add to current selection with Shift-LMB, Box Select B, and so on.

One word about the Bézier control points: when you select the main central vertex, the two handles are automatically selected too, so you can move it as a whole, without creating an angle in the curve. However, when you select a handle, only this vertex is selected, allowing you to modify this control vector…

Note that, unlike mesh edges, you cannot directly select a segment. Instead, select all of the control points that make up the segment you want to edit.

Select Menu

With curves, all “advanced” selection options are grouped in the Select menu of the 3D Viewport header.

All A
Select all.
None Alt-A
Select none.
Inverse Ctrl-I
Selects all the geometry that are not selected, and deselect currently selected components.
Box Select B
Interactive box selection.
Circle Select C
Interactive circle selection.
Select Random
Select random control points.
Checker Deselect
Select every Nth control point.
Select Linked Ctrl-L
Select control points that are connected to the current selection.
Select Similar Shift-G
Select control points that have similar properties to the current selection.
(De)select First/Last
Toggle the selection of the first or last control point(s).
Select Next/Previous
Selects the next or previous control points.
Select More/Less
Select objects based on their parent child relationships.

Select Random

Reference

Mode:Edit Mode
Menu:Select ‣ Select Random

Select Random control points.

Percent
Selects the defined percentage of control points.
Random Seed
Seed used by the pseudo-random number generator.
Action
Controls whether the operator Selects or Deselects control points.

Checker Deselect

Reference

Mode:Edit Mode
Menu:Select ‣ Checker Deselect

This tool applies an alternating selected/deselected checker pattern. This only works if you already have more than one control point selected.

It works by changing the current selection so that only every Nth control points will remain selected, starting from the active one.

Nth Selection
Skip every Nth element leaving it selected.
Skip
Number of consecutive elements to skip (keep selected) at once.
Offset
Offset from the starting point.

Select Linked

Reference

Mode:Edit Mode
Menu:Select ‣ Select Linked
Hotkey:L, Ctrl-L, Shift-L

L (or Ctrl-L for all) will add to the selection the cursor’s nearest control point, and all the linked ones, i.e. all points belonging to the same curve. Note that for Bézier, using L with a handle selected will select the whole control point and all the linked ones.

Select Similar

Reference

Mode:Edit Mode
Menu:Select ‣ Select Similar
Hotkey:Shift-G

Selects control points that have certain similar properties to the active one. The Adjust Last Operation panel provides several selection options:

Type
Type
Selects splines that have the same spline Type i.e. Bézier, NURBS or Poly.
Radius
Selects control points that have a similar Radius value.
Weight
Selects all points that have a similar Weight value.
Direction
Selects control points that have a similar handles direction.
Compare
Equal, Greater, Less. (only for Radius, Weight) (ToDo 2.76)
Threshold
Precision (ToDo 2.76)

(De)select First/Last

Reference

Mode:Edit Mode
Menu:Select ‣ (De)select First, Select ‣ (De)select Last

These operators will toggle the selection of the first or last control point(s) of the curve(s) in the object. This is useful to quickly find the start of a curve (e.g. when using it as path…).

Select Next/Previous

Reference

Mode:Edit Mode
Menu:Select ‣ Select Next, Select ‣ Select Previous

These operators will select the next or previous control point(s), based on the current selection (i.e. the control points following or preceding the selected ones along the curve). In case of a cyclic curve, the first and last points are not considered as neighbors.

Select More/Less

Reference

Mode:Edit Mode
Menu:Select ‣ More/Less
Hotkey:Ctrl-NumpadPlus, Ctrl-NumpadMinus

Their purpose, based on the currently selected control points, is to reduce or enlarge this selection.

More
For each selected control point, select all its linked points (i.e. one or two…).
Less
For each selected control point, if all points linked to this point are selected, keep this one selected. Otherwise, de-select it.

This implies two points:

  1. When all control points of a curve are selected, nothing will happen (as for Less, all linked points are always selected, and of course, More cannot add any). Conversely, the same goes when no control points are selected.
  2. Second, these tools will never “go outside” of a curve (they will never “jump” to another curve in the same object).

Pick Shortest Path

Reference

Mode:Edit Mode
Menu:Operator Search ‣ Pick Shortest Path
Hotkey:Ctrl-LMB

Selects the curve segments between two control points: the active and the one under the cursor. In the case of a closed curve, the shortest path will be selected.