Select All Shapes Within a Selection Rectangle

SUMMARY: Select all shapes in a Visio 2007 diagram within a mouse selection rectangle, whether or not the rectangle completely surrounds the shapes.

When you use the pointer tool in a Microsoft Visio 2007 document, you can hold the mouse button down and move the pointer to create a selection rectangle that selects multiple shapes simultaneously. This allows you to perform tasks on multiple shapes at once such as moving shapes or adjusting formatting properties.

By default, only the shapes completely surrounded by the rectangle will be added to the selection. You can adjust this setting so that any shape even partially surrounded by the rectangle will be added.

1. Select "Tools" - "Options".

2. The "Options" multi-tabbed dialog box appears. Click the "General" tab.


3. Underneath "Drawing window options", check "Select shapes partially within area".

4. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.