ENHANCED SELECTION FILTERING WITHIN COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN
Examples can include a system for filtering selections made within a computer-aided design (“CAD”) application. A plugin can generate a filter designer window that is displayed on a graphical user interface (“GUI”). The plugin can receive criteria for a first filter based on an edit tab that allows the user to select a parameter, operator, and operand. The user can categorize and edit the filters and apply them to the selection. The plugin can loop through elements within a selection box and automatically deselect elements that do not meet the criteria of the first filter. Remaining selected elements can be visually indicated as specified by the first filter.
1 . A method for filtering selections in a computer-aided design application, comprising:
generating, with a selection engine, a filter designer window within a graphical user interface (“GUI”);
receiving criteria for a first filter to apply to an element type based on selections of a parameter, operator, and operand;
for a selected area on the GUI, determining first elements within the area that meet the element type and criteria of the first filter; and
visually indicating, on the GUI, the first elements based on the first filter.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining first elements within the area includes:
for a set of elements within the area criteria, automatically de-selecting elements that do not meet the criteria by making an application programming interface (“API”) call from the selection engine to the GUI.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating a set of different filters using the filter designer window, wherein the first filter is within the set.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing second elements that do not meet the criteria of the first filter to hide or display as transparent.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter is chosen from a list of parameters populated based on element types within the GUI, wherein common attributes of the element types are used to populate the parameter list.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operator and operand form a comparison against an element that exists within the GUI, and wherein the criteria include an and/or condition.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first filter includes a color coding and transparency that are used for visually indicating the first elements.
8 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructions for filtering selections made as part of computer-aided design, wherein a processor executes the instructions to perform stages comprising:
generating, with a selection engine, a filter designer window within a graphical user interface (“GUI”);
receiving criteria for a first filter to apply to an element type based on selections of a parameter, operator, and operand;
for a selected area on the GUI, determining first elements within the area that meet the element type and criteria of the first filter; and
visually indicating, on the GUI, the first elements based on the first filter.
9 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining first elements within the area includes:
for a set of elements within the area criteria, automatically de-selecting elements that do not meet the criteria by making an application programming interface (“API”) call from the selection engine to the GUI.
10 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the stages further comprising creating a set of different filters using the filter designer window, wherein the first filter is within the set.
11 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the stages further comprising causing second elements that do not meet the criteria of the first filter to hide or display as transparent.
12 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the parameter is chosen from a list of parameters populated based on element types within the GUI, wherein common attributes of the element types are used to populate the parameter list.
13 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the operator and operand form a comparison against an element that exists within the GUI, and wherein the criteria include an and/or condition.
14 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first filter includes a color coding and transparency that are used for visually indicating the first elements.
15 . A system for filtering selections in computer-aided design, comprising:
a processor that executes instructions for running a design application having an application programming interface (“API”);
a memory that includes code for a plugin, the plugin interacting with the API to cause the processor to perform stages including:
generating, with a selection engine, a filter designer window within a graphical user interface (“GUI”);
receiving criteria for a first filter to apply to an element type based on selections of a parameter, operator, and operand;
for a selected area on the GUI, determining first elements within the area that meet the element type and criteria of the first filter; and
visually indicating, on the GUI, the first elements based on the first filter.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein determining first elements within the area includes:
for a set of elements within the area criteria, automatically de-selecting elements that do not meet the criteria by making an application programming interface (“API”) call from the selection engine to the GUI.
17 . The system of claim 15 , the stages further comprising creating a set of different filters using the filter designer window, wherein the first filter is within the set.
18 . The system of claim 15 , the stages further comprising causing second elements that do not meet the criteria of the first filter to hide or display as transparent.
19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the parameter is chosen from a list of parameters populated based on element types within the GUI, wherein common attributes of the element types are used to populate the parameter list.
20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first filter includes a color coding and transparency that are used for visually indicating the first elements.