Cannot Select Objects using mouse cursor (Word 2010)

Question

Hi

I recently upgraded from Office 2007 Pro to 2010 Pro+. I inserted some shapes and when to select them - prior to grouping. I did the 'normal' thing: click the arrow shape on the ribbon, clicked Select Objects, brought my cursor on the page again and left-click and hold while I lasooed the objects. The lasooe part didn't happen. Nothing was captured by moving the cursor over the area where the objects were.

Can anyone suggest what's happening, and how it can be put right?

Thanks

Answer 1

Lasso selection works as long as the document is in Word 97-2003 format (in Compatibility Mode). When it's converted to Word 2010 format (or created new in Word 2010), dragging doesn't even show the lasso outline.

This is not true in Word 2007, which does lasso selection in both formats.

I assume this has something to do with the change in the graphics engine between 20007 and 2010, but it's a bug whether Microsoft classifies it that way or not. Ctrl+click is not a usable substitute when there are a large number of small pieces to be grouped.

As a sort-of-workaround, try using the Selection Pane (on the dropdown from the Select button). Unfortunately, that doesn't support Shift+click to select a lot of items in one click.

Answer 2

Another way to select multiple object is to display the selection pane and hold down the CTRL key while clicking on the objects that are to be selected.  They can then be grouped via the Drawing Tools>Format tab of the ribbon.

Answer 3

Note that that workaround has been mentioned repeatedly in this very thread...

Answer 4

Down right ridiculous, huh!  WELL, someone sent me this and it really saves a great deal of time.

Thanks Jay,I saved 5 hours today moving some objects around after reading your post.I simply saved-as my document back into 2003 .doc format, used the lasso no problem, then saved back to 2010.Crazy way to run a railroad but it worked!MS and other software companies today are 80% marketing firms and maybe 20% programming firms. All their code is junk, but if they spend millions in advertising Americans will buy just about anything including water bottled from the Detroit River! Guess that is a successful business formula, -idiots like me keep buying their stuff......Cheers!

Answer 5

In what way to you claim that it is broken?  I have never had any problem with it.