Delay in selecting layer objects

[Jim Monson]

In my work in editing a complex geology map I have carefully planned text and graphic layers, e.g., scores of site names are all under one layer, their dot locations are under a different layer, etc., for some twelve layers. Sometimes there are sublayers under these layers.

I just completed another complex map with many layers and objects in Illustrator (not yet brought into AD) and noted how quickly my selection of an object allowed me to move it or edit it. Returning to AD I suddenly discovered that after double clicking on a site name, AD had to first select the entire group and then (but not always) it selected the object and often took me inside the frame text even though I only wanted to move the name. Since I work very quickly in the editing process using my convenient keyboard shortcuts, I found that I had to wait and sometimes even start the select process again to avoid moving the entire layer of object or having my shortcut key appear in the text frame. Often I must use esc to start the selection process over again until I finally get the selection I wanted in the first place.

Is there anyway to speed up AD's selection process so that it would be like Illustrator, i.e., immediately select the specific object (as a site name) rather than go through the AD process of selecting the group and then selecting the object? That option under Preferences would be a great help.

[stokerg]

9 hours ago, Jim Monson said:

Is there anyway to speed up AD's selection process so that it would be like Illustrator, i.e., immediately select the specific object (as a site name) rather than go through the AD process of selecting the group and then selecting the object? That option under Preferences would be a great help.

With the Move Tool selected, you could hold down the CTRL key and then click on an item thats been grouped, that should just select the item you clicked on and allow you to move it.  Not ideal as it's not a keyboard shortcut as such, as you'd need to use the mouse.  But i've just tried this on a text box and each time it selected the text box in the group and allowed me to move it straight away.    

[Jim Monson]

Many thanks, although I find that I must hold down the CMD key rather than the CTRL. Works beautifully. I should have guessed that you folks at Affinity would have addressed this already. Getting back to AD from AI is such a relief!