Illustrator - selecting objects from selected "layers"

Question

Is there any way to... Let's say I got a layer with 15 paths. I want to select 8 of them by clicking first and then shift+clicking eighth. Now I want to operate on them, e.g. change color. How to translate this "layers" selection to actual objects selection?

Answer 1

In the Illustrator Layers palette, there are two selection modes: the one in which you are selecting the layer entity for doing layer operations like dragging above, grouping into a new layer etc - and then one in which you are selecting the actual geometry - to do this, you click the little radio button to the right of the item's name.

This selection type does not support shift-click first, shift-click-last multi-item selection, but does support shift-click each to create a multi-item selection, at which point you can edit all elements.

Answer 2

scenario

If only to "level-set" on how I'm describing what I believe is the motivation for the post I also have several layers and sublayers.

I have a drawing object where I want to select some of the points using the "direct select tool [A]". The problem (like the one described above), is that I have several very complex objects that overlap the object I want to work on (present on "sibling" layers; i.e., each share the same "parent" layer).

solution 1

To prevent selecting points that belong to other objects present on other sublayers, I lock those layers. I get only the points I wanted to.

IMO it feels like a "hack" despite it being relatively straightforward, I still have to toggle multiple layer-locks.

solution 2 (best)

My intuition was to look for a "layer mode" where I could "isolate" the currently selected layer. In my version of illustrator (v26), I can do this.

Select the layer that has multiple sublayers. Using the "selection tool [V]", double click on the object that you want to eventually edit using the "direct select tool [S]". Once you double click, the workspace will "grey-out" the objects in the now "deactivated" layers. In the layers window you will see only one sublayer - the sublayer you just double clicked on.

In this "mode" you can now use the the "direct select tool [S]" to make the edits you intended. I suspect you can do a bunch more things as well.

To exit this mode, hit the "esc" key to re-activate all of the layers.

Perhaps where credit is due

I first experienced this activation/deactivation of layers using LucidChart about 4 years ago (I'm just a user). A clever functionality that I have since seen in several "layer" using apps.