How to select multiple paths that are adjacent in the layers window?

Question

Given the following setup:

How can I quickly select all orange circles in Layer 1 in order to edit them, as shown here:

It seems like this should be somehow possible through the layers window, but when I shift-click they're being only highlighted, not properly selected. Obviously I want to avoid shift-clicking each and every one of them, and I also do not mean any Select->Same->Fill color commands.

Answer 1

Lock Layer 2.

Select 1 orange circle and choose Select > Same > Fill & Stroke

Unlock layer 2 if needed.

You'll need to explain why select same is not a viable solution since it does work and is the quickest method.

If you are restricted to only using the Layers Panel, I'm afraid shift-clicking the circle to the right of the object name is the only method I'm aware of.

Answer 2

1. Make a sublayer

2. Select all the adjacent objects

   1. Click the first
   2. Shift+click the last

3. Drag them to the sublayer

4. Click the selection button on the sublayer (the small circle to the right of the name).

Answer 3

If locking layer 2 is for some reason unacceptable, you could also group the orange circles on layer 1. Then, you can single-click the entire group of orange circles from your layers panel.

Then use isolation mode (by double-clicking one of your orange circles) to move/change circles individually:

Or if you don't want to separate yellow and orange circles inside the blue circle in to two different groups, group all the orange/yellow circles in the blue circle together^*, and then from within isolation mode utilize Select > Same > Fill & Stroke as Scott recommends.

_{*By doing this, you will not be able to select all orange circles from the layers panel without doing it manually, as you are now.}

Answer 4

Though this thread is an old one, but yesterday I came across a similar situation and found a beautiful solution (in CS6, I can't say about other versions).

Just click to the right of layer/object name (in the gray area) of the first layer/object in the series of oranges. And then shift click on the last layer name (name's right side). And then Layer Panel Menu> Collect in new layer. And now all the objects you wanted to select have been made together in one layer at the same hierarchy as they were before.

Hope it put forth a new solution to your old problem.