Selecting Tasks in the Workflow

The Workflow editor provides several methods for selecting tasks, allowing you to perform bulk actions such as moving groups, defining shared properties, or creating connections.

Selection Mode

While you can select a single task at any time, certain bulk selection features require Selection Mode to be active. Click the Selection button in the floating toolbar, or press 2 on your keyboard to activate it.

Behavior: When active, your cursor becomes a selection tool, allowing you to "lasso" groups of tasks.

Selection Methods

You can select tasks using several methods depending on whether you need to target a single object or a large group.

  • Single Selection: Click a task box to select it.

  • Multiple Individual Selection: Press and hold Ctrl, then click each task you want to include.

  • Group (Marquee or Lasso) Selection: Click an empty space on the canvas and drag your mouse to create a selection box over the desired tasks.

  • Multiple Group Selection: Press and hold Ctrl while clicking and dragging over different areas of the Workflow.

Panning and Zooming While Selecting

In large Workflows, the tasks you need to select may not all be visible at once. You can navigate the canvas without losing your current selection:

  • Simultaneous panning

    Use the Middle Mouse Button (scroll wheel click) or hold the Spacebar while dragging to move across the canvas. Your current selection remains highlighted.

  • Keyboard panning

    Use the Arrow Keys to nudge the view in any direction.

  • Zooming

    Use the Mouse Wheel or the + / - keys to zoom out for a bird's-eye view, select your tasks, and zoom back in.

Deselecting Tasks

  • To clear all, click any empty space on the canvas.

  • To remove one task, press Ctrl and click a highlighted task to remove it from the current selection.

  • To bulk deselect (exclude), press Alt and drag a selection box over tasks within your current selection to deselect them all at once.

URL Persistence and Task Sharing

The Workflow editor dynamically updates the browser URL based on your selection. This feature improves navigation and collaboration.

Returning to a Selected Task

If you select a task and navigate away from the Workflow editor, you can use the browser's Back button to return. Upon returning:

  • The task remains selected.

  • The editor automatically scrolls to display the selected task in the center of the canvas.

Sharing Direct Links

When you select a task, the URL fragment in your browser address bar is updated to include the specific task name. This lets you share it with your teammates; simply copy the URL from your browser and send it to them. When they click the link, the Workflow editor opens with that specific task already selected and centered in their view.

Working with Selected Tasks

Once tasks are selected, you can perform several high-efficiency actions:

  • Bulk movement

    Click and drag any of the selected tasks to move the entire group while maintaining their relative positions and connection logic.

  • Common properties

    Right-click the selection to open the context menu. Only options that are common to all selected tasks will be displayed (for example, Properties, Edit, Replace).

  • Selection count

    To see exactly how many tasks you have currently selected, look at the header of the Properties pane at the bottom of the editor.

  • Bulk connection

    Select multiple successor tasks first, then switch to Connection Mode (press 3) and draw a line from a predecessor. The connection will be applied to all tasks in your selection simultaneously.

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