SOLVED Selecting Objects in Order

I encountered what I believed was a bug in doc.SetActiveObjects(object, c4d.SELECTION_ADD). The objects that I selected would return a different order than I expected when I used doc.GetActiveObjects(c4d.GETACTIVEOBJECTFLAGS_SELECTIONORDER|c4d.GETACTIVEOBJECTFLAGS_CHILDREN).

---

Here's the bug report I wrote up:

Issue

doc.SetActiveObject() does not seem to track object selection order.

To Reproduce

1. Create a new project file.
2. Add 3 cubes: A, B, C
3. Select them in order: A, B, C
4. Create a new script, and paste this in:

"""Name-en-US: Print and Reverse Selection
Description-en-US: Prints the names of all objects in the order they were selected. Then attempts to reverse selection order.
"""

import c4d
from c4d import gui

def main():
    # Get Active Objects
    active_objects = doc.GetActiveObjects(c4d.GETACTIVEOBJECTFLAGS_SELECTIONORDER|c4d.GETACTIVEOBJECTFLAGS_CHILDREN)
    if not active_objects:
        return
    
    # Collect the names of all objects, deselect as you go.
    names = []
    for obj in active_objects:
        names.append(obj.GetName())
        doc.SetActiveObject(obj, c4d.SELECTION_SUB)
    
    # Print the name of the objects based on their initial selection order.
    print names
    
    # Reselect the objects in reverse order
    for obj in reversed(active_objects):
        doc.SetActiveObject(obj, c4d.SELECTION_ADD)
    
    # Let C4D know something has changed
    c4d.EventAdd()

if __name__=='__main__':
    main()

5. Run this script.

The console prints: ['a', 'b', 'c']

6. Run this script again.

BUG: The console again prints: ['a', 'b', 'c']

EXPECTED: The console prints the new reverse selection order. ['c', 'b', 'a']

Reference

Documentation

• c4d.documents.BaseDocument — Cinema 4D SDK 21.026 documentation

Related Posts

• active Objects SELECTIONORDER | PluginCafé
• Adding to document selection issue | PluginCafé
• selection order and shift-select | PluginCafé

---

Turns out, it isn't a bug, but is instead a documentation issue. By calling doc.GetActiveObject() after each selection (as described here) you can update the selection caches and the selection order will appropriately update.

    # Reselect the objects in reverse order
    for obj in reversed(active_objects):
        doc.SetActiveObject(obj, c4d.SELECTION_ADD)
        
        # Update selection caches, needed if you want to use SELECTIONORDER
        # Reference: https://plugincafe.maxon.net/topic/9307/12387_adding-to-document-selection-issue/3
        doc.GetActiveObject()

Request

Please add this information to the doc.SetActiveObject, doc.SetSelection, and doc.GetActiveObjects sections of the Python and C++ documentation, and mention it as a possible fix for the Shift Select bug which I've encountered previously.

Thank you,

Donovan

Hi @dskeithbuck thanks for reaching us.

In fact, it's written in the C++ BaseDocument - Selection Manual but I agree maybe a note in the function will be welcome.

IN any case, I will add a note for the python doc.
Thanks again.

Cheers,
Maxime.