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Smart Box Select

by R4V3N·Workflow

Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.

Why we like it

Smart Box Select earns its place in the Blender Extensions library by fixing a narrow but real annoyance: how the active object is handled during box and lasso selection.

What is Smart Box Select?

Smart Box Select addresses a specific gap in Blender: the default Box Select doesn't change object activation, since it's unclear which object should become active when several are selected at once. In Object Mode, Box Select also can't make an armature active — you have to click it. R4V3N notes this is painful for animators working with a pen tablet.

The add-on introduces two tools, Smart Box Select and Smart Lasso Select, that automatically set the object closest to the mouse cursor as the active object. Shift drag extends a selection and Ctrl drag subtracts from it. As of version 1.0.2, a drag distance that's too short is treated as a click.

It's compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer, requires no special permissions, and is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. On the Blender Extensions site it sits at rank 655 with 2,455 downloads.

Who is Smart Box Select best for?

Smart Box Select is best for animators, particularly those working with a pen tablet, who want box or lasso selection to update the active object.

How much does Smart Box Select cost?

Smart Box Select is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Adds two selection tools: Smart Box Select and Smart Lasso Select
  • Automatically sets the object closest to the mouse cursor as the active object
  • Shift drag to extend a selection, Ctrl drag to subtract from it
  • A drag distance that's too short is treated as a click (version 1.0.2)
  • Requires no special permissions to run
  • Compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer

Tags

#Blender#selection tool#box select#lasso select#active object#animation#workflow

Frequently asked questions

Does Smart Box Select work with Blender 4.2 LTS?

Smart Box Select is compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer, so it runs on the current long-term support release and later versions. It's released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later and requires no special permissions to run. The add-on is small at around 3.7 KB. If you're on an older Blender build, you'd need to update to at least 4.2 to use it. For the latest compatibility details, check the developer's page before installing.

How do I install Smart Box Select?

Smart Box Select can be added by dragging and dropping the add-on into Blender, or by downloading it and installing from disk through Blender's extension preferences. Once installed, it adds Smart Box Select and Smart Lasso Select as two new selection tools in the 3D View. The download is small, around 3.7 KB, and the extension requires no special permissions. For step-by-step guidance on installing from disk, the developer links to Blender's own extensions documentation.

How do the extend and subtract modifiers in Smart Box Select work?

Smart Box Select and Smart Lasso Select both automatically set the object closest to the mouse cursor as the active object as you drag. To modify a selection, Shift drag extends it and Ctrl drag subtracts from it. As of version 1.0.2, if your drag distance is too short, the tool treats the action as a click instead of a drag. This is aimed at situations where Blender's default Box Select leaves object activation unchanged, which can be awkward in Object Mode when you need an armature to become active.

Is Smart Box Select free?

Smart Box Select is listed as free here in the catalog, and it's distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. That license also covers how the code can be used, modified and redistributed. The add-on requires no special permissions to install and run in Blender. For the most current licensing and download details, it's best to check the developer's page directly, since terms can change over time. You can find the project and report issues through its GitHub repository.

Alternatives to Smart Box Select

Also in Workflow for Blender.

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