Use the Properties Palette

The Properties palette lists the current settings for properties of the selected object or set of objects. You can modify any property that can be changed by specifying a new value.

• When more than one object is selected, the Properties palette displays only those properties common to all objects in the selection set.
• When no objects are selected, the Properties palette displays only the general properties of the current layer, the name of the plot style table attached to the layer, the view properties, and information about the UCS.

Control Double-Click Behavior

You can double-click most objects to open the Quick Properties palette when the DBLCLKEDIT and PICKFIRST system variables are turned on (the default).

Several types of objects open an editor or start an object-specific command when you double-click them instead of the Quick Properties palette. These types of objects include blocks, polylines, splines, text, and more.

Use the Customize User Interface dialog box (CUI) to control what palette or command is used when double-clicking each type of object.

Use the Properties Panel on the Ribbon

On the Home tab, the Properties panel provides a convenient way to verify or change the settings for properties such as color, layer, and linetype. The Properties panel operates similarly to the Properties palette.

• If no objects are selected, the panel displays the default properties for objects created in the future.
• If one or more objects are selected, the controls display the current properties for the selected objects.
• If one or more objects are selected and their properties vary, the controls for those properties will be blank.
• If one or more objects are selected, and a property is changed on the ribbon, the selected objects will change to the specified value.

Maintaining Performance When Changing Object Properties

For performance reasons, the number of objects that can be changed at one time by the Properties panel and the Layer control on the ribbon, the Properties palette, and the Quick Properties palette are limited. The default values of the system variables that control these limits are

• Properties panel: 2,500 objects (RIBBONCONTEXTSELLIM)
• Layer control: 2,500 objects (RIBBONCONTEXTSELLIM)
• Properties palette: 25,000 objects (PROPOBJLIMIT)
• Quick Properties palette: 25,000 objects (PROPOBJLIMIT)

If you need to change the properties of a larger number of objects, you can either change the default values for their system variables, or you can use the CHANGE or CHPROP commands.