Change edge loop selection using pick walk

User Guide > Modeling > Polygonal Modeling > Polygon selection and creation > Polygon selection >

You can use the arrow keys ( , ) to change the selection of edges to a full edge loop on a polygonal mesh. You can then quickly change or walk the edge loop selection along the mesh.

To select and then walk an edge loop selection across a mesh

Select either of the following:
- A full edge loop on the mesh.
You can select an edge loop using Select > Select Edge Loop Tool or by Ctrl + right-clicking on the desired edge and choosing the Select Edge Loop Tool from the Edge Loop Utilities marking menu item.
- A single edge that is within the edge loop you want selected.
  NoteWhen you select a single edge, you must click a second time using either the left or right arrow keys to expand the selection to an edge loop.
Continue to click either the left or right arrow keys to change the selection to the neighboring parallel edge loop along the mesh.
Clicking either key changes the direction of the pick walk.

NoteClicking a key in succession, walks the edge loop selection across the mesh until it reaches and selects the border edges on the mesh. Continue to click the same key to reverse the direction of the pick walk.

The following limitations exist for edge loop selection with arrow keys:

This feature works best when the initial selection is either a single edge or edge loop. Otherwise, when multiple edges are selected, the tool chooses a single edge loop from the selection arbitrarily.
The left and right arrow keys change the direction of the pick walk, but may not be predictable in terms of the initial pick walk direction in relation to the orientation of the mesh.
You cannot revert the edge selection back to the initial selection state; that is, if you press left-arrow to expand the edge selection to a full loop, pressing the right-arrow will not select the original single edge.
The up-arrow and down-arrow have no effect on the edge loop selection or pick walk.
To change the direction of the edge loop selection once it has been selected, (the edge loop runs across the mesh in a horizontal manner, and you want it to run in a vertical manner) you must change the selection to a vertical edge or edge loop.