Reviewed for Flex Version 3.0

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes

If something won’t select—or Flex keeps trying to draw instead of edit—the cause is usually your current editing mode or active tool.

Flex separates different types of work into dedicated workspaces. Within each workspace, individual tools perform specific tasks. Understanding this relationship is one of the quickest ways to become comfortable editing floor plans.

If an item doesn’t respond the way you expect, don’t assume something is wrong with the floor plan. Instead, first verify that you’re in the correct mode and that the appropriate tool is active.

One mode. One tool. One task.

Before Flex can perform an action, it needs to know:

Once those are set, Flex knows whether you’re trying to edit existing geometry or create something new.

Modes determine what part of the floor plan you’re working with.

Depending on your platform, available modes may include:

Each mode presents a different set of tools and editing options. If you don’t see the tool you’re expecting, you’re probably in the wrong mode.

Within each editing mode are individual tools.

For example, Layout Mode includes tools such as:

Only one creation or editing tool can be active at a time.

When you switch tools, Flex exits the previous workflow and begins the new one.

The Select Tool is the primary editing tool in Layout Mode.

It tells Flex:

“I’m finished creating new items. I want to edit existing ones.”

When the Select Tool is active, you can select existing walls, doors, windows, openings, objects, and other editable geometry.

If another creation tool—such as Draw Wall or Window—is active, Flex assumes you’re trying to continue creating additional items instead of selecting existing ones.

After placing walls, doors, windows, or other features:

Returning to the Select Tool is often the quickest solution when something doesn’t seem selectable.

💡 Pro Tip

If Flex keeps trying to draw another wall—or place another object—you’ve probably left a creation tool active. Switch back to Select before continuing.

If clicking an item doesn’t produce the result you expect, check the following.

Different parts of the floor plan are edited in different workspaces.

Examples:

Need to edit a wall?

→ Switch to Layout Mode

Need to edit flooring?

→ Switch to Flooring Mode

Need to work with annotations?

→ Open Markup Mode (availability varies by platform).

Suppose you just finished drawing a wall.

The Wall Tool remains active so you can continue drawing additional walls.

If you immediately click somewhere else on the floor plan, Flex assumes you’re starting another wall—not selecting an existing one.

Simply switch back to Select when you’re ready to edit.

Changing between Layout, Flooring, Markup, or View automatically clears the current selection and exits any active editing workflow.

If you’ve just changed modes, simply select the item again before continuing.

Many creation tools remain active until you intentionally leave them.

Examples include:

This allows you to perform repetitive tasks without reopening the same tool after every action.

When you’re finished creating items, return to the Select Tool.

Imagine adding ten windows.

If Flex exited the Window Tool after each placement, you’d need to reopen it ten separate times.

Instead, Flex keeps creation tools active until you choose another one. This allows you to complete repetitive editing tasks much more efficiently.

When an item is selected, Flex provides visual feedback.

Depending on what you’ve selected, you may see:

The exact indicators vary depending on the item you’ve selected.

If none of these appear, either:

Did You Know?

The Attributes panel is often the easiest way to confirm that you’ve successfully selected an item. If the panel doesn’t update, Flex probably isn’t editing the object you expected.

If something won’t select:

✔ Verify you’re in the correct editing mode.

✔ Return to the Select Tool if you’ve been creating new items.

✔ Click the item again.

✔ Zoom in if multiple items are close together.

✔ Verify that the appropriate layers are visible, if applicable.

These steps resolve most selection-related questions.

Layout Mode includes the Select Tool alongside the wall and feature creation tools.

After drawing or placing new items, return to Select whenever you’re ready to edit existing geometry.

The editing workflow is the same as Web.

Creation tools remain active until you intentionally switch back to Select, making it easy to place multiple walls, windows, doors, or other features in succession.

The overall selection workflow is the same, although some editing experiences and interface layouts may differ from iPad and Web.

If an item doesn’t respond as expected, first confirm you’re in the correct mode and that the appropriate tool is active.

💡 Complete similar tasks before returning to the Select Tool.

💡 Verify you’re in the correct mode before assuming something can’t be edited.

💡 Make returning to Select a habit after drawing walls or placing new features.

💡 Watch for selection handles and updates in the Attributes panel to confirm that Flex is editing the correct item.

After placing a wall or feature, it’s easy to forget that the creation tool is still active.

If Flex keeps trying to create another item, return to Select.

Walls are edited in Layout Mode.

Flooring is edited in Flooring Mode.

Markup items are accessed through Markup Mode where supported.

If you don’t see the expected editing tools, verify your current mode first.

Sometimes an item wasn’t actually selected.

If you don’t see selection handles or the Attributes panel doesn’t update, click the Select Tool and try again.

You’re most likely:

Switch back to the Select Tool and try again.

Because the Draw Wall tool is still active.

Click or tap Select when you’re finished drawing.

Flooring can only be edited while you’re in Flooring Mode.

Switch from Layout Mode to Flooring Mode, then select the flooring area you want to modify.

Make sure you’re in Layout Mode and that another creation tool isn’t still active.

Returning to the Select Tool usually resolves the issue.