How to Edit Entity Properties

Quick answer: You can edit an entity’s properties either in the Properties panel or directly through Rollover Tips at the cursor. Which properties show depends on the entity type or types you’ve selected.

Editing in the Properties Panel

Open it with PROPERTIES (alias PR), or by double-clicking an entity directly. The properties shown depend on the entity type(s) currently selected; select multiple entities at once, and any shared property whose value actually differs across the selection displays as “varies” rather than a specific value.

One difference from AutoCAD’s equivalent palette: BricsCAD’s Properties panel also shows the selected entity’s Handle, a read-only identifier useful for storing and recalling entities programmatically.

Editing with Rollover Tips

With Rollover Tips on (the RT field in the Status Bar), a selection of entity properties displays right at the cursor, and clicking one lets you edit it directly, much like the Properties panel. If the Quad is also on, click its title bar to switch between the Quad’s commands and Rollover Tips. This is covered in full detail on its own dedicated page.

One thing worth adding here: right-click the RT field in the Status Bar and choose Customize… to open the Customize/Properties dialog, where you can define exactly which properties show in Rollover Tips for each entity type.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean when a property shows “varies” in the Properties panel? It means you’ve selected multiple entities, and that particular shared property’s value actually differs between them, rather than all being the same.

What’s the Handle field, and why would I need it? It’s a read-only identifier for the selected entity, mainly useful for storing and recalling specific entities when working programmatically, this is a BricsCAD-specific addition not found in AutoCAD’s equivalent panel.

How do I choose which properties appear in Rollover Tips for a specific entity type? Right-click the RT field in the Status Bar and choose Customize… to open the Customize/Properties dialog.

Can I open the Properties panel by double-clicking an entity? Yes, that works alongside running the PROPERTIES command (or its PR alias) directly.