Multiple selection: working with several files at once

Multiple selection in Polimake lets you work with several images at once, making tasks like moving, deleting, or organizing large numbers of files much more efficient. The platform offers an intuitive, Google Drive-style selection system that makes it easy to select exactly what you need.

This guide will show you all the ways to select multiple images and how to perform batch actions to maximize your productivity.

What is multiple selection?

Multiple selection lets you:

• Select several images at once to work with them as a group
• Perform batch actions like moving, deleting, or organizing
• Save time by avoiding repeating individual actions
• Organize efficiently large collections of images

It's one of the most powerful features for keeping your library organized.

Selection methods

Method 1: Drag box (selection box)

The most visual and fastest method:

1. Click and drag in an empty area of the gallery
2. Select the images you want to include in the box
3. Release to complete the selection

Advantages:

• Very fast for selecting visible groups
• Intuitive and visual
• Ideal for selecting adjacent images

When to use it: When you want to select a group of images that are visually next to each other in the gallery.

Method 2: Individual selection with Ctrl/Cmd

To select specific images:

1. Click the first image you want to select
2. Hold down Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or Cmd (Mac)
3. Click other images to add them to the selection
4. Release Ctrl/Cmd when you're done

Advantages:

• Precise for selecting specific images
• Doesn't require them to be next to each other
• Full control over what to select

When to use it: When you need to select specific images that aren't next to each other in the gallery.

Method 3: Range selection with Shift

To select a range of images:

1. Click the first image of the range
2. Hold down Shift
3. Click the last image of the range
4. All the images between the two are selected automatically

Advantages:

• Fast for ranges of images
• Selects the entire range at once
• Useful for large selections

When to use it: When you want to select all the images between two specific points.

Method 4: Select all

To select all visible images:

"

1. Use Ctrl/Cmd + A to select all "
2. Or click "Select all" if available

When to use it: When you want to work with all the images in the current folder.

Visual selection indicators

Selected images

Selected images show:

• A highlighted border or a checked checkbox
• A semi-transparent overlay over the image
• A counter showing how many are selected
• An action bar with available options

Selection counter

At the top you'll see:

• The number of selected images: "5 images selected"
• Quick actions: Buttons for common actions
• Additional options: A menu with more actions

Batch actions

Once you have images selected, you can perform multiple actions:

Moving multiple images

To move several images at once:

1. Select the images you want to move
2. Drag them all together to the destination folder
3. Or use the menu and select "Move to folder"
4. They'll all move simultaneously

Advantage: Move dozens of images in a single operation.

Deleting multiple images

To delete several images:

1. Select the images you want to delete
2. Click "Delete" in the action bar
3. Confirm the deletion
4. They'll all be deleted at once

Important: Deletion is permanent. Make sure you really want to delete all the selected images.

Batch organizing

You can combine multiple selection with other actions:

• Move to different folders: Select and move groups to different destinations
• Apply tags: Add common tags to multiple images (if available)
• Download: Download multiple images as a ZIP file (if available)

Best practices

Select before acting

Before performing batch actions:

• Review your selection to make sure it includes the right items
• Check the counter to confirm how many images you selected
• Confirm the action before running it

Use a drag box for visual groups

When images are next to each other:

• Use a drag box for quick selection
• Faster than selecting individually
• Ideal for organizing after uploading images

Combine methods as needed

For maximum efficiency:

• Drag box for adjacent groups
• Ctrl/Cmd + click for specific selections
• Shift + click for ranges
• Ctrl/Cmd + A to select all

Organize in steps

For large reorganizations:

1. Select a group of related images
2. Move them to their destination folder
3. Repeat with the next group
4. More efficient than moving one by one

Common use cases

Organizing newly uploaded images

After uploading many images:

1. Use a drag box to select groups by type
2. Move them to the appropriate folders
3. Organize quickly without repetitive manual work

Example: You upload 100 product images. You use a drag box to select all the "apparel" ones and move them to the "Products - Apparel" folder at once.

Cleaning up unwanted images

To delete multiple images:

1. Navigate to the folder with images to clean up
2. Select the images you want to delete
3. Delete in batch in a single action

Example: You have 50 test images you no longer need. You select them all and delete them at once.

Reorganizing structure

When you change your organization:

1. Select images from an old category
2. Move them to the new structure
3. Repeat for each category

Example: You switch from organizing by date to organizing by type. You select all the "products" images from different months and move them to the new "Products" folder.

Deselecting images

To remove images from the selection:

• Click a selected image with Ctrl/Cmd held down: Removes it from the selection
• Click an empty area: Deselects everything
• Escape: Deselects everything and closes the action bar

Limitations and considerations

Selection limits

Although you can select many images:

• Performance: Very large selections (hundreds of images) can be slower
• Batch actions: Some actions may have practical limits
• Recommendation: Work with groups of 50-100 images at a time for better performance

Available actions

Not all actions are available for multiple selection:

• Move: ✅ Available
• Delete: ✅ Available
• Edit metadata: May be limited
• Download: May be available as a ZIP

FAQ about multiple selection

How many images can I select at once?
Technically there's no limit, but for better performance it's recommended to work with groups of up to 100 images at a time.

Can I select images from different folders?
Multiple selection works within the current folder. To select from multiple folders, you need to navigate to each one.

Is the selection kept when I switch folders?
No, the selection clears when you navigate to another folder. This prevents confusion about what you're selecting.

Can I use multiple selection on mobile?
On mobile devices, multiple selection may work in a limited way. Use the selection modes available on your device.

Are there keyboard shortcuts for selection?
Yes, you can use Ctrl/Cmd + A to select all, and Escape to deselect.

Can I save a selection for later?
Currently there's no way to save selections. Each time you select, it's a new selection.

Conclusion

Multiple selection is a powerful tool that turns tedious tasks into quick operations. With practice, you'll reorganize large collections of images in minutes, keeping your library always organized.

Combine multiple selection with drag & drop and organizing with folders for a super-efficient workflow.

Next steps

1. Practice with a drag box by selecting groups of images
2. Experiment with Ctrl/Cmd + click for specific selections
3. Perform batch actions by moving or deleting groups
4. Combine methods depending on the situation
5. Integrate it into your regular organization workflow

Work with multiple images like a pro!