19. Bookmarks, Selection Pane, Buttons and Navigation
19.3 The Selection Pane
Start with a problem
Zoya placed a chart and a table in the same spot and cannot click the chart underneath.
Explain simply
The Selection pane lists every object on the page. You can show/hide items (eye icon), rename, group, and change the layer order and tab order.
Show the data
| Object | Visible | Layer |
|---|---|---|
| City bar chart | Yes | Top |
| City table | No | Below |
| Panel shape | No | Back |
About this data: This table uses columns: Object, Visible, Layer. This table uses columns: State, Visible on page. This table uses columns: Feature, How, Use. This table uses columns: Wrong result, Reason, Correction. Values shown are the lesson examples already on this page (not a new dataset).
Fictional sample data. Practice file: visuals_orders_apr_may_2026.csv (source: src/practice/).
Demonstrate
- View › Selection.
- Rename objects (double-click): City chart, City table.
- Click the eye icon to hide City table.
- Use the up/down arrows to change layer order.
- Ctrl + select two items › right-click › Group.
Show the result
Your result should look like this (fictional sample):
| State | Visible on page |
|---|---|
| Chart eye on, table eye off | Bar chart Pune 850, Nashik 800, Kolhapur 450 |
Explain what happened
Hidden objects are not drawn. Bookmarks with Display On remember which objects were visible.
Explore further
- Tab order matters for keyboard and screen-reader users.
Detailed reference for this lesson:
View › Selection lists every object on the page (visuals, shapes, buttons, text boxes).
| Feature | How | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Show/Hide | Click the eye icon | Hide a table so a chart can be shown in the same place |
| Layer order | Drag items up/down in the Layer order tab, or Format › Bring forward / Send backward | Put a background rectangle behind visuals |
| Tab order | Tab order tab | Keyboard navigation order for accessibility |
| Group | Select several items (Ctrl + click) › right-click › Group › Group (or Ctrl + G) | Move/hide a whole panel (rectangle + slicers + close button) together |
| Rename | Double-click the name | Clear names like Chart_OrdersByCity, Table_OrdersByCity, Panel_Filters |
Tip
Rename objects in the Selection pane before you build bookmarks. "Chart 1" and "Table 3" are hard to manage later.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, many students leave visuals named "Clustered column chart 3" and then can't tell which one to hide. Rename every object in the Selection pane, group related objects, and use the eye icon rather than deleting visuals you only want to hide. Keep this in mind!
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, बरेच students visuals ची नावं "Clustered column chart 3" अशीच ठेवतात आणि मग कोणता hide करायचा ते कळत नाही. Selection pane मधल्या प्रत्येक object ला नवं नाव द्या, संबंधित objects group करा, आणि फक्त लपवायचे असलेले visuals delete करण्याऐवजी eye icon वापरा. लक्षात ठेवा!
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, बहुत से students visuals के नाम "Clustered column chart 3" ही रहने देते हैं और फिर समझ नहीं पाते कि कौन सा hide करना है. Selection pane में हर object का नाम बदलो, जुड़े हुए objects को group करो, और जिन visuals को सिर्फ़ छिपाना है उन्हें delete करने की जगह eye icon इस्तेमाल करो. ध्यान रखना!
Fix common mistakes
| Wrong result | Reason | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot select a visual | Another object is on top | Use the Selection pane |
| Bookmark toggles wrong object | Generic names | Rename objects before making bookmarks |
| Hidden visual still slows the page | Hidden visuals may still be part of the page | Delete unused visuals |
Practise independently
Practice task
What do you do first before creating a chart/table toggle?
Hints
- Selection pane.
Solution
Rename both objects in the Selection pane, place them in the same position, and set one visible.
Think like a professional
A tidy Selection pane is professional hygiene: the next developer understands the page in seconds.
Revision card