Use selected polygon from layer to select points on a different layer

[DavidNoble]

Is there a way to use a school district shapefile to select a subset of points on a different layer.  Specifically, I want to be able to select a school district from the statewide overlay and use that selection to get the number of sales within that district.  I can polygon select the sales layer and get stats that way, but can I use the SD shapefile to create my 'selection'?

[MatthewDriscoll]

Geoprocessing tool:  Select Layer By Location

[DavidNoble]

Won't work....unless I'm doing something wrong.  The School Dist map covers the entire state.  I want to be able to select a single district and select the sales points based on that selection...similar to how you can select using a polygon selection tool.  Select layer by location uses the entire SD overlay and selects all sales points within the state. 

[JoeBorgione · Accepted solution]

I just gave it a try: Manually selected one of my parcels, and ran the spatial selection tool for the address points that intersect the parcels.  I thought maybe there would be a 'use selected features only' option, but it honored the selection all by itself....

[MatthewDriscoll]

If you have the one district selected before using the tool it will only use the selected polygon(s) as the target area.

You could also use the Select Tool (Polygon) and trace around the boundary of the district, unfortunately Select does not seem to snap though.    

[DavidNoble]

Eureka!  Thank you so much.  Coming from a MapInfo world with 12+ years under my belt, getting used to the processes is slow going...not to mention that GIS is only a part of my responsibilities.  If I was fully immersed, maybe I'd start to pick this up quicker.  Thanks all!!!