# How to select the blocks by using python?

**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-select-the-blocks-by-using-python/10513
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Tags:** python
**Created:** [October 14, 2022, 3:35am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-select-the-blocks-by-using-python/10513 "2022-10-14T03:35:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Echo](https://discourse.paraview.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Echo](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Echo)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2022, 3:35am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-select-the-blocks-by-using-python/10513/1 "2022-10-14T03:35:22Z")

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HI all,  
I am new to ParaView, and I want to konw how to select the concerned blocks by using `python`.  
For example, selecting the blocks with names of ` 'block_1003'` and `'block_1010'` as the figure shows:  
 ![blocks](https://discourse.paraview.org/uploads/default/original/2X/f/f6bf92e356009dd2f474575d40fbd95c62c8dca4.jpeg)

The file is in ExodusII format.

Thanks in advance.

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### Author: ![mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/mwestphal/32/17_2.png) [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2022, 3:38am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-select-the-blocks-by-using-python/10513/2 "2022-10-14T03:38:29Z")

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Hi @Echo

The simplest way to findout how to script GUI action in python is to use the python trace with the Incremental option

- Tools → Start trace
- Check “Show Incremental”
- Perform GUI actions
- Watch your code write itself 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Echo](https://discourse.paraview.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Echo](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Echo)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2022, 3:50am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-select-the-blocks-by-using-python/10513/3 "2022-10-14T03:50:23Z")

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@mwestphal Thanks a lot for your reply! It is really a great feature!