To answer your question, as asked 1) yes, you can use direct selection but as you've already discovered, it can be tricky. It may help to remember that you stand the best chance by pointing at the center of the body part. 2) yes, you may select by using the hierarchy editor but that wasn't your question, and 3) no, sometimes when there is more than one body part stacked in front of another, making a direct selection can be damned difficult and you just have to go through the body part selection list. The main reasons to NOT use direct selection are 1) selecting the wrong part by mistake and making a change to the wrong part by accident, 2) actually making a change just in the process of selecting, sometimes Poser will give the body part a twitch when you click on it. Best wishes, hope you find an adequate solution for your problem. - Mark