Yes how stupid of me with the tab key suggestion - completely forgot about its current use - just used to using it in archicad, so another key maybe.

OK for the example: draw a rectangle then extrude it upwards a bit then try selecting a bottom edge of the newly formed solid. You should only be able to select the original rectangle. This is a very simplifyed example and can easily be got around I agree. The thing is if you need curves switched on for another part of the operation - the rectangle has to stay unless you put it on another style.

Unfortunately I can't think just now of a specific part of a specific file where I have had this problem but it does raise its head now and again, i will be sure to post a file when i next encounter it so sorry for the lack of a decent example. I had one on a test file i had the other day but didn't save the file (I often take half an hour and do test files to try my skills on an imaginary but realistic scenario so i know how to go about it if i need to in the future - trouble is i rarely save them - but will do in the future).

I can see how annoying it would be to have a popup box appearing all the time but maybe a hotkey could bring one up?

Thanks for listening anyway, much appreciated, i really don't know how you do it!