How do I select all backfacing as a default?
 

Selecting faces in maya seems unstable. I want to be able to select backfacing every time, but Display>Custom Polygon Display, with "all: and "Backculling" checked doesn't work every time. there are still some unselected faces. the only thing that seems to work is to have backface culling on "off", but I work with it on since I am doing environments. help!!

as fare as I know there is no way to select the back faces with out having the backface culling "off". not reliably at least.

Go to Windows > Settings/Preferences > Preferences and change your polygon options there. Those settings will be retained through working sessions.

Hmm...I changed the polygon preference settings and I still can't select all backfacing in face mode. this is REALLY slowing down my workflow. has to be some way...

Make sure that you have Backculling turned off (it's at the bottom of the Display>Polygons area in the Preferences panel).

hmmmm..... that's funny... I have almost the same sort of question....... "What do you have to do, if you don't want to select all the point (or faces) through the model,... just the ones on the surface you are looking at?..."
and,... powergod, I am trully sorry for invading your thread.... (I think this question is simmilar to yours, and is not worth making a new thread for.. :) )
thanx

LSphinx, you want the backFace culling on. That should do it.

thanx Pony,...
such an easy answer after (myself) struggling with this question for some time... :D