Would some fine, upstanding, knowledgeable person kindly explain this Ratsnest feature to me.
I must be having a “Senior moment”. 
Kicad 8.0.1 Ubuntu 22.04.1
Well, I am coarse, sitting, and not so knowledgeable so maybe those qualities will cancel?
If the software does not always show selected ratsnest, might it hide the ratsnest in an arbitrary and capricious manner? 
It SEEMS like the setting should determine if a ratsnest line is shown when a net/pad is selected.
But, after going through a matrix of settings, I cannot figure out what it does in version 7 or 8.
(It also doesn’t follow the button on the left toolbar, so… nope to that one too.)
Ratsnests can sometimes be disturbing so it might be better to disable it, at least temporary (Objects/ratsnest=disabled). This option “Always show selected ratsnest” can help you in seeing the connections for the component you click/choose – this to be able to either route it or move into a position of your likings. A very neat function.
I cannot see any differences in the screen or workflow whether that function is enabled or not.
Can you tell me what the function does?
Hi @RaptorUK
That’s sort of what I would expect.
You use Windows, I think.
Does that feature work for you? It doesn’t work on my Mint.
The only way I can find to “hide” the global ratsnest is to turn it off with Objects in the Appearance Panel.
Hi, yes I’m on Windows 10, just did a little test . . .
Now Ratsnests are “hidden” and R1 is selected . . .
and . . .
Looks like a bug . . .
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Ahhhhh, that’s a relief! Thanks; fine, upstanding, knowledgeable person. 
I don’t really need “senior moments” 
I’ll place a bug report shortly.
The feature that was always asked for years ago, was the ability to hide the GND net as it got very intrusive
Maybe the button that was needed to make it work has been removed . . .
EDIT: Maybe not . . .
Don’t know if i misunderstood this topic but check this (Mac OS Ventura 13.6.6/Kicad 8.01):
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That’s how it works!!!
Thankyou, @TheSwede
You’re a really fine, upstanding , Knowledgeable person.
I’d never thought to move the footprints to view the ratsnest. 
I’d just looked at the footprints sitting on the board with no ratlines when the comment was “always be shown”.
Silly me, “always” translates to “only when moving”.
Does anyone consider there should be a more appropriate description of the action of the function?
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Not silly you at all, as it might not be an all bad idea if the ratsnests also show up before actually doing the move, as the option it is “selected” (=even before the move/when clicking) 
Edit: If you click the object and hit the “M” key (instead of start moving) you can still see the corresponding ratsnest – though this another unnecessary thing to do, quite often happening in KiCad, which in many aspects is a great software, often approving even though it’s slow sometimes 
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IMO it should do as described, showing the ratsnest even without moving.
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Yea, it should preferable do…
Funny, I don’t even see that option in my 8.0.1
Do you have a net selected?
Eelik has the Nets tab selected with the +12V net highlighted and the “Net Display Options” selected.
jmk, now ALL my ratsnests disappeared, whatever settings I choose
Edit: Well something might have got messed up in the project file, when loading a backup from 30 mins back ratsnests are back.