Object Duplication

Object Duplication refers to the method used to create a copy, or series of copies of a selected object.

When objects are duplicated they are required to be pre-selected.

When objects are duplicated, the original object remains unchanged.

Typical duplication tools are Copy, Copy in Place, Mirror and Array.

Use this sample drawingor create a similar sketch in the workspace.

Copy

Ribbon : Edit | Copy Entities

Default : Modify | Copy

The Copy tool duplicates an object or objects from a specified source point to a destination point. The original objects remain in place.

The SHIFT keyboard key can be used to maintain an orthographic constraint when copying the objects.

In the example below, the object is selected and is enclosed in the Selector Shell. The Make Copy option is activated and the object is being copy from the source point shown by the left pointer to a position shown by the cursor. The + symbol on the cursor indicates the object will be copied.

Left object being copied to position shown by right object

 

Copy in Place

Default : Modify | Copy in Place

This tool creates a copy of the selected object/s exactly to the same position occupied by the original.

Rubber Stamp

Inspector Bar

Objects within the Selector Shell can be duplicated multiple instance by activating the Rubber Stamp option from the Inspector Bar. In the example below, the source object is indicated by the solid color and is being copied to a new location by the reference point, shown by the pointer.

Multiple duplicates created using Rubber Stamp option

Mirror

Ribbon : Edit | Copy Entities | Mirror

Default : Modify | Copy | Mirror

The mirror tool duplicates objects symmetrically about a mirror line. The original object can be retained or discarded.

In the example below, the left object is being mirrored about the mirror line defined by points 1 and 2.

Left object is mirrored symmetrically about the mirror line, indicated by points 1 and 2

Vector Copy

Ribbon : Edit | Copy Entities | Vector

Default : Modify | Copy | Vector

Similar to the Generic tool, the Vector Copy tool allows the selected objects to be moved by defining a source and destination point. A distance and angle of the destination object can be input into the Length and Angle fields of the Inspector Bar.

Object copied from source point (left) to destination point (right)

Array Tools

Array | Radial

Ribbon : Edit | Copy Entities | Radial

Modify | Array | Radial

This duplication tool creates copies of an object in a circular pattern around a common center point.

In the example below, the selected objects will be copied 12 times around the center of the circle shown by the pointer, to produce a duplicate of the objects at 30° intervals.

Source object copied about the center point (shown by pointer) to produce duplicates at 30° intervals

Fit Radial

Ribbon : Edit | Copy Entities | Fit Radial

Modify | Array | Fit Radial

This tool is useful for creating duplicates along a curve defined by a specific angle.

In the example below, the source objects shown by the arrow are copied through an angle of 90 using a 30° rotation,

Using Radial Fit Copy to fit the source objects into a 90° angle

Array

Ribbon : Edit | Copy Entities | Array

Modify | Array | Array

This duplication tool allows objects to be copied in a rectangular manner by specifying the distances between the objects on the horizontal and vertical axes.

The distance between the objects is referred to as the cell distance.

Objects which are duplicated along the horizontal axis are referred to as columns ; objects which are duplicated along the vertical axis are referred to as rows.

When using any of the object duplication methods such as Array, the object must be pre-selected.

In the example below, the objects shown in the lower left corner will be duplicated by a distance of 150 on the X axis and 50 on the Y axis. The result will be 2 columns and rows, shown below right.

Using the Array tool to create 2 columns and 2 rows

Linear

Ribbon : Edit | Copy Entities | Linear

Modify | Array | Linear

This duplication tool produces copied object by defining an angle and the X-Y distance of the increments. In the example below, the step, shown left, is being duplicated 5 times using an X value of 1000 and a Y value of 250.

Linear array using the X-Y measurements shown above left to produce 5 duplicates