How to paste items into a component
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Hi,
Trying very hard to get used to using Components. I have a component open which I have edited but I now want to copy and paste some geometry from outside the component and add to the component I am editing. It seems if the component is open I can only edit from within. I just cannot seem to figure out how to introduce anything from outside.
Can someone put me out of my misery please?
Many thanks,
Penguin2
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I think you're thinking too hard.
Close the component so you can get at the geometry you want to copy (or cut). Select that geometry and choose Edit>Copy or Edit>Cut if you don't want to leave a copy of it outside the component. Open the component for editing and click Edit>Paste in place.
I use this frequently so I have a keyboard shortcut for Paste in place.
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If you are familiar with the outliner window you can also drag and drop (& copy) groups and components between other groups & components in your model. Unlike Dave's option the dragged component will stay in it's original location which may mean you still have to edit it anyway. Just another option.
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@arcad-uk said:
Unlike Dave's option the dragged component will stay in it's original location which may mean you still have to edit it anyway.
Trevor, what do you mean by this? With my method the geometry which is being copied and pasted will indeed remain in the same location by using Paste in place. And your method with the Outliner won't work if the geometry Penguin wants to copy is not already in a component or group. Loose geometry does not appear in the Outliner.
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@dave r said:
...I use this frequently so I have a keyboard shortcut for Paste in place.
Indeed. With copy or cut, the standard OS shortcuts (Ctrl+C and Ctrl+X on Windows) also work. A "normal" paste would be Ctrl+V. I use Shift+Ctrl+V to "paste in place" for instance. Set up your shortcuts under Window > Preferences > Shrotcuts.
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Yes,
I was trying to use the 'Move' tool & Ctrl to copy.
Edit>Copy>Paste did work up to a point. I found I had very little control over insertion points however so I grouped the items before pasting which allowed me to select & move without affecting the recipient component.
Many thanks for your help.
Penguin2
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I made the assumption that you already had the geometry in the right location and just wanted to include it in the component. Apparently that was a misreading of your original question.
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@dave r said:
@arcad-uk said:
Unlike Dave's option the dragged component will stay in it's original location which may mean you still have to edit it anyway.
Trevor, what do you mean by this? With my method the geometry which is being copied and pasted will indeed remain in the same location by using Paste in place. And your method with the Outliner won't work if the geometry Penguin wants to copy is not already in a component or group. Loose geometry does not appear in the Outliner.
You are 100% right Dave, but I would always try to avoid leaving any geometry "loose" in which case the outliner solution is an option if you just want to gather or re-order your groups & components. If you need to paste in a new location or move the group or object then it may not be the quickest solution.
Not sure where I got the "copy" option from must have been dreaming of SU 2013
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Trevor, I'm with you. I don't leave loose geometry in my models. Every edge and face will be in a component when I'm finished. I do sometimes intentionally draw loose geometry that is destined for inclusion in a component outside the component and then cut and paste it in place inside the component. Sometimes I do this to avoid potentially distorting the geometry already in the component and sometimes I do this when I want the same geometry is two or more neighboring components.
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