More about Copy

eldon_brown

​I am trying to teach Onshape 3D Modeling to some new users, they have some simple questions that I can not answer.

​1. In Part Studio, after clicking on a part and "mousing" to "Copy Part" - where is "Paste"?, Or, where does the copy go, and/or how to use it?

Note: The online links and documents do not help, as there are about a million questions/complaints and pseudo answers about "copy" within Onshape public documents and Google queries. Or, maybe I have not found the right link yet.

I think when a (new) user is wanting to "copy"  or "move" a part, what they should be looking at is "Transform Feature", but the "move" (or copy) is not the default option, and therefore a NEW user is required to learn about other strange and wonderful things that Transform Feature is capable of doing, and then they realizing what they want is "Translate by XYZ", with its helpful "on screen Arrows" to do the desired task. Yes, I know "translate" by Arrows is not as precise as other suggested methods, but for a new user simple things should be simple.

I think the Transform Feature could be MORE helpful for all users if it provided the previously used "translate" function by default.  That way, once used, the Transform Feature would quickly appear as a simple Part Studio "move" function for a new user. A simple fix to the "std" library could make that happen, as an edit:

        annotation { "Name" : "Transform type" }
        definition.transformType is TransformType;

to

        annotation { "Name" : "Transform type" , "UIHint" : "REMEMBER_PREVIOUS_VALUE"}
        definition.transformType is TransformType;

Any thoughts?

Thanks

-Eldonb

Ste_Wilson

Why do you need to copy a part? Would it be better to pattern a feature, or sketch detail?

eldon_brown

Ste_Wilson said:

Why do you need to copy a part? Would it be better to pattern a feature, or sketch detail?

Because, in a Diorama trees look best if they are placed randomly, and not in a rectangle or circle pattern.

Back to the original Question: how is the right click on a part and then the "copy part" used?

Thanks,
-Eldonb

romeograham

The copy/paste from Part Studio tabs only works to Paste into Assemblies. For copying parts in the Part Studio, use Transform >Copy part.

eric_pesty

eldon_brown said:

Ste_Wilson said:

Why do you need to copy a part? Would it be better to pattern a feature, or sketch detail?

Because, in a Diorama trees look best if they are placed randomly, and not in a rectangle or circle pattern.

Back to the original Question: how is the right click on a part and then the "copy part" used?

Thanks,
-Eldonb

A point pattern would bet the way to do this in a part studio (or a replicate feature in an assembly).

As for the original question, "copy part" let's you then paste the part into an assembly (instead of using the "insert" workflow from the assembly.

Ste_Wilson

Or put the trees into an assembly?

eldon_brown

eric_pesty said:

As for the original question, "copy part" let's you then paste the part into an assembly (instead of using the "insert" workflow from the assembly.

OK, very good, that was not obvious, but is does works very well, thanks. 

-Eldonb