# Add objects to an existing 2D drawing

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452>\
**Category:** Feature requests\
**Created:** [October 17, 2023, 5:01pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452 "2023-10-17T17:01:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tonipostius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4af34b/32.png) [@Tonipostius](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Tonipostius)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 5:01pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/1 "2023-10-17T17:01:18Z")

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Once a drawing is set with all measures, views images, etc etc, if a new object in the model is needed, I have to start a new drawing to include this new object. It would be great to simply add this new object to the existing drawing.

I imagine it is not esay to develop, but It would be an important time saver and really would improve the workflow.

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**Author:** ![Alexander\_P](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/alexander_p/32/9694_2.png) [@Alexander\_P](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Alexander_P)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/2 "2023-10-17T19:08:10Z")

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Hi,

Thanks for sharing your request. This is something that is on our mind as well, but can’t commit to a deadline yet. One possible workaround in today’s app is to union the new body to an existing one that is on the drawing, so it also appears.

How often do you find yourself in this situation? Can you share one example design where this was a major drawback?

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**Author:** ![danno11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b19c9b/32.png) [@danno11](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/danno11)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/3 "2023-10-17T20:16:02Z")

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This is something that I have commented on before, imagine you are creating a assembly and you creates a drawing from that assembly with many bodies and now to need to add more bolts to the assembly there is no way to have them added to the drawing unless you start that drawing views all over. And that would not make sense especially if the drawing views have many dimensions added already. I think there needs to be some sort of update or Regenerate command to update the existing drawings with the new bodies automatically.

Thank you

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**Author:** ![Lout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@Lout](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Lout)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 8:27am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/4 "2023-10-28T08:27:26Z")

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I seem to recall that this was an option a while (year+) ago as I do have a file that has drawings with numerous disparate objects on

I have a situation where I need to add disparate objects to a single sheet, but can’t either s-lit them up or add the to the sheet.

I also have an upcoming situation where I have to create assembly instructions and being able to add objects or even select the objects you need in that drawing and move them around individually after a bulk select would be useful.

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**Author:** ![Alexander\_P](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/alexander_p/32/9694_2.png) [@Alexander\_P](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Alexander_P)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 8:22am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/5 "2023-10-30T08:22:10Z")

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Jumping in to clarify these a little bit. These are two separate request.

The one you mention, to add new bodies to a drawing is still possible to do. With the new flow when you add a base view you can change it by clicking on the badge that says “front” by default and then on the pop up you can choose a different view as your base view or you can add a new selection from the modeling space to include different body sets. I’m attaching a screenshot below to showcase.

The one that was mentioned by Tonipostius seemed to me that it was about having the option to automatically include any new modelled object on the drawing without the manual need to change the selection. This is a standard process in those setups where there is a part and an assembly space separately and the drawing is created from the complete space.

I hope the answer clears up this.

 ![Screenshot 2023-10-30 at 9.13.27](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/c/2/c2a4a7ad83e040bf090a65e230ff5b3b674bf444.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![Lout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@Lout](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Lout)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 1:11am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/6 "2023-10-31T01:11:45Z")

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Thankyou for clearing that up for me… and I probably did get my wires crossed so I apologise for hijacking this thread. ’

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**Author:** ![WrigleyS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b782af/32.png) [@WrigleyS](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/WrigleyS)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 3:09am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/7 "2023-10-31T03:09:52Z")

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Hi,

This is a point I have mentioned several times before.

In my experience (as an architect) projects and designs naturally evolve with numerous updates to drawings. The idea that a design is totally complete before even the first drawing is produce is entirely alien to me (and I would have thought to most designers).

This is one of several reasons why I simply use Shapr drawings as a background to preparing and updating drawings in Concepts on the iPad. Having to start a whole new drawing in Shapr every time even the smallest addition is made is far too tedious and time consuming.

Thanks  
Simon

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**Author:** ![danno11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b19c9b/32.png) [@danno11](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/danno11)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/8 "2023-10-31T12:51:38Z")

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WrigleyS I have been a Mechanical designer for over 30 years and that is the same way a new assembly design would progress. I have been expressing my option on this issue for well over a year with no solution. It just seems to me that it should be easy to do you should be able to do a update to the drawing if new parts are added to it they should show up in the views of the existing assembly model. I think this is a big issue that need to be addressed on the creation of drawings.

Thanks for your input.

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**Author:** ![red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@red](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/red)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 5:16pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/9 "2024-07-17T17:16:16Z")

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I’m not even very experienced in industrial design, but I’m working on a project where I completed the entire drawing only to realize that I need to add another element to the hinge. Now, I have to start all over again, which doesn’t make sense to me. I understand that this feature was not a priority and will be added eventually.

To me, the logical implementation would be to right-click on the element in the Items panel and add the object to the existing drawing.

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**Author:** ![danno11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b19c9b/32.png) [@danno11](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/danno11)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 6:14pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/10 "2024-07-17T18:14:55Z")

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I have been saying this for a long time:

I have been expressing my option on this issue for well over a year with no solution. It just seems to me that it should be easy to do you should be able to do a update to the drawing if new parts are added to it they should show up in the views of the existing assembly model. I think this is a big issue that need to be addressed on the creation of drawings.

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**Author:** ![chrisbeale](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/chrisbeale/32/4719_2.png) [@chrisbeale](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/chrisbeale)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 2:03pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/11 "2024-07-22T14:03:30Z")

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I develop PCB’s which I physically integrate in Shapr3D designs. I frequently need to add a connector or component to a model however the 2D drawings have to be recreated from scratch. I’d find the ability to add an item to the drawing invaluable.

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**Author:** ![AusSheetMetal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@AusSheetMetal](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/AusSheetMetal)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 8:02am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/add-objects-to-an-existing-2d-drawing/28452/12 "2025-02-26T08:02:42Z")

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All the time!!!