# Blocks, symbols, or instances

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [March 19, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894 "2020-03-19T16:20:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ongyen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@ongyen](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/ongyen)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/1 "2020-03-19T16:20:10Z")

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Hi, is there a way to create a component, multiply it many times, then revise the design of that component in a way that changes the component globally on its duplicates?

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**Author:** ![Victor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/victor_shapr3d/32/3502_2.png) [@Victor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Victor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 5:37pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/2 "2020-03-19T17:37:23Z")

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Hi, you can duplicate a component using the copypaste feature and here’s a short video on the feature:

It’s currently not possible to revise the design of a component and still get back the initial design.

A workaround against another time can be to make duplicates at certain points as you progress through your design(the app is direct modeler and not history based)

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**Author:** ![ongyen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@ongyen](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/ongyen)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 11:10pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/3 "2020-03-19T23:10:27Z")

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Hi Victor,

Sorry I wasn’t clear. I meant to say if I create a component and copy them a hundred times at various locations and orientations, and if then I realize that I need to revise the component a little to make it look better, the only way to do that now is to re-duplicate the revised component again and place them a hundred times rather than simply redefining the component to the new version. That’s a feature that will be good to have.

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**Author:** ![Victor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/victor_shapr3d/32/3502_2.png) [@Victor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Victor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 3:02pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/4 "2020-03-20T15:02:29Z")

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Hi,

Thanks for the further explanation. This is currently not possible in the app.

I will pass on your feedback to our product team.  
For non-complex adjustments like chamfering or filleting a face/edge, you can select the faces/edges on all the duplicate objects and then adjust them at the same time.

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**Author:** ![g.hall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@g.hall](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/g.hall)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 2:33am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/5 "2020-05-21T02:33:32Z")

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I have to say, repeating components (i.e. blocks or instances) are essential

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**Author:** ![Victor\_Shapr3D](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/victor_shapr3d/32/3502_2.png) [@Victor\_Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Victor_Shapr3D)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 9:30am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/6 "2020-05-21T09:30:18Z")

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Hi, we plan to add the Array feature to the app and it’s among the top features to added.

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**Author:** ![mike\_ekim1024](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/mike_ekim1024/32/13580_2.png) [@mike\_ekim1024](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/mike_ekim1024)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/7 "2022-02-23T21:10:20Z")

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Without instancing/linking, it would become very difficult to modify a design. I’m modeling a computer keyboard (101 keys), and if I needed to update all keys independently, that would be very time consuming. There are subsets of key-sizes of course, but still many that are alike.

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**Author:** ![GJetson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/gjetson/32/25210_2.png) [@GJetson](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/GJetson)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/8 "2022-12-21T17:02:28Z")

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I also need instances.  
Instances are frequently essential in my work. When the need arises, I have to shift to Fusion360 or Modo which is very inconvenient.  
I hope you add instances soon!

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**Author:** ![Skiba3d](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/skiba3d/32/18804_2.png) [@Skiba3d](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Skiba3d)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 8:38pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/9 "2023-04-12T20:38:48Z")

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Me tooo. I miss instances, references, blocks, clones, tower you name them: objects that keep the shape description in one place, and all other clones are inheriting shape of the parent object. Whenever there is a change made to the parent, all children clones are getting updated instantly. It is common idea in many CAD and 3D applications.  
I would love to see Instances on the roadmap soon 🙂  
I believe that having dynamic Arrays and Mirrors using concept of Instances/Clones would make the Shapr3d even more versatile and popular app, among the more advanced prospects.  
Simple move an Instance would be enough as the starting point.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/a/e/ae43ba207984bddd1b104ed5e40225a1cf82b5f9.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![Betazero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@Betazero](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Betazero)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 4:16pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/10 "2024-01-18T16:16:17Z")

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Is this still not possible (3years later)? I am in the 14 day trial and looking for a Sketchup alternative and love some of the Shapr3d features but this is a deal breaker. I am getting used to the hiding sketches thing which isn’t the end of the world.

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Gy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/peter_gy/32/9251_2.png) [@Peter\_Gy](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Peter_Gy)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/blocks-symbols-or-instances/6894/11 "2024-01-18T16:21:14Z")

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Check out the [parametric beta](https://www.shapr3d.com/download/beta): copy operations and patterns are now generating referenced copies from the original items and if you add your edits to the history before the copies are made, they’re propagated everywhere.

See it in this video here from ~2:52:

[![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/5/7/57fb39a40d5f85df9a9277069c1941c747f45dac.jpeg "Deep-dive: Parametric Modeling in Shapr3D") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p69WbM26q0Y&t=155s)