# Copy / paste objects from one file to another

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [November 1, 2019, 11:29am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936 "2019-11-01T11:29:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sander](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/sander/32/2625_2.png) [@sander](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/sander)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 11:29am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/1 "2019-11-01T11:29:53Z")

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Could you please add copy/ paste option between files. Now exporting and importing is the only option and it is quite a hassle. The quickest way for me now is to send myself an email with the file and then open the file in the new document.

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**Author:** ![sander](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/sander/32/2625_2.png) [@sander](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/sander)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 11:45am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/3 "2019-11-01T11:45:52Z")

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I understood you were planning to add an object library where you can store files . This would also be a great improvement. I would especially help when these objects when changed in the library can be updated in the overal drawing . For example when you change one screw all the same screws in the drawing will change as well. In my work this would help a lot.

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**Author:** ![DanielR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/danielr/32/582_2.png) [@DanielR](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/DanielR)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 11:56am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/4 "2019-11-01T11:56:14Z")

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Yes - this is among our plans - no ETA yet, but we will definitely have a solution for this. Until then, this is the best way to do it. One thing that might speed up the process if you don’t email it to yourself, but save it to Files

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**Author:** ![sander](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/sander/32/2625_2.png) [@sander](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/sander)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 12:04pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/5 "2019-11-01T12:04:39Z")

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Emailing is faster on the iPad then saving to files. 🙂 . Is the other option I discussed going to be implemented ?

> [@sander](#):
>
> I would especially help when these objects when changed in the library can be updated in the overal drawing . For example when you change one screw all the same screws in the drawing will change as well. In my work this would help a lot.

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**Author:** ![DanielR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/danielr/32/582_2.png) [@DanielR](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/DanielR)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 12:09pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/6 "2019-11-01T12:09:11Z")

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At some point yes, but probably not in the next year or so

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**Author:** ![pmarrhilliard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pmarrhilliard](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/pmarrhilliard)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/7 "2021-06-24T17:37:51Z")

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But how can you export a single object? Exporting the entire file to move one object to a new file is a giant pain.

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**Author:** ![TheBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@TheBum](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TheBum)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/8 "2021-06-24T18:54:00Z")

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Hide all the objects you don’t want to export and then make sure the “include hidden objects” checkbox is unchecked when exporting.

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**Author:** ![pmarrhilliard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pmarrhilliard](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/pmarrhilliard)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 3:29pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/9 "2021-06-28T15:29:16Z")

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Cool, thanks

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**Author:** ![sander](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/sander/32/2625_2.png) [@sander](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/sander)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 5:02pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/10 "2021-09-09T17:02:02Z")

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This update is still very needed . It’s very time consuming to export a body from a complex assembly. Over the last years this action took some days of my life. The fastest way is to duplicate the file and then select everything and unselect the part you want to keep and then delete all the rest. 😓. Then you can rename that duplicate and then you have to export it to a .shapr or .step file in order for you to import it in another .shapr document. 😥 in small assemblies this is not an issue , but when your assemblies consist over 5000 bodies this is the fastest way for sure.

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**Author:** ![pmarrhilliard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pmarrhilliard](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/pmarrhilliard)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/11 "2022-02-14T20:27:23Z")

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I agree, this is still on my wish list

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**Author:** ![Rvator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rvator](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Rvator)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2023, 7:24am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/12 "2023-04-02T07:24:05Z")

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Any update on creating an object library?

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**Author:** ![EyemJoe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/eyemjoe/32/26449_2.png) [@EyemJoe](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/EyemJoe)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2024, 8:36am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/copy-paste-objects-from-one-file-to-another/5936/13 "2024-01-14T08:36:21Z")

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hopefully this year 😆