# Error message when making a copy

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/error-message-when-making-a-copy/11253>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [February 4, 2021, 1:53am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/error-message-when-making-a-copy/11253 "2021-02-04T01:53:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RonVictor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4491bb/32.png) [@RonVictor](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/RonVictor)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 1:53am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/error-message-when-making-a-copy/11253/1 "2021-02-04T01:53:14Z")

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I wish to make a copy of a simple item. I can move it ok, but when I try to copy it by clicking on the little plus sign, I get the following error message at the top of the screen. “ Transform operation failed, because it would not create a valid body.“

What an I doing wrong?

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**Author:** ![KPeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/kpeter/32/7644_2.png) [@KPeter](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/KPeter)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 8:42am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/error-message-when-making-a-copy/11253/2 "2021-02-04T08:42:01Z")

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Hi, welcome to the forum! Can you please upload a small screen recording of your workflow beginning with the selection? It can happen that more elements are selected than it would be needed - I mean edges and faces too, but faces would be enough.

Please take a look at this article, I hope it will be helpful:

> **[How do I copy holes?](https://support.shapr3d.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019354560-How-do-I-copy-holes-)**
>
> To copy a hole in Shapr3D, first select the inner faces of the hole and then the Move/Rotate tool in the adaptive menu. Select the Copy badge and drag the arrows in the direction where the other ho...

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**Author:** ![RonVictor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4491bb/32.png) [@RonVictor](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/RonVictor)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 11:49am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/error-message-when-making-a-copy/11253/3 "2021-02-04T11:49:34Z")

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Thanks for replying so quickly.

Attached is a video. I just want to duplicate one of the cylinders. First I just move it a little to show that works. Then I click on the plus and try to move it again, hoping to make a copy.

Ron

[Video.mov](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/uploads/short-url/xpWYdlVL2iOVJUHydRGrp46D5Uu.mov) (2.3 MB)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KPeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/kpeter/32/7644_2.png) [@KPeter](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/KPeter)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 11:55am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/error-message-when-making-a-copy/11253/4 "2021-02-04T11:55:52Z")

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Oh, I see! With a single tap only the surface will be selected that you tap onto. Please double-tap on the surface to select the whole body and there will be no issues with the copy 🙂