# How to CHANGE things later

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [November 27, 2020, 6:11pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896 "2020-11-27T18:11:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mikewinters617](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@Mikewinters617](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Mikewinters617)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 6:11pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/1 "2020-11-27T18:11:41Z")

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Ok… This is a Newb question, that I _hope_ is something stupid that I am missing. How to I CHANGE something, after the fact?

A very simplified example:

I design very simple square “washer” like object. 1inch square, with a 1/4inch hole in the center. camphor some edges. Print it out, GREAT! But… a 1/8 inch hole would be better …

I can not figure out how to go into the drawing/model , and ONLY change the size of the hole! All i can do, is either keep hitting the “un-do” button, until I get to a point before i did any extrusions, or start from scratch.

Starting from scratch, for something as simple as what I described, is no big deal… but for larger, more complicated projects… not so much.

PLEASE, tell me I am missing something very basic?

MW

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**Author:** ![Sculptingman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/sculptingman/32/7968_2.png) [@Sculptingman](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Sculptingman)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/2 "2020-11-27T18:30:19Z")

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So- first zoom in tight. Then select each of the four inside faces of the square hole by tapping it once. Then invoke the SCALE tool. To make a 1/4” hole into a 1/8” hole, scale to 50%.  
You can also invoke the move rotate tool to MOVE the hole anywhere in the face of the object its cut thru.  
No need to go into sketch plane at all.

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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:** [November 27, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/3 "2020-11-27T18:42:50Z")

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Good point @Sculptingman! If you need to make just the hole smaller, for example, you can use the advantage of direct modeling. Grab one face and move it to meet the dimensions you are looking for

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**Author:** ![jomiller48](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jomiller48/32/9182_2.png) [@jomiller48](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jomiller48)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 3:19am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/4 "2021-10-30T03:19:40Z")

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Unfortunately a lot of answers you’ll get in these forums will be to extol the virtues of direct modeling over parametric modeling, indiscriminately. This of course isn’t true. They are two different tools that accomplish two different design pathways and there are many applications where parametric modeling makes changing a model or creating dynamic designs MUCH easier. Direct modeling works easier for conceptual designing though.

To answer the original question, it’s not really easy to go back and change something in direct modeling because the sketches and the operations aren’t linked historically. While moving or adjusting a single feature or point could be done as described above, altering multiple features, altering based off of a datum, scaling based off other measurements as bases or multipliers, grid or circular modifications, etc …… all don’t work.

Shapr3D is a good tool when used how it is designed, it’s an exercise in frustration when you attempt to use it in other ways. There are plenty of posts pleading for the option to interact both as a direct modeler and as a parametric modeler. Hopefully one day that will become a reality but for now everyone seems more interested in converting the masses to their church instead.

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 3:39am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/5 "2021-10-30T03:39:28Z")

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> [@jomiller48](#):
>
> parametric modeling makes changing a model or creating dynamic designs MUCH easier

Until you can’t make a change… or have to sacrifice too much to make that change. Been there done that. It’s not always rosy in parametric land.

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 3:40am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/6 "2021-10-30T03:40:24Z")

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Nice thing about direct is the sketch is always there. Untouched by the changes.

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**Author:** ![jomiller48](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jomiller48/32/9182_2.png) [@jomiller48](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jomiller48)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 10:18am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/7 "2021-10-30T10:18:07Z")

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As I said, 2 tools for 2 different purposes. The best option would be to have access to both modalities.

Thank you for illustrating my point though.

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 3:51pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/8 "2021-10-30T15:51:20Z")

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Well I have to say it’s not always easy to change something in Parametric modeling, which is my counterpoint.

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**Author:** ![Romulus369](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/romulus369/32/2871_2.png) [@Romulus369](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Romulus369)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 4:03pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/9 "2021-10-30T16:03:39Z")

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The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function… 😳😲🤓

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**Author:** ![andrew](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/andrew/32/5757_2.png) [@andrew](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/andrew)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/10 "2021-12-18T02:17:53Z")

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That’s a fantastic and ultra simple example, but doesn’t answer the original question. Make that washer, chamfer the edges, maybe make it a split washer. NOW change the inner or outer diameter by grabbing the edge and dragging. THIS is what we are taking about: making a change to a more complex part.

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**Author:** ![jomiller48](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jomiller48/32/9182_2.png) [@jomiller48](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jomiller48)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 3:07am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/11 "2021-12-18T03:07:12Z")

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Or being able to change the wall thickness of something and have all applied chamfers or fillets update. Or having the ability to update a 200 or 2000 point linear/circular pattern operation by changing a data point or two. Or have Boolean functions automatically updating when a tool is updated. Certainly you have to watch your design steps and order of operations more but that is also generally good practice.

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**Author:** ![andrew](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/andrew/32/5757_2.png) [@andrew](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/andrew)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/12 "2022-02-04T21:16:53Z")

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No response from the team… help us out. Those complicated mechanical models we see, are they actually created from scratch with Shapr3D, or are they imported after/near completion?

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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:** [February 4, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-change-things-later/9896/13 "2022-02-04T21:20:15Z")

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Hey Andrew - which models are you referring to?

We have videos on social, which feature imported models and also ones we build from scratch. We mention if something was imported.