# How to use constraint on part of a shape without deforming it?

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [December 31, 2022, 11:34pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310 "2022-12-31T23:34:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nrnrnr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/nrnrnr/32/16287_2.png) [@nrnrnr](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/nrnrnr)\
**Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 11:34pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310/1 "2022-12-31T23:34:11Z")

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I’ve created a sketch that has a line on the bottom, then a spline connected to both ends. The spline forms a loop so the entire sketch forms a connected outline.

The line is supposed to be horizontal, but somehow it got tilted. When I try to hit the line with the Horizontal constraint, it moves the line only and not the connected spline.

I eventually got my sketch rotated by asking for the angle the line made with horizontal, selected the whole sketch, then rotated by minus the given angle. But I would really like to be able to do this with constraints.

I would love to “lock” the spline points relative to the line, or simply lock _all_ points in a connected shape, so that when the line is moved by the constraint engine, the whole shape/sketch follows without deforming. In other words, I want to treat the sketch as a two-dimensonal rigid body whose position and angle can be adjusted by constraints. Can this be accomplished?

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**Author:** ![Steelboss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/steelboss/32/18525_2.png) [@Steelboss](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Steelboss)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 9:22am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310/2 "2023-01-01T09:22:12Z")

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Can you upload a screenshot?

Tony

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**Author:** ![nrnrnr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/nrnrnr/32/16287_2.png) [@nrnrnr](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/nrnrnr)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310/3 "2023-01-02T23:54:58Z")

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First shot: shape is highlighted and I want to pull the whole shape down to the line:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/d/7/d714da4c99e282eb8b344f82ba0094da1fd7bf5d.jpeg)

When I apply the constraint, only part of the shape comes; the rest is left behind:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/5/1/51ac86b29efff6ae66187673e5d4580c91a54a2b.jpeg)

And here’s the effect I was hoping for (achieved by highlighting the whole thing and moving by hand):

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/c/1/c1caae2a52d123c21ffd0cdb3fe0db24718a0f5b.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![Steelboss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/steelboss/32/18525_2.png) [@Steelboss](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Steelboss)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 3:18am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310/4 "2023-01-03T03:18:07Z")

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Mr. Nrnrnr,  
I am not sure if this is what you wanted to do, but I made a quick video.  
Tony

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**Author:** ![nrnrnr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/nrnrnr/32/16287_2.png) [@nrnrnr](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/nrnrnr)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 8:48pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310/5 "2023-01-03T20:48:25Z")

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Thanks for the video. That was the method I used to create the third screen shot. I would really like to get Shapr3d to calculate the movement for me.

Perhaps something else after “exit sketching” would help me get it done. I’ll poke around.

I probably need to watch the tutorials again.

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**Author:** ![Zecnarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Zecnarf](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Zecnarf)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310/6 "2023-01-03T21:02:50Z")

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Nice job,….

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**Author:** ![Steelboss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/steelboss/32/18525_2.png) [@Steelboss](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Steelboss)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:47pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310/7 "2023-01-03T23:47:12Z")

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I am not sure what you mean. “Exit Sketching” was @0:45 but the video goes on to complete the move to @1:34. Please check again. What else do you want to do?  
Tony

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nrnrnr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/nrnrnr/32/16287_2.png) [@nrnrnr](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/nrnrnr)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310/8 "2023-01-04T02:05:49Z")

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I saw the whole video. Including the complete move. I want the edges in question to be tangent, not just close.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steelboss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/steelboss/32/18525_2.png) [@Steelboss](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Steelboss)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-use-constraint-on-part-of-a-shape-without-deforming-it/23310/9 "2023-01-04T02:58:39Z")

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Can you explain more? Are you referring to snapping the bottom to the horizontal line?  
T