# Is there a faster way to duplicate an object in-place?

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [February 16, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160 "2023-02-16T15:16:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![benaston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@benaston](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/benaston)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/1 "2023-02-16T15:16:01Z")

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To duplicate an object, I currently resort to a hack whereby I move it 1mm forwards in copy mode and then 1mm backwards in non-copy mode.

What is the correct way duplicate an object?

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2023, 3:23pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/2 "2023-02-16T15:23:34Z")

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I find that moving forward (or any direction) by 1mm or so and then moving back to zero will make the copy. You don’t have to move again in non-copy mode. Try it.

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**Author:** ![benaston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@benaston](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/benaston)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2023, 3:32pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/4 "2023-02-16T15:32:54Z")

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Remaining in copy mode will make a third object on the move backwards.

Regardless: I am looking for the correct way to duplicate an object.

Moving objects around is not a serious solution.

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/5 "2023-02-16T17:41:15Z")

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I’m on an iPad Pro using the Apple Pencil. When doing the initial copy-move, do not let go of the Pencil and make a 2nd move. That will make the 3rd copy as you stated. Merely move the object forward and back in one motion thus making only one copy.

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**Author:** ![Stephen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/stephen/32/16350_2.png) [@Stephen](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Stephen)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/6 "2023-02-16T19:04:44Z")

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@TigerMike Great tip Mike, thanks for that.

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**Author:** ![doctortropico](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/doctortropico/32/18900_2.png) [@doctortropico](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/doctortropico)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2023, 8:43pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/7 "2023-02-16T20:43:58Z")

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Just curious: when would you need a copy in exactly the same place as the original? I always find that when I need a copy it needs to be somewhere else in the design so the ‘copy while moving’ move just does it for me.

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**Author:** ![NathanD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dec6dc/32.png) [@NathanD](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/NathanD)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2023, 10:10pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/8 "2023-02-16T22:10:12Z")

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I just did this this week multiple times.  
I’m creating various designs of a part that is placed on a reference mesh, and I need to keep the variations positioned in the same place (mount points to the reference)  
I just hide the previous versions and/or isolate the current copy I’m working on.  
So it kind of works like a revision history.

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 6:09am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/9 "2023-02-17T06:09:05Z")

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Sometimes you may need to do a Boolean such as Intersect or Subtract on the copy after you hide the original. Other times you may want to keep a reference copy in the same space.  
Also what @NathanD said.

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**Author:** ![doctortropico](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/doctortropico/32/18900_2.png) [@doctortropico](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/doctortropico)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 12:22pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/10 "2023-02-17T12:22:14Z")

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Makes sense. Thanks for explaining.

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 6:14pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/11 "2023-02-17T18:14:15Z")

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No problem. Another good reason is if you plan to add fillet radii all over the place. Making design changes can be problematic where you might need to delete some radii. Having a backup comes in handy. I know, I’ve been there.

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**Author:** ![Raygun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@Raygun](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Raygun)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 9:02pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/12 "2024-04-27T21:02:44Z")

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Yes - I do the same - it helps with deciding different design scenarios.

The copy in place used to work before by entering 0 as the distance. This was disabled in one of the last updates.

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**Author:** ![APDesignMachine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e495f1/32.png) [@APDesignMachine](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/APDesignMachine)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 2:14am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/13 "2024-04-28T02:14:01Z")

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> [@doctortropico](#):
>
> Just curious: when would you need a copy in exactly the same place as the original? I always find that when I need a copy it needs to be somewhere else in the design so the ‘copy while moving’ move just does it for me.

I often do this when I need to change appearance, but keep functional geometry in place, ie. mating features with another part. It’s a good way to make objects that look different but will still fit into place as the original.

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**Author:** ![Bob3DPO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7993a0/32.png) [@Bob3DPO](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Bob3DPO)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 2:42am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-a-faster-way-to-duplicate-an-object-in-place/24160/14 "2024-04-28T02:42:53Z")

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Another way is to select, use move/rotate, enable copy, rotate by 360°