# Moving a simple shape

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [June 23, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128 "2017-06-23T15:24:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Topogram](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/topogram/32/361_2.png) [@Topogram](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Topogram)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/1 "2017-06-23T15:24:14Z")

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I’m hoping I’m just overlooking this simple function. If I draw a circle and want to simply move it a few mm in one direction, I thought I could just do this by selecting the circle and dragging it into position with the pencil (see 13:25 in this tutorial video: [https://youtu.be/OFsbZikomSA](https://youtu.be/OFsbZikomSA)). However, I don’t seem to be able to move the circle after drawing it. I have to use the free form transform tool which seems excessive. If I tap the circle and try to move it all that happens is another line is drawn.

How do I move a shape with the pencil by dragging it around?

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/2 "2017-06-23T15:25:49Z")

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Select the sketch with the pencil. Then you can simply drag it’s points to position them.

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**Author:** ![Topogram](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/topogram/32/361_2.png) [@Topogram](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Topogram)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 6:41am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/3 "2017-06-25T06:41:28Z")

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So it’s not possible to grab a circle shape and drag it at its current size to somewhere else in the workspace? I’ve figured out that I can change its radius and circumference by dragging the two points that appear when you tap it. Several of your tutorial videos though show the whole circle being moved as one to reposition it. That does seem much more intuitive. Has this changed?

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 7:04am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/4 "2017-06-25T07:04:11Z")

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If you lock the radius of the circle, then if you drag a point of the circle it will move the circle. Otherwise (since the circle is defined by two points) you will change the position of one point, and the circle will be recalculated from the points.

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**Author:** ![Topogram](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/topogram/32/361_2.png) [@Topogram](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Topogram)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 7:17am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/5 "2017-06-25T07:17:12Z")

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Makes perfect sense. Thank you.

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 7:28am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/6 "2017-06-25T07:28:36Z")

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However woth the next release this is going to change, and when you drag a selected sketch, it will be moved, instead of being extruded.

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**Author:** ![MichaelG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@MichaelG](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/MichaelG)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 9:40am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/7 "2017-07-04T09:40:30Z")

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If I may just add a thought to this discussion:

… It would be very helpful if a **circle** could be selected [for Transform/Translate operations] by its centre.  
… and, incidentally; the ability to select a **line** by its midpoint would also be convenient.  
.  
MichaelG.

[as a new user, I may have ‘missed a trick’ … if so, please educate me]

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**Author:** ![Mash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19adc/32.png) [@Mash](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Mash)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 2:20pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/8 "2017-09-04T14:20:17Z")

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Works for a simple circle b/c you can select/lock radius, but how do you simply move an entire extruded shape? I can see no easy way to do this other than ‘transform’ which is not a simple process. I move shapes, parts, etc. constantly and it seems there should be a way to intuitively grab and drag these shapes I’ve created. Am I missing something? Can’t find a tutorial for this?

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/9 "2017-09-04T14:24:29Z")

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There are 4 different ways to move an object:

- general transform, using the gizmo (arrows and rotation arrows)
- translate tool (by defining a start and end point of the translation)
- rotate tool (by defining an axis and an angle of the rotation)
- mirror tool (by defining the plane of the reflection)

There is no other way to move an object in Shapr. What you want is unfortunately under-defined, since you it would require moving an object in 3D space on a 2D screen.

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**Author:** ![Mash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19adc/32.png) [@Mash](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Mash)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/10 "2017-09-04T15:58:04Z")

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Thanks - transform/translate works, but it seems very imprecise. How do I pick fixed coordinates to move the shape exactly? Or failing that, How can i grab a shape and hover with it until I can place it where I want it? (I do this in Sketchup rather easily)

Also, I find it’s a bit the same with drawing shapes. It would be ideal if shapr had a rectangle function instead of having to draw 4 individual lines. (?!)

And if I could snap an additional, smaller rectangle to the same starting coordinates, i could really make better use of the extrude function.

I realize Shapr is not Sketchup, but these things are easy in SU.

I like the app, but these are the deal breakers for me when it comes to buying a subscription. Thanks again for your help.

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**Author:** ![Mash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19adc/32.png) [@Mash](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Mash)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/11 "2017-09-04T16:35:02Z")

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OK - my bad, I think I got it, you have to double tap screen and transform in 2D, and then you can pinpoint where to move shapes and then pull back to 3D to view. It’s certainly not intuitive, but works very well.

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**Author:** ![Mash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19adc/32.png) [@Mash](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Mash)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/13 "2017-09-04T19:47:45Z")

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Figured it out thanks. See my last post. Thanks anyway

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**Author:** ![Peter\_b](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/85f322/32.png) [@Peter\_b](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Peter_b)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2022, 11:04am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/moving-a-simple-shape/1128/15 "2022-12-29T11:04:53Z")

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Not intuitive at all sadly. Still can’t figure out how to move sketch object on the ipad. - figured it out biggest problem is you cant see what sketches are combined.