Shapr used to let the user translate a body, check copy, then move the body, stop, then move again, and again, creating a new copy at each stop. This no longer seems to be the case. Copy now works in a somewhat confusing way. I can’t only make one copy, then I need to deselect the body. Then select again, etc. Tedious. Is there an array function, like in 3ds max, to replace the old functionality? Thank you.
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Yes they changed it. Why? Why not? Yes there is an array function. Select the body and you’ll see it in the side tool bar.
It’s called pattern! Not array. That’s a great tool. ‘Why not” you ask? Because the translation copy worked so well before. It was fun to use. That’s one reason “why not”.
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Pattern is amazing when you have uniform spacings. I encountered the same issue with copy, move, deselect, select, copy, move in the new version for irregular interval items. Very tedious
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I can answer why they changed that behavior and why it’s better now than it was.
They changed because every action is registering now in history and keeping it old way would make a lot of move/rotate records in history. Because old way didn’t give you chance to position object into the right place from first move. You had to make a couple of movement after that for each copied objects.
Now you have to finish move operation before make another copy. So you can position object precisely in place before make another copy. And you’ll have only one move/rotate action in the history after that.
When you start using all parametric power (history in particular) you’ll understand that it much better to have one move record there instead of bunch of them.
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I have to disagree with your statement that “it’s better now.” There might be advantages but I see more the disadvantages. When I got to copy something, the item I’m copying is where I want that to be already, it’s the copy I want to move. I loved the old way for adding things like rivets to objects. I’d select the first rivet, hit copy and move it where I wanted, then just move again to where I wanted the next one and on and on. It was very simple.
What you need to understand is that more options/power, doesn’t always mean better. And surely doesn’t always mean a better user experience.
I fell in love with shapr for it’s ability to allow me to mockup designs on my ipad in a quick fashion. Then I could dive into more detail if I wanted. I am concerned that Shapr is becoming bloated, hurting the thing that made it so attractive in the first place. But I have seen this many times over the years - Photoshop, 3ds max, maya, etc. I will just adapt and get used to the new way to do things, but I will miss the old way.
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That’s because you just don’t want to accept and understand the new way. I described why they did so and if they didn’t that would be a mess in history.
No. I don’t need to understand that at all. For me more options and power is always better.
I do the same right now with new version without any issues.
Can you explain the new way to modeling some house framing with members being irregular distances from each other?
It now takes me 20 times longer with the current way of copy when before i just modeled one 2x4 set it at the begining of a sill plate and hit copy entered my distance to the next member then clicked the dimension box and entered the distance of the next member and so on and so forth.
This has been frustrating for me cuz i have to now copy, move, deselect, reselect, copy, move, deselect, reselect and so on
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I can. But I need more info about your work process. Because it very depends. For example if all the parts on one plane then easiest way would be make a sketch with all that parts. By the way copy function there still the same as you mention.
If you show me short video where you struggling with this new copy function I’ll try to help you find more efficient way.
I hope this shows how I’m struggling. In the video where I have to deselect when I never had to deselect out of the objects to copy the next member.
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I would do something like this in this case
Thank you. So if I frame out in sketches instead it moves/copies as objects used to.
As a bonus you’ll get this ability:
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“That’s because you just don’t want to accept and understand the new way.” No I’m cool with trying to accept the new way. I just don’t find it as fun/efficient. But let me show you what I’m talking about. There might be a new way to do this that I haven’t seen. You did a great job of showing Justin a new technique, so I’m absolutely open to learning a new way to do this.
In the video I’m showing how I want to copy around some rivets to different spots on this frame. It’s slow and annoying that with each copy I have to deselect, then select the body again. The old way I could just leave copy on and move the rivets around making many copies (you can still do with with sketches). I need to copy the bodies since they’re somewhat complex.
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Instead of deselecting then selecting the object again to copy, just tap the copy button to turn off copying then press it again, and then add distance or drag, this how i got around it. Hope this helps
Please disregard, Alex has a much better solution below. Not sure what I did wrong, but when I tried to make a bunch of copies with the Pattern Tool, I couldn’t move them individually, so I came up with the doubling workaround.
How about this:
Quickly make a bunch of copies of the complex body in free space by doubling each time (cuts down on a lot of re-selecting, etc.)
Then move each as needed. The Align Tool is fantastic for this if you have any kind of feature (point, edge, center, etc.) on the target (sketch or body) you can align to.
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It might be quicker just using the pattern tool and making a huge grid of them if you’re going to do it that way.
Not ideal but if it improves on the new system then it could be worth considering.
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What do you think?
I Still think it’s better to make a sketch for all knobs just because that would be much more precise.
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And this is how I would do it in real project
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And if I would like to change position later
Look at the history. It’s clear and easily editable, because of zero move actions with solids.
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