# Subtracting large quantity of items

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [April 29, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724 "2025-04-29T17:57:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ladyprintzalott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ladyprintzalott](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Ladyprintzalott)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/1 "2025-04-29T17:57:31Z")

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I’m trying to create essentially a peg board and I want to make sure there isn’t a better way.

I created the grid and put the board on top and am subtracting each peg. It’s a pretty long process so I wanted to see if there was an easier way.

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**Author:** ![Xdrakosha](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/xdrakosha/32/24881_2.png) [@Xdrakosha](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Xdrakosha)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 6:03pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/2 "2025-04-29T18:03:08Z")

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You can select them all at one. Also you can subtract one and use pattern tool to copy holes.

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**Author:** ![Ladyprintzalott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ladyprintzalott](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Ladyprintzalott)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/3 "2025-04-29T18:08:56Z")

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I tried to copy the hole, but I didn’t see how to select it. It just would select the main body. How do you do that?

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**Author:** ![Xdrakosha](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/xdrakosha/32/24881_2.png) [@Xdrakosha](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Xdrakosha)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/4 "2025-04-29T19:13:19Z")

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Select inner wall of the hole.

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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:** [April 29, 2025, 7:14pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/5 "2025-04-29T19:14:01Z")

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The easiest way is to have all the pegs in a folder. Then you can select folder to subract from the peg board.

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**Author:** ![Xdrakosha](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/xdrakosha/32/24881_2.png) [@Xdrakosha](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Xdrakosha)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/6 "2025-04-29T19:21:20Z")

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> [@Ladyprintzalott](#):
>
> How do you do that?

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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:** [April 29, 2025, 7:29pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/7 "2025-04-29T19:29:04Z")

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Interesting technique. Good to know.  
On the iPad Pro, you cannot select the hole first as the **Pattern** tool is not available. You have to select **Tranform → Pattern** first, then select the hole.

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**Author:** ![Xdrakosha](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/xdrakosha/32/24881_2.png) [@Xdrakosha](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Xdrakosha)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/8 "2025-04-29T19:40:41Z")

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> [@TigerMike](#):
>
> On the iPad Pro, you cannot select the hole first as the **Pattern** tool is not available.

I think this is a bug. I remember it worked before. I reported this as a bug, will see what S3D team will say.

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**Author:** ![Xdrakosha](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/xdrakosha/32/24881_2.png) [@Xdrakosha](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Xdrakosha)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/9 "2025-04-29T19:44:39Z")

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> [@Ladyprintzalott](#):
>
> better way

Still think the better way is to extrude instead of substuct 🙂

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**Author:** ![JST](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@JST](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JST)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 7:48pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/10 "2025-04-29T19:48:48Z")

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Select the hole, then use the search menu, you can use the pattern tool on Ipad.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [April 29, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/11 "2025-04-29T20:18:28Z")

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Also good to know. Using the search menu? That’s a first for me. 😎

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JST](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@JST](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JST)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/subtracting-large-quantity-of-items/37724/12 "2025-04-29T20:26:00Z")

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I’ve noticed recently that if I don’t see the icon I’m looking for right away, I immediately go to the search menu…🤕