Modify

What modifying covers#

The modification tools work on existing geometry: they shorten and extend elements, move, copy, rotate, mirror and scale a selection, create arrays and parallel contours, fillet and chamfer corners, break up compound elements and join endpoints permanently. This section describes what applies to all modification tools; the individual commands are in the command reference.

The basics — clicking elements, rubber band, gizmo, grips, deleting — are under Selecting and modifying.

The group Modify#

In the ribbon the tools are in the group Modify: three split buttons with a triangle for the families Trim , Mirror and Offset , next to them Array (a family as well), Fillet , Chamfer , Stretch and Explode .

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The family Weld belongs to the group Constraints. In a window 1400 pixels wide this group is collapsed: its triangle opens a list of all tools of the group, including Weld and Unweld; on wider screens the split button Weld stands open next to the constraints.

A click on a family's triangle shows the list under the heading RELATED TOOLS:

In the classic toolbar the same tools form the group Edit with four drop-down triangles; the group Constraints with the family Weld sits in the overflow menu ☰ at 1400 pixels width (depending on the width).

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Every tool can also be started via the command search (category Ändern) and via the tool window, section Edit. The clipboard commands Cut, Copy and Paste have no button — they are on Ctrl + X, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, in the right-click menu and in the command search (Clipboard).

Pre-selection and post-selection#

The tools that work on a whole selection — Mirror, Rotate, Move, Copy, Scale, both arrays, Weld, Unweld and Explode — prefer a pre-selection: you choose the elements first (Select), then start the tool.

If you start such a tool without a selection, post-selection begins: below the header a bar appears with the name of the command and the number of chosen objects; the status line reports Mirror: choose elements — Enter or right-click accepts, ESC cancels. You now choose as usual — individually, with Shift + click or with the rubber band — and confirm with Enter, right-click or Accept. The tool then continues exactly where it would stand with a pre-selection, and the status line names the next click (Mirror: click the first point of the mirror axis).

Without a chosen object the post-selection cannot be completed (Please choose at least one element — ESC cancels); Esc or Cancel ends it and reports, for example, Mirror cancelled.

The remaining tools — Trim, Break, Split, Trim one/two elements, Offset, CAM offset, Stretch, Fillet, Chamfer — need no selection: you click the elements within the procedure.

What travels along#

Move, Copy, Rotate, Mirror and Scale take along what belongs to the selection:

• Dimensions attached to a selected element follow automatically; free dimensions travel along when they are included in the selection (Rotate, Move and Copy also accept selections consisting only of dimensions).
• Hatches travel along when they are selected or lie within the selection; their boundaries are recomputed after the operation.
• Welds and constraints come along with copies; when rotating and scaling, the constraints of the selection are removed because they might no longer hold.
• Fixed elements (constraint Fixed) cannot be moved.

Mirror creates copies — the originals stay. What exactly came along is reported by the status line, e.g. 3 copied (2x), 1 hatch(es).

Floating input fields#

As soon as a tool needs a value, the floating input field appears at the pointer: dX/dY for Move, Copy and Stretch, ∠ for Rotate, factor for Scale, R/C/dY/dX for the array, N/∠ for the polar array, D for Offset, R for Fillet, D1/D2 or ∠/D for Chamfer. You can click or type: Tab switches between the fields, Enter accepts, Esc cancels. The mouse pointer provides the preview; a click accepts the value of the current mouse position, a typed value takes precedence. The tools remember their last values (rows and columns of the array, chamfer distances, offset distance).

The object snap guides every click on base and target points; K opens the coordinate input.

Undo#

Every modification command is one step for Undo (Ctrl + Z) — even an array with many copies, a weld with shifted elements or a cut. When copying repeatedly, each placed copy counts individually.

Gizmo instead of tool#

Small moves, rotations and scalings of a selection can also be done with the gizmo: drag the grips on the axis cross, or enter values in the gizmo window. The tools of this group are the way for base and target point with snap, for copies and arrays.

Display while modifying#

The status line names at every step what is expected and finally what happened; all messages are under Messages when modifying. The instruction bar above the drawing area shows tool name, step and mouse assignment.

Next#

• Trim, Break, Split · Trim or extend one / two elements
• Move and Copy · Rotate · Mirror · Scale
• Rectangular and polar array · Offset · CAM offset
• Stretch · Fillet and Chamfer · Explode
• Weld · Clipboard