Moving entities

The MOVE command moves entities in the drawing.

The CUTCLIP command copies entities to the Clipboard, and then erases them from the drawing.

The PASTECLIP command (short for "paste clipboard") pastes entities from the Clipboard into the current drawing.

The PASTEORIG command pastes entities from the Clipboard into another drawing, using the coordinates of the source drawing.

The PASTEBLOCK command pastes entities from the Clipboard as a block into the current drawing.

Use CUTCLIP, then either PASTECLIP, PASTEORIG or PASTEBLOCK to move entities to another drawing.

The Copy option of the Grips Editing commands allows you to create multiple copies of the entities being stretched, moved, rotated, mirrored or scaled.

Note: When DRAGSNAP is ON, dragged entities are displayed at the current entity snap location.

Moving entities in a drawing



The default method is to create a selection set and then specify a starting point (base point) and an endpoint (displacement point) to define the relocation of the entities. You can also move the entities using a direction vector.

  1. Launch the MOVE command.

    You are prompted: Select entities to move [selection options (?)]:

  2. Select the entities, then right-click or press Enter.

    The selection set is now attached to the cursor.

    You are prompted: Enter base point [Displacement] <Displacement>:

  3. Specify a point.

    You are prompted: Enter second point or <Use base point as displacement>:

  4. Specify a point.

    The selection set is moved.

Moving entities between drawings

  1. In the source drawing, select the entities you want to move.

  2. Do one of the following:
    • Right-click, then choose Cut in the context menu.

      Hold down the right-mouse button longer when the Quad is active.

    • Choose Cut in the Edit menu.

    • Press Ctrl + X.

    The entities are deleted in the source drawing and copied to the Clipboard.

  3. Switch to the target drawing.

  4. Do one of the following:
    • Choose Paste in the Edit menu.
    • Press Ctrl + V.

    The bottom left corner of the bounding rectangle of the selection is attached to the cursor.

  5. Do one of the following:
    • Specify a point.
    • Press to paste the selection set using the coordinates of the source drawing.
Note: Launch the UNDO command in the source drawing bring back the moved entities.

Moving a selection as a block

  1. Select the entities you want to move.

  2. In the source drawing, select the entities you want to move.

  3. Do one of the following:
    • Right-click, then choose Cut in the context menu.

      Hold down the right mouse button longer when the Quad is active.

    • Choose Cut in the Edit menu.

    • Press Ctrl + X.

    The entities are deleted in the source drawing and copied to the Clipboard.

  4. The entities are deleted in the drawing and copied to the Clipboard.

  5. (option) Switch to the target drawing.

  6. Choose Paste as a Block in the Edit menu or press Ctrl + Shift + V.

    The bottom left corner of the bounding rectangle of the selection is attached to the crosshairs in the target drawing.

  7. Specify the insertion point.

    The selection is pasted as a block, using a default name.

  8. (option) Launch the EXPBLOCKS command and rename the block in the Drawing Explorer / Blocks dialog box.