Copying Entities in a Drawing

Commands: COPY, COPYCLIP, COPYBASE, PASTECLIP and PASTEBLOCK

You can duplicate entities within the current drawing using the Copy command. The default method is to create a selection set and then specify a starting point (base point) and an endpoint (second point) for the copy. You can also specify the displacement as a direction vector (X,Y,Z).

Depending on the COPYMODE system variable you can create multiple copies of the selection set or just one.

Copybase and Pasteblock pastes the selection as a block.

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

To copy a selection set

1. Do one of the following:

   • Click the Copy tool button () on the Modify toolbar.
   • Choose Copy in the Modify menu.
   • Type copy or CO in the command bar.

   You are prompted: Select entities to copy:

2. Select the entities, then right click or press Enter.
   If Copy Mode is Multiple :
   You are prompted: Enter base point: mOde/<Displacement>:
   If Copy Mode is Single :
   You are prompted: Enter base point: mOde/Multiple/<Displacement>:

3. Specify the base point.
   The selection set is now attached to the cross hairs.
   You are prompted: Enter second point: <Enter to use the base point as displacement>:

4. Do one of the following:

   • Click the second point.
   • Use Direct Distance Entry: type the displacement distance, then press Enter.
     The distance is measured in the cursor direction.
     Use ORTHO or POLAR TRACKING to constrain the movement of the cross hairs.
   • Press <Enter>: the first point is interpreted as a relative X,Y,Z displacement.
     E.g. if the coordinates of the base point are 2,3,0, the selection set is copied 2 units in the X direction and 3 units in the Y direction from their current position.

The selection set is copied.

If Copy Mode is Single , the copy command is completed.

If Copy Mode is Multiple , you are prompted to create the next copy. See To make multiple copies.

To make multiple copies

1. Do one of the following:

   • Click the Copy tool button () on the Modify toolbar.
   • Choose Copy in the Modify menu.
   • Type copy or CO in the command bar.

   You are prompted: Select entities to copy:

2. Select the entities, then right click or press Enter.
   If Copy Mode is Multiple :
   You are prompted: Enter base point: mOde/<Displacement>:
   If Copy Mode is Single :
   You are prompted: Enter base point: mOde/Multiple/<Displacement>:

3. (Option) If Copy Mode is Single , do one of the following:

   • Choose Multiple in the prompt menu
   • Type M , then press Enter

   You are prompted: Enter base point: mOde/<Displacement>:

4. Specify the base point.
   The selection set is now attached to the cross hairs.
   You are prompted: Enter second point: <Enter to use the base point as displacement>:

5. Do one of the following to specify the second point.

   • Click the second point.
   • Type the displacement distance, then press Enter.
     The distance is measured in the cursor direction.
     Use ORTHO or POLAR TRACKING to constrain the movement of the cross hairs.

   The first copy of the selection set is created.
   You are prompted: Enter second point: Undo/Repeat/Exit:

6. (option) Repeat step 5 to create additional copies.
   Right click or press Enter to conclude the command.

7. (option) Choose the Repeat option.
   You are prompted: Select end point (<ENTER> to key in number of repeats)
   The number of repeats increases when you move the cursor away from the source selection set.
   
   

8. Do one of the following:

   • Click when the desired number of copies displays.
   • Press Enter or right click, then type the desired number of copies.

To paste a selection set as a block

1. Do one of the following:

   • Choose Copy with Base Point in the Edit menu.
   • Type copybase in the command bar, then press Enter.
   • Press and hold the Ctrl and Shift keys, then press C .

   You are prompted: Select base point:

2. Specify the base point (origin point).
   You are prompted: Select entities to copy to the clipboard:

3. Select the entities.

4. Press Enter to conclude the selection of entities.

5. Do one of the following:

   • Choose Paste as Block in the Edit menu.
   • Type pasteblock in the command bar, then press Enter.
   • Press and hold the Ctrl and Shift keys, then press V .

   The selection set is attached to the cursor.
   The command window reads: Select insertion point.

6. Specify the insertion point.
   The selection is pasted as a block.

7. (option) Repeat steps 5 and 6 to paste another copy as a block.