Copy, Transform, Paste: Reuse Elements in PixyCAD
Copy and paste just got more useful in PixyCAD. Copy an element, then transform it while you paste. The geometry you’ve already built becomes the starting point for the next element, with the transformation handled right in the paste workflow.
Why we built it
A lot of modeling is repetition. You’ve made a spacer, a support, or a detail for your design, and now you need another one. The shape is already right. Building it again means repeating work you’ve just finished.
Copy and paste takes care of the repetition, but a copy often needs a transformation before it belongs in the design. Bringing that adjustment into the paste workflow keeps those two parts of the job together. Reuse the element, transform the copy, and keep building.
What copy and paste actually does
The idea is simple:
- Copy an element. Start with the element you want to reuse in your design.
- Paste it. Use the copied geometry as the basis for a new element.
- Transform it while you paste. Make the transformation part of the paste operation, so the copy fits what you’re working on next.
That last step is what makes the workflow useful. You can work from an existing element and adjust the copy during paste, without having to recreate the geometry first.
Where it earns its keep
A few everyday modeling jobs are a natural fit:
- Repeated parts. A design needs several instances of the same spacer or support. Build the first one, then reuse that geometry for the others.
- Details you’ve already worked out. When an element has the shape you want, copy it and transform it during paste to use it elsewhere in the design.
- Design exploration. Use an existing element as a starting point when trying out a different arrangement. There is less setup between an idea and putting it into the model.
Think of a small stand with a support you’ve already finished shaping. When you need another support, the work you put into the first one is still useful. Copy the element, paste it with the transformation you need, and carry on with the rest of the stand.
Keep the requests coming
Small improvements to everyday tools can make a difference over a whole project. Copying an element and transforming it during paste is one less interruption between the geometry you have and the design you want.
Have another workflow you’d like to make simpler? Tell us on feedback.pixycad.com, vote for the ideas you care about, and help shape what comes next.
