11.4.1 Move and Copy

Move and Copy

To move or copy selected objects, use the menu entry

• Edit → Move/Copy,

the shortcut menu of the object, or the corresponding toolbar button.

The following dialog box appears.

If the Number of copies is set to 0, the selected objects are moved. Otherwise, the entered number of copies is generated.

The Reference to Coordinate System dialog section allows you to control whether the objects are moved or copied in the global coordinate system XYZ or in a user-defined coordinate system UVW (see Chapter 11.3.4). The user-defined coordinate system can be selected in the list or created with the button.

The Displacement Vector must be specified by means of the distances d_X, d_Y, and d_Z, or d_u, d_v, and d_w for a user-defined coordinate system. The vector can also be determined in the work window with by clicking two grid points or nodes.

If copies are created, you can influence the numbering of the new nodes, members, lines, surfaces, and solids in the Numbering Increment for dialog section.

Click the button to open another dialog box with useful copying options. This dialog box is also used for other functions such as mirroring, rotating, etc.

You can create new Lines and Members between the selected nodes and their copies. In addition, it is possible to generate Surfaces and Solids between the selected lines or surfaces and their copies (see Figure 11.77).

When a Template member, Template surface, or Template solid is selected in the list or graphically with , its properties are used for the connecting objects.

Double members may be created when copying. Use the check box to control if overlapping members are allowed, or merged into one member.

This section allows you to adjust the local line and member coordinate systems to the new position when rotating and mirroring. This function also adjusts eccentric connections that are defined in the direction of the global axes X, Y, and Z.

If the Copy including loading check box is selected, the loads that act on the selected objects are transferred to the copies. The loads of all load cases are copied, not just the loads of the current load case.

The Adjust nodal loads when rotating or mirroring check box allows you to control the direction of the copies of globally defined nodal loads. If you have selected the check box, RFEM converts the loads to the new position as local concentrated loads (make sure that the loads are also selected). The global load direction is kept otherwise.

The check box allows you to control if the copies of the lines and members are automatically connected to the existing lines and members. If this function is activated, a node is created at the point of intersection.