3D Mini: Fun With Duplicate Special

Duplicate Special is a very powerful tool that allows you to make copies of an object, but also change the attributes of each duplicated object.

Let’s start basic controls.

Create a cube. Create > Polygon Primitives > Poly Cube

Duplicate_Special_1 First Translate (move) the cube’s X position to -10. Translate X: –10

Now open the duplicate special attribute box, . . . Edit > Duplicate Special □ (open the options box), then reset the option settings. Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Translate X: 2

Number of Copies: 9

NOW . . . Repeat what you have learned and duplicate, the row (select all the cubes in the row), and then duplicate the row of rows (select all the cubes), to make a 10 cube X 10 cube X 10 Cube. Post in your Blog.

Scaling

Create a cube and position it off-center. Translate (move) the cube’s X position to -10.

Translate X: –10

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special □ (open the options box), then reset the option settings. Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Translate X: 2

Scale Z: 1.25

Number of Copies: 9

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)

ROTATE

First scale your cube to 6 units in the Z direction. Scale Z: 6

Change the cube’s Scale Z to 12. Translate X: -10

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special □ (open the options box), then reset the option settings. Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Translate X: 1

Rotate X: 20

Number of Copies: 19

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)

Pivot Point

Repeat Last Step: create a cube scale it to 6 units in the Z direction. Scale Z: 12 and change the cube’s Translate X to -10. Translate X: -10

This time we are going to move the pivot point. Hit {Insert} on your keyboard to toggle move pivot on; the manipulator changes shape. Snap the manipulator to the Origin center (0, 0, 0) of the grid in all axis. To do this hold the the {x} key on the keyboard while moving the manipulator. I moved it only in the x-direction to the left of the cube.   Hit {Insert} on your keyboard to toggle move pivot off; the manipulator changes shape.

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special □ (open the options box), then reset the option settings. Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Translate X: 1

Rotate X: 20

Number of Copies: 19

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)

RING

Create a torus and change the cube’s Translate X to 6. Translate X: 6 and then

Under the torus’ inputs change the Section Radius to something a bit smaller. I changed mine to 0.1 units.

Move the pivot point. Hit {Insert} on your keyboard to toggle move pivot on; the manipulator changes shape. Snap the manipulator to the Origin center (0, 0, 0) of the grid in all axis. To do this hold the the {x} key on the keyboard while moving the manipulator. I moved it only in the x-direction to the left of the cube. Hit {Insert} on your keyboard to toggle move pivot off; the manipulator changes shape.

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special □ (open the options box), then reset the option settings. Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Rotate Y: 20

Number of Copies: 19

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)

SPIRAL

This time make another torus and position it off center by changing the pivot point. I used the same object, but just made it a lot bigger.

Then . . . Edit > Duplicate Special □ (open the options box), then reset the option settings. Edit > Reset Settings

Change the following:

Rotate Y: 18

Scale X: 0.75

Scale Y: 0.75

Scale Z: 0.75

Number of Copies: 19

Hit Duplicate Special or Apply (Hitting Apply keeps the window often versus closing it.)

GROUP

Create a few shapes and position them Off-center. Make 3 or more objects off center.

Group them together. Select all the objects and press {Ctrl} + {g} to group them. The pivot point should automatically move to the center of the grid.