Hi,

When importing a single object from a file containing one or more objects would there be anyway to have it place the object at the cursor location, or some other way of designating the desired location?

I have a number of files with commonly used objects, all located at Z=0 or other location close to that.

When working on a printer design I may be working on some part of the design up around Z=300.

Having to move the imported object from Z=0 to Z=whatever is not much fun.

Objects in the "object library" handle this very nicely.

Thanks.

Frederick

If you right click the import button that will do an “Import Part” which will bring the file in, but use the orientation picker to place it. So thats GOOD that all your parts are at Z0. That way when you go to “cursor place” the part, the base is derived from the zero point set in the part file (either by cplane or world 0 coords….

Hi Frederick, yes the object library uses the same ImportPart command that Burr mentions above.

You can run it by a right click on the File > Import button or by setting up a shortcut key with ImportPart as the command name.

- Michael

Thanks for the reply.

Frederick

Hi Michael,

More good news - sort of.

That will work in some circumstances when the file contains one or two objects, which some of mine do.

It doesn't appear to be of much use when the file contains dozens of objects, as do my metric fastener files.

I guess I may have to write my own "nuts and bolts" command tailored to my needs to address that particular problem.

Thanks. It's always good to learn.

Frederick

Hi Frederick,

re:
> It doesn't appear to be of much use when the file contains dozens of objects, as
> do my metric fastener files.

Can you post an example of one of these files?

If containing dozens of objects is problematic then why not solve it by separating those objects out to different files instead of all in one?

- Michael

Hi Michael,

Is there a way to copy an object from one window and paste it at the cplane origin in another window? The default behavior is to paste at world origin.

- Peer

Hi Michael,

I could easily do that for most commonly used objects. like entire hotend assemblies or stepper motors, which would might require a few dozen files each.

And I have done a number of those already, gradually putting each variation in it's own file.

But for hardware (nuts, bolts, inserts, etc.) there would be hundreds of files. For the socket head type metric machine screws, that I use a lot of, there would be 180 files.

Then you have pan head, button head, thin profile head styles. As you can see there would be many, many files.

Those numbers are why I need to figure out how to create my own "nuts and bolts" command, tailored to the specifics of metric fasteners in the M2 to M6 range.

I think I could do it but it is a question of finding the time to do the research on MoI scripting, collecting all the bits I will need.

For example, I have a sample of code to create a cylinder but there are many others things I will need as well.

With your feedback, I have been collecting lots of very useful stuff, most of which will be of help in the coding.

The coding part I would enjoy, it's the gathering of scripting knowledge that is not so much fun.

If I were a millionaire I would pay someone to come to work for you to write the scripting documentation. ;)

Thanks.

Frederick

Hi Peer,

That is an excellent question.

Frederick

“””””” It doesn't appear to be of much use when the file contains dozens of objects, as do my metric fastener files.””””””

For the file with “multiple objects”, open that file in its own window along with the working file, then use “copy with origin” and “paste part”…

either by right-clicking on the Copy button, or by the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+C

either by right-clicking on the Paste button, or by the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+V

Thanks BurrMan! I didn't know that.

Thanks much.

I have never seen that mentioned before.

I will give it a try.

Frederick

Hi Peer,

re:
> Is there a way to copy an object from one window and paste it at the cplane origin in
> another window? The default behavior is to paste at world origin.

It looks like you've already got the answer from Burr, but just to be sure - yes you can do that by using the PastePart command instead of regular Paste.

In your source window if you have a cplane set up at the object's base position you can use regular copy (Ctrl+C on windows/Cmd+C on mac) in the source window, and then in the target window use PastePart (Ctrl+Shift+V on Windows/Cmd+Shift+V on Mac) (or also right click on Edit > Paste button) instead of regular Paste.

With PastePart you will then be in the orientation picker just like the ImportPart command, you can type 0 <enter> to pick the target location at the cplane origin.

If you do not already have the cplane set in your source window you can use CopyClipboardWithOrigin (Ctrl+Shift+C on windows/Cmd+Shift+C on mac) (or right click on Edit > Copy button) instead of regular copy which will let you pick a point to use as the copied part's base position instead of using the current cplane origin.

- Michael

Wow Michael thanks for schooling my on these additional nuggets! I didn't know about 0 in the xyz box specifying the cplane origin or that regular copy is aware of the cplane origin. You got me to go back to the documentation and learn a few other things about the xyz box.

- Peer