Day 6
Editing
60 XP

MOVE + COPY

Reposition and duplicate objects.

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Learning objective

By the end of this lesson you can reposition and duplicate any object precisely using a snapped base point and a typed displacement.

What MOVE + COPY is

MOVE relocates one or more selected objects from a base point to a destination point. COPY does the same thing but leaves the original in place and can repeat multiple copies in one command.

Why and when you use it

Use MOVE whenever geometry is in the wrong place. Use COPY whenever you need an identical duplicate — a second window, a row of bolts, a duplicated detail.

Where to find it in the AutoCAD interface

Ribbon
Home tab → Modify panel → Move / Copy buttons.
Menu
Modify menu → Move, Modify menu → Copy.
Command line
Type MOVE or COPY and press Enter.
Alias / shortcut
M for MOVE, CO for COPY.

Key vocabulary

Base point
The grab handle of the move/copy — the point you pick up the object by.
Second point / displacement
Where the base point lands after the move.
Selection set
The collection of objects you have currently selected.

Before you start

  • Have at least one drawn object on screen.
  • Turn OSNAP on (F3) so the base point lands on a real endpoint or corner.
  • Press Esc twice to clear any stale selection before starting.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. 1
    Start the MOVE command
  2. 2
    Select the object you want to move
  3. 3
    Pick a snapped base point
  4. 4
    Specify the destination
  5. 5
    Duplicate instead with COPY

Visual reference

Common mistakes & fixes

  • Picking a random empty point as the base point.
    Fix: Always snap to a corner, endpoint, midpoint or centre so the move is precise.
  • Using MOVE when you wanted to keep the original.
    Fix: Press Ctrl + Z and rerun with COPY (CO) instead.
  • Pressing Enter inside COPY too early.
    Fix: Inside COPY, Enter ends the command — keep clicking destinations to place more copies first.

Troubleshooting

AutoCAD asks 'Select objects' even though I already picked one.Show
Cause: The selection was lost when you started the command.
Fix: Click the object, THEN type M. Or pick it again at the prompt.
The object jumped to a strange location.Show
Cause: Dynamic input interpreted a click as an absolute coordinate.
Fix: Type @x,y for a relative displacement, or snap to a known point.

Practice exercise

Five circles in a row, 100 units apart
  1. Draw one circle of radius 20.
  2. Type CO, Enter. Select the circle. Press Enter.
  3. Pick its centre as the base point.
  4. Type @100,0 Enter, @200,0 Enter, @300,0 Enter, @400,0 Enter.
  5. Press Enter to end COPY.
Success looks like: Five identical circles stand in a perfectly spaced horizontal row.

Pro tips & related commands

Pro tips
  • Inside COPY, type A (Array) to drop copies at a fixed spacing automatically.
  • Hold Ctrl when dragging blue grips for a quick visual move without typing.
  • Use 0,0 as a base point and a real coordinate as the destination to position objects absolutely.
Related commands
  • STRETCH(S)
    Move part of an object while keeping it connected to the rest.
  • ROTATE(RO)
    Rotate selected objects around a base point.
  • MIRROR(MI)
    Reflect a copy across a line.
Lesson quiz
0/2 correct

Score at least 2/2 to unlock lesson completion.

1. What is the keyboard alias for COPY?
2. Why should you pick a snapped base point?

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TRIMPrecision with OSNAP

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