Copy an Object

To copy an object, use the Clone function provided for that object. This method creates a new object that is a duplicate of the original object. Once the duplicate object is created, you can then modify it prior to adding or appending it to the database. If you do not transform the object or change its position, the new object will be located in the same position as the original.

If you have a large number of objects you might want to copy, you can add each of the object ids to an ObjectIdCollection object and then iterate each of the objects. As you iterate each object, you can then use the Clone function for each object and then add or append the new object to the database.

Copy a single object

The following example creates a new circle and then creates a direct copy of the circle to create a second circle.

VB.NET

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry

<CommandMethod("SingleCopy")> _

Public Sub SingleCopy()

  '' Get the current document and database

  Dim acDoc As Document = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument

  Dim acCurDb As Database = acDoc.Database

  '' Start a transaction

  Using acTrans As Transaction = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()

      '' Open the Block table for read

      Dim acBlkTbl As BlockTable

      acBlkTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead)

      '' Open the Block table record Model space for write

      Dim acBlkTblRec As BlockTableRecord

      acBlkTblRec = acTrans.GetObject(acBlkTbl(BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace), _

                                      OpenMode.ForWrite)

      '' Create a circle that is at 2,3 with a radius of 4.25

      Dim acCirc As Circle = New Circle()

      acCirc.Center = New Point3d(2, 3, 0)

      acCirc.Radius = 4.25

      '' Add the new object to the block table record and the transaction

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acCirc)

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acCirc, True)

      '' Create a copy of the circle and change its radius

      Dim acCircClone As Circle = acCirc.Clone()

      acCircClone.Radius = 1

      '' Add the cloned circle

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acCircClone)

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acCircClone, True)

      '' Save the new object to the database

      acTrans.Commit()

  End Using

End Sub

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;

[CommandMethod("SingleCopy")]

public static void SingleCopy()

  // Get the current document and database

  Document acDoc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;

  Database acCurDb = acDoc.Database;

  // Start a transaction

  using (Transaction acTrans = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())

      // Open the Block table for read

      BlockTable acBlkTbl;

      acBlkTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.BlockTableId,

                                   OpenMode.ForRead) as BlockTable;

      // Open the Block table record Model space for write

      BlockTableRecord acBlkTblRec;

      acBlkTblRec = acTrans.GetObject(acBlkTbl[BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace],

                                      OpenMode.ForWrite) as BlockTableRecord;

      // Create a circle that is at 2,3 with a radius of 4.25

      Circle acCirc = new Circle();

      acCirc.Center = new Point3d(2, 3, 0);

      acCirc.Radius = 4.25;

      // Add the new object to the block table record and the transaction

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acCirc);

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acCirc, true);

      // Create a copy of the circle and change its radius

      Circle acCircClone = acCirc.Clone() as Circle;

      acCircClone.Radius = 1;

      // Add the cloned circle

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acCircClone);

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acCircClone, true);

      // Save the new object to the database

      acTrans.Commit();

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference

Copy multiple objects

The following example uses an ObjectIdCollection object to track the objects that should be copied. Once the object ids are added to the collection, the collection is iterated and new objects are created by using the Clone method and then are added to Model space.

VB.NET

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry

<CommandMethod("MultipleCopy")> _

Public Sub MultipleCopy()

  '' Get the current document and database

  Dim acDoc As Document = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument

  Dim acCurDb As Database = acDoc.Database

  '' Start a transaction

  Using acTrans As Transaction = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()

      '' Open the Block table for read

      Dim acBlkTbl As BlockTable

      acBlkTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead)

      '' Open the Block table record Model space for write

      Dim acBlkTblRec As BlockTableRecord

      acBlkTblRec = acTrans.GetObject(acBlkTbl(BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace), _

                                      OpenMode.ForWrite)

      '' Create a circle that is at (0,0,0) with a radius of 5

      Dim acCirc1 As Circle = New Circle()

      acCirc1.Center = New Point3d(0, 0, 0)

      acCirc1.Radius = 5

      '' Add the new object to the block table record and the transaction

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acCirc1)

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acCirc1, True)

      '' Create a circle that is at (0,0,0) with a radius of 7

      Dim acCirc2 As Circle = New Circle()

      acCirc2.Center = New Point3d(0, 0, 0)

      acCirc2.Radius = 7

      '' Add the new object to the block table record and the transaction

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acCirc2)

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acCirc2, True)

      '' Add all the objects to clone

      Dim acDBObjColl As DBObjectCollection = New DBObjectCollection()

      acDBObjColl.Add(acCirc1)

      acDBObjColl.Add(acCirc2)

      For Each acEnt As Entity In acDBObjColl

          Dim acEntClone As Entity

          acEntClone = acEnt.Clone()

          acEntClone.ColorIndex = 1

          '' Create a matrix and move each copied entity 15 units

          acEntClone.TransformBy(Matrix3d.Displacement(New Vector3d(15, 0, 0)))

          '' Add the cloned object

          acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acEntClone)

          acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acEntClone, True)

      Next

      '' Save the new object to the database

      acTrans.Commit()

  End Using

End Sub

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;

[CommandMethod("MultipleCopy")]

public static void MultipleCopy()

  // Get the current document and database

  Document acDoc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;

  Database acCurDb = acDoc.Database;

  // Start a transaction

  using (Transaction acTrans = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())

      // Open the Block table for read

      BlockTable acBlkTbl;

      acBlkTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.BlockTableId,

                                   OpenMode.ForRead) as BlockTable;

      // Open the Block table record Model space for write

      BlockTableRecord acBlkTblRec;

      acBlkTblRec = acTrans.GetObject(acBlkTbl[BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace],

                                      OpenMode.ForWrite) as BlockTableRecord;

      // Create a circle that is at (0,0,0) with a radius of 5

      Circle acCirc1 = new Circle();

      acCirc1.Center = new Point3d(0, 0, 0);

      acCirc1.Radius = 5;

      // Add the new object to the block table record and the transaction

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acCirc1);

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acCirc1, true);

      // Create a circle that is at (0,0,0) with a radius of 7

      Circle acCirc2 = new Circle();

      acCirc2.Center = new Point3d(0, 0, 0);

      acCirc2.Radius = 7;

      // Add the new object to the block table record and the transaction

      acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acCirc2);

      acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acCirc2, true);

      // Add all the objects to clone

      DBObjectCollection acDBObjColl = new DBObjectCollection();

      acDBObjColl.Add(acCirc1);

      acDBObjColl.Add(acCirc2);

      foreach (Entity acEnt in acDBObjColl)

          Entity acEntClone;

          acEntClone = acEnt.Clone() as Entity;

          acEntClone.ColorIndex = 1;

          // Create a matrix and move each copied entity 15 units

          acEntClone.TransformBy(Matrix3d.Displacement(new Vector3d(15, 0, 0)));

          // Add the cloned object

          acBlkTblRec.AppendEntity(acEntClone);

          acTrans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(acEntClone, true);

      // Save the new object to the database

      acTrans.Commit();

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference