Move Component Command

Is used to move a custom component on the same member or to a different member.

Since custom components can have distinctly different properties, they can behave quite differently when they are moved. Some custom components cannot be moved on the same member, but can only be moved to a different member. Some custom components cannot be moved at all. Some custom components require that they be preselected in the Model Tree before they can be moved. Therefore, these instructions are not written as generic, step-by-step instructions, but rather as guidelines.

Before invoking Move Component :

  • The to-be-moved custom component must have been generated using Add Component .
  • If you plan to move the custom component to another member, you need to Open ( Ctrl + o ) a view that shows both the member that you are moving the custom component from and the member you are moving the custom component to.

Preselection verses in-tool selection:

  • You can preselect one custom component before invoking Move Component . If you do not preselect, you will be prompted to select one custom component after invoking Move Component .
  • Custom components that add holes or cuts without adding any material require preselection. You need to preselect one of these components in the Model Tree . Such a component cannot be selected using in-tool selection. Examples of custom components that have no material are Safety Holes and Reduced Beam Section .
  • Be aware that the ' Default ' connection filter will allow you to select entire system connections ( connection components ) as well as custom components. The ' Custom Components ' selection filter, on the other hand, limits your selection to custom components. You cannot use Move Component on a connection component. Only the one custom component that is in your preselection will be moved. Other items that are in your preselection will not be moved.
  • Most custom components can be selected by clicking a material that was generated by the custom component. When you click one material, all of that custom component's materials, bolts, etc. become selected.
  • To find a custom component in the Model Tree , set " View By " in the Model Tree to either ' Member Number ' or ' Member Piecemark '. The custom component will be listed under a member, after its connection components ( Left End and Right End ), before its submaterials, welds and bolts.

Invoking the command:

Move Component can be invoked by preselecting a component to enable the Dynamic Components contextual page and click the Move Component icon found in the Modify section.

Alternative : Invoke Move Component using the Find Tool by searching the command name and clicking the Move Component icon, which is pictured above.

To Move Component to a different member:

  • When prompted (in the status line ) to select a member, left-click ( Select ) the member you want to move the custom component to. What happens next depends on the custom component. Some custom components will simply move to the other member. For other custom components, you will be prompted to locate a point on the member you want to move to.

To Move Component on the same member:

When prompted (in the status line ) to select a member, left-click ( Select ) the same member that the custom component currently belongs to. You will then be prompted to locate a custom component reference point. Exceptions: Not all custom components can be moved in this way. Some custom components do not permit the relocation of their reference point. Other custom components do not gracefully handle such a relocation. It all depends on the custom component.

The effect of User and Site Options > Modeling > " Automatically process after modeling operation ":

If " Automatically process ... " is set to ' Process and create solids ', the member you selected to move the component to and the member that the component was originally associated with will automatically undergo Process and Create Solids . The result is that the custom component materials and/or holes and/or etc. will be moved immediately.

If " Automatically process ... " is set to ' Do nothing ' or ' Process ', the affected members will all be shown in stick form. You will have to Process > Process and Create Solids to have the custom component materials and/or holes and/or etc. shown in the model as moved.

  • Move Component cannot move a connection component. It can only move custom components.
  • Not all custom components can be moved onto a different member.
  • Some custom components, such as the Safety Holes component, cannot be directly selected in the model, but need to be selected in the Model Tree .