Duplicate Objects

The Duplicate Objects tool creates multiple instances of the same object along a broken line, or within a closed polygon shape area. For example, you may need to place street lights, phone booths, or bus stops along a section of a road, or place trees in a forest or park. The tool allows the user to set the basic graphic representation of the object and the spacing between the instances.

The output of a Duplicate Object operation is either a group of TerraExplorer objects or a Points layer that can be saved to a local data source (Shapefile format) and loaded as a Streaming or Entire layer.

Duplicate Objects Tool

To use the Duplicate Objects tool:

1. On the Tools tab, in the Draw Tool group, click Duplicate Objects. The Duplicate Objects dialog is displayed.

2. Select the Create as option:

Option	Description
Group	Create a group with objects.
Layer (Entire)	Create feature layer under the application AppData.
Layer (Streaming)	Create streaming feature layer under the application AppData.

3. Select the required Object Type, and then enter the other parameter values:

Parameter	Description
Object Type	Type of object: Text/Image Label, 3D Model, Regular Polygon, or one of the 2D or 3D Shapes
Scale	Determines the dimensions of the object.
File Name	This property is only displayed when the Image Label or 3D Model object type is selected. Browse to the required file.
Text	This property is only displayed when the Text Label object type is selected. Type the required label text.
Segments	This property is only displayed when the Regular Polygon object type is selected. Type the number of sides required.
Second Radius	This property is only displayed when the Ellipse object type is selected. Type the required value.
Height	This property is only displayed when the Box Cone, Pyramid, Arrow, or Cylinder object type is selected. Type the required height.
Spacing	Type the required distance between every two objects.
Max Random Offset	If this property is larger than 0, the objects are placed at random distances from the required location up to the maximum parameter.
Visibility Distance	Set the visibility distance of the objects.

4. Select one of the following methods of designating the placement of the duplicated objects:

Method	Description
Follow Line	Duplicate the object along a line. Click Follow Line. Then in the 3D Window, left-click to place the line waypoints, and right-click to complete the line.
Fill Area	Duplicate the selected object inside the drawn polygon. Click Fill Area. Then in the 3D Window, left-click to set the line or polygon waypoint, and right-click to complete it.
Selected Group	Duplicate the object along all polylines or polygons in a selected group or layer. Select the required group or layer from the Project Tree and then click Selected Group. Note: Only first level polygons and polylines in an existing group are included.
From Clipboard	Duplicate the selected object based on a polyline or polygon clipboard object: § Polyline clipboard object - Object is duplicated along the line. § Polygon clipboard object - Object is duplicated inside the polygon. Click From Clipboard.

5. In the 3D Window, left-click to place the line or polygon waypoints, and then right-click to complete the line or polygon.

6. If you want to modify additional parameters, in the Project Tree Window, right-click the duplication group and select Properties