copy geom internal vs. external

[bpeterson-4]

Anyone know what an internal copy geom is used for?

Here is my real question:  Is there a way to copy geometry within a part from one coordsys to another coordsys?  In other words: I want to do within 1 part exactly what an external copy geom does between 2 parts, cs_part1 to cs_part2.

My current need is to (copy) transfer and rotate a surface, but in the past I've wanted to transfer and rotate a "master" sketch to some other sketch. Again, a copy geom type of function with a part would be just what I need.

Bruce

[bpeterson-4]

Sorry!  typo..

Again, a copy geom type of function with a part would be just what I need.

should read:

Again, a copy geom type of function within a part would be just what I need.

[dgschaefer]

A copy geometry feature, between two parts, requires location context to determine where the copied geometry from the source part will be in the target part.  This can be done via their relative position in an assy (internal) or by aligning a coordinate system from each part (external).  The internal also creates a parent child relationship between the parts & the assy, the external does not.

[bpeterson-4]

Good explanation! I can see the difference now. Thank you! I've used external copy geoms hundreds of times but never ventured down the road of internal copy geoms.

It now seems that transferring and rotating a copy of a surface within a single part using copy geoms was a dead end from the start.

I've started looking into [copy] [paste-special] but am not getting anywhere. (move, rotate on the paste). Even if I did get that to work, simple moves and rotates would not land the copy parametrically in the correct location.

I've also tried to sweep a surface from the perimeter of the source surface down to a plane on the target location. I was then going to “use edge” and create my moved copy. No luck, part of the sweep doubles back on itself.

If anyone can think of a trick or work around I'm willing to give it a try. Thank you!

[bpeterson-4 · Accepted solution]

I have a solution that works fine and wasn't too messy.  The copy+paste-special command wouldn't work with the surface selected, the paste special remained greyed out.  I found I could get what I needed in the following steps.

1.  sketched a curve around the perimeter of the starting surface.

2.  created 3 analysis features.  Meas down, Meas rotate, Meas fwd.  The transformation from start location to end location could be broken down into these 3 distinct moves.

3.  Copy + paste-special the sketched curve from step 1.

4.  Apply transformations in the paste special:  Move down, Rotate forward, Move forward.

5.  Create relations so the transformation values are driven off of the measured values of step 2.

Result:  A copy of the perimeter landed in the correct ending location where it was used to create a sketched fill surf.

[Inoram]

On your start surface try, select the surface, copy and paste it, re-highlight the new surface you just created and then select copy, and then paste special, and then transform from there.

I'm not sure if this is the exact end result you want. But for me it's always copy/paste/select/copy/paste special. I don't know why.

[pausob]

I agree, the only thing I'd add is that you can actually delete the 1st copy from your model tree.

My workflow in detail:

1) select geometry

2) copy

3) paste

4) select the copied feature in the model tree (let's call it "Copy 1")

5) copy

6) paste special (check only the "Apply move/rotate transformations to copies")

7) delete the "Copy 1" feature from the model tree

This is Creo 2.0.  Maybe PTC fixed this weirdness in later versions to allow you to do the paste special in the 3rd step.