Snaptrude gives you several ways to repeat objects: the Copy/Array tool for single copies and evenly spaced arrays, Duplicate Above/Below for copying objects to the next story, and copy and paste for moving objects between stories or projects. Most methods let you choose whether copies are linked instances or independent unique objects.

Every copy is either an Instance or Unique:

Hover over an object to see whether it is an instance or unique. When you start a copy, instances are highlighted in green. You can turn an instance into a unique object at any time, but you can't turn a unique object back into an instance.

Note: Reference lines are always copied as unique objects.

When you start a copy with the Copy/Array tool, with Ctrl during a move, or with Ctrl + C, the command bar is replaced by the Copy Type Selector.

Snaptrude remembers your choice for the rest of the session and resets it to Instance when you reload the project. If your selection mixes objects that support instancing with objects that don't, Snaptrude falls back to a copy type that works for all of them and shows a message telling you so.

Tip: While the Move tool is active, press and hold Ctrl (Cmd on Mac) to switch to copying. Releasing the key cancels an unfinished copy, and Esc steps back during a copy. You can change the copy type in the Copy Type Selector after switching this way.

Tip: The Copy/Array tool also supports click-to-paste: you can keep clicking to place repeated copies of the same selection.

The copy distance input accepts feet-and-inches values. Use a single quote for feet and a double quote for inches, for example 5'6". Formats such as 30 4 or 364" also work, and a plain number such as 30 is read as whole feet.

Note: Once the copy count is greater than 1, the copy type is locked for that array. Choose Instance or Unique before you set the count.

Arrays stay parametric, so you can change them after you place them.

If you resize a space inside an array, its neighbours shift so the spaces stay flush.

Arrays created as Unique also keep editable Count and Distance, and each copy can still be edited on its own. For unique arrays, Select Instances and gap locking are hidden because the copies aren't linked.

Note: Reference lines can't be parametric arrays. They are always copied as separate unique lines.

To break an array into separate objects, right-click it and choose Ungroup. Instance copies stay linked after ungrouping until you make them unique.

Duplicate Above and Duplicate Below copy the selected objects to the story above or below, which is useful for stacking typical floors.

After you duplicate, the right panel switches to the Areas tab so you can check the updated areas. The Properties panel stays open when you duplicate a story.

Pasted objects keep their original position. Within the same project, the Copy Type Selector appears so you can paste as instances or unique copies. You can also right-click an empty area of the canvas and choose Paste as Instance or Paste as Unique. When you paste into a different project, Snaptrude does a regular paste and the copy type options don't appear.

If the object was part of an array, the array is ungrouped, and the remaining instance copies stay linked to each other. Dimension lines stay attached to objects after you make them unique.

Doors, windows, stairs and ramps use Families. Instancing isn't limited to spaces: copies of these BIM objects can also be Instance or Unique, just like spaces. Separately, editing a family type updates every element of that type. To give an element its own type, use Duplicate Family to turn it into a separate family, which you can keep in the project or save to your library.