Copying and Pasting Objects

In the Track View controller window you can use the Hierarchy list to copy and paste objects. This allows you to replace the geometry of one animated object with the geometry of another object. This is similar to the functionality provided by XRef objects and scenes where you have to option of defining proxy or stand-in objects.

Copying and pasting objects is achieved by highlighting the Object track for the source object, copying it, then pasting it to the Object track of the target object. The Object track is found beneath the Transforms and Modified objects entries, and appears with parentheses that define the geometry type. For example, Object (Box) or Object (Editable Mesh) are two label names that might appear on the correct track for object cut and paste.

Using these two container types, you can copy geometry between objects.

To copy one object to other objects:

1. In the Curve Editor controller window, find the object that you want to copy from.
2. Navigate to the Object track that is beneath the Transform or Modified Object entries. The name will be something like Object (PivotDoor) or Object (Editable Mesh), for example.
   Note: If the object is modified, the order of the name of its Object track in the Hierarchy list is reversed; for example, Object (Sphere) becomes Sphere (Object).
3. Highlight the object track you wish to copy, then right-click and choose Copy from the quad menu.
4. Navigate to the object track for the target object, highlight it, and then right-click and choose Paste. Set options in the Paste dialog, then click OK.

   The object is replaced with the new one in the viewport as well as in the Hierarchy list of the controller window.

   Warning: The original target has been completely replaced by the pasted object. Use Save Selected on the target object to save a copy of that object, if you think you'll need to use it again sometime.

Here are some examples of how you might use object copy and paste:

• Paste an Object to another Object to replace one simple object with another. For example, you animate the transforms of a box object and want to replace the box with a torus.
• Paste an Object into a Modified Object to replace a complex, modified object with a simple stand-in object. For example, you model a complicated vehicle and you want to replace it with a box while you animate its transforms. Be sure to save the Modified Object to a file (using Save Selected).
• Paste a Modified Object into another Modified Object to replace one complex modified object with another. For example, you animated a flight of jets and want to replace them with helicopters.
• Paste a Modified Object into an Object to replace simple stand-in objects with complex modified objects. For example, you have animated a box and now want to replace it with a complex model of a jet.

Copying and Pasting Object Modifiers

You can also copy and paste modifiers below the Modified Object container. Copy and paste modifiers to do the following:

• Copy modifiers within the modifier stack of a single object.
• Copy modifiers between objects.

Unlike pasting other items, modifiers do not replace the highlighted item when you click Paste. Instead, the pasted modifier is inserted above the selected item.