Duplicate and Clone

Video captions: This tutorial will provide an overview of the duplicating and cloning of objects in Autodesk VRED Professional and will highlight the facets of these functions with an example.

The first step will be creating a clone of the existing car geometry. Therefore, let’s open the Scenegraph using the Quick Access bar.

We will select the ETRAXX group node and right-click to access the Scenegraph menu. However, first, let’s answer the question, why a group node? When creating a clone, if a non-group node object, such as a primitive with no parent, is cloned, it cannot be transformed separately from the original. Therefore, since both objects occupy the same space, one obscures the other, even when it is transformed.

In the Edit sub-menu, select Clone. Notice that you can also create a clone mirrored in X, Y, or Z. However, for today, we will select Clone.

Notice the icon in front of the original and clone has changed, indicating the creation of a clone. The child node names are underlined with a dotted line, visually indicating clone nodes. Autodesk VRED automatically creates a clone object of our selected geometry and names it as ETRAXX1.

During the duplication of an object, VRED copies the relevant geometry, creating a snapshot of the current geometry. The Clone command supplies us with an additional connection between the original and new geometry. Duplicate requires as much memory as the original source object. Therefore, a referenced object is significantly more memory friendly, since a reference just functions as a pointer to the original object. Autodesk VRED creates a reference object of the geometry when Clone is used. We will explore this connection further in the following.

Next, we select the ETRAXX1 clone group node and move it with the Transform tool. To do so, activate the renderview by using the left mouse button, then Shift + W to access the Move transform tool. Shift-drag the green arrow to move the cloned object along the Y axis.

The clone function creates a connection between the original object and the respective cloned object. This means that modifications on the original object automatically take effect on the cloned object. To better illustrate this, we will select the ETRAXX’s Exterior child node and move or rotate the body of the car. Use the shortcut, Shift + W or Shift + E, to do this.

As you can see, changes to our original object automatically transfer to the cloned object. In reverse, modifications on our cloned object don't affect the original geometry. All reference objects are updated automatically. A further function of the clone command can be illustrated with a quick material assignment. Open the Material Editor using the Quick Access bar.

The next step will be creating a new plastic material. In the Group Preview, right-click and select Create Material > Plastic.

Use the Diffuse Color option in the Plastic Material section, to change the color of the material. In our case, we will select a color that differs from the already existing paint of the vehicle. To do so, click the colored area next to the color selection slider, which opens the Color Picker dialog for choosing your color.

Now, select the just created material with the left mouse button and drag it with the mouse button held down onto our geometry. In this case, it is not of importance onto which object an assignment is applied, as the material assignment takes effect on both the original and the referenced cloned object.

To break up the connection between the reference and original object, we will select the cloned object in the Scenegraph and right-click to access the Scenegraph menu. Ensure the mouse cursor is over the selected group node, in this case, the ETRAXX1 clone node.

In the Edit sub-menu, we will use Unshare. Notice there are three options, Unshare and Keep Inner Clone Structure, Unshare Implicit Clones, and Unshare All. For today, we will use Unshare All.

The referenced object reverts to a normal object and has no more connection with the original object. Notice the change to the icons and the text of their child nodes.