CAD tip # 3812:

Question CAD
% platform category

Beware of using Copy/Paste to copy AutoCAD entities inside drawings.

It is documented in AutoCAD Help (see 'Use Windows Cut, Copy, and Paste' in UG) but still many AutoCAD users 'misuse' this functionality -- clipboard Copy/Paste is not suitable for copying entities from/to AutoCAD drawings, as you will loose precision (plus extended entity data, reactors, dbLinks, etc.). Windows Clipboard (WMF) is intended for transferring data to/from other Windows applications.

The differences in simply copied/pasted coordinates are on about the 9^th decimal place so it may not come into your attention immediately but the precision lost is significant (influences dims, osnaps, etc.).

In the sample drawing below, the original (red) rectangle [0,0] - [1000000.1,1000000.1] was copied using Copy/Paste (Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V), then the _COPY command and then using _COPYBASE - Copy with basepoint (and then offset by [1,1] to make it readable). Only the Copy/Paste method distorts the vertex coordinates, making 1000000.0995 from 1000000.1.

The 'Copy with basepoint' function sets the exact coordinates and keeps full AutoCAD precision.

See:
Clipboard-instable.dwg (30kB, right-click/Save to download)
or
copypaste.scr (script file demonstrating the problem; use on an empty drawing)

(Precision lost depends on your Windows version, your MS Office version and applied MS Office Service Packs.)

ACADLTADT

* CAD

11.5.2004 78092× FAQ

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applies to: AutoCAD · AutoCAD LT · AutoCAD Architecture ·

See also:
Tip 14215:	IF statement in AutoCAD text fields and attributes.
Tip 13887:	ClosestPt - the nearest point on another curve
Tip 13692:	What is the precision in Revit?
Tip 13472:	How to convert the structure of a volumetric lattice to a real mesh body?
Tip 13426:	Use of alternative units for arithmetic in dimensions (without square brackets).

Selected tip: Where to find an official description of the DXF format?

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