Dragging 2D Elements with Mouse

If one or more elements of the drawing are selected in the command standby mode, then you can move or copy them without calling the command. To do this, move the cursor over one of the selected elements. The (when pointing at node) or icon will appear near the cursor. This means that the system is ready to change the position of the selected elements. Next, press and hold while moving the cursor. Selected elements will follow the cursor. Set the desired position of elements and release .

The ability to drag element this way may be disabled in the 2D tab of the system options dialog (Disable construction element dragging and Disable sketch elements dragging)

When dragging elements this way, the Move with Translation command is launched automatically with default parameters. Therefore, you can use any of the command's options, change transformation type and method or switch to another page (this way you can move or copy elements between different pages). In order to change command's parameters, either call any of the automenu options using a keyboard shortcut, or move the cursor outside boundaries of the active view window, and then release. After that you won't need to hold anymore - the elements continue following the cursor until you press within the view window again.

This way you can move and copy drawing elements of any type (except multi-paged elements), including elements that cannot be selected as source elements upon calling a command. In the meantime, despite the availability of the associative copy creation mode in the automenu for any type of elements, among detailing elements the actual creation of associative copies is performed for texts and pictures only. Using associative copy creation mode for other types of detailing elements results in creating a non-associative copy.

The transparent 2D elements editing mode is enabled in system options by default. In such case, selecting a single element launches its editing command, so dragging the element as described above becomes impossible. However, you can still drag elements in the same way, if you click and hold on the element without selecting it in advance. The and icons are not displayed in this case.

In order to drag text of any type, except string one, you shouldn't click an arbitrary location over the text. Instead, click the special rectangular marker indicating the text's anchor point. Specifics of moving particular types of text are described in the Position and Orientation of Text section.

Special manipulators (, ,,,,,,) appear as you move the cursor over dimensions, GD&T elements and roughness symbols. Clicking a manipulator launches the element's editing command regardless of the transparent editing mode's state. Therefore, don't move the cursor over such manipulators, when you want to click and drag an element.