Editing Objects

This guide covers how to modify, move, copy, and delete objects in your model.

Editing Properties

1. Select one or more objects by clicking on them (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
2. The Property Sidebar on the right shows all editable properties
3. Change any value — the objects update immediately

When you select multiple objects of the same type, you can edit shared properties in bulk. For example, select five beams and change the profile — all five update at once.

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Every property change can be undone with Ctrl+Z.

Editing Geometry with Handles

To change an object's shape or position by editing individual points:

1. Hold Alt and drag a selection box around the handles you want to edit, or click directly on a handle
2. Selected handles appear highlighted
3. Press M (or any move command) to move the selected handles
4. Click a reference point, then click the destination point

Examples:

• Select a beam's end point handle and move it to extend or shorten the beam
• Select a plate vertex handle and move it to reshape the plate
• Select a bolt group's reference point to reposition the bolt pattern

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Moving Objects

Basic Move — Ctrl+X

1. Select the objects to move
2. Press Ctrl+X
3. Click a reference point (the "from" point)
4. Click a destination point (the "to" point)
5. The objects move by the distance and direction between the two points

Move Linear — X then 1

Move objects along a straight line defined by two direction points, with a specified distance:

1. Select objects
2. Press X, then press 1 (within 1.5 seconds)
3. Pick two points to define the direction
4. Enter the distance (or pick a third point)

Move Rotate — X then 2

Rotate objects around a center point:

1. Select objects
2. Press X, then press 2
3. Pick the center of rotation
4. Pick the start angle reference point
5. Pick the end angle point (or type an angle)

Move Mirror — X then 3

Mirror objects about a plane:

1. Select objects
2. Press X, then press 3
3. Pick two points to define the mirror axis (the mirror plane passes through these points, perpendicular to the work plane)

Move to Another Plane — X then 4

Move objects from one plane to another:

1. Select objects
2. Press X, then press 4
3. Define the source plane (three points)
4. Define the target plane (three points)

Move to Another Object — X then 5

Move objects relative to another object's coordinate system:

1. Select objects
2. Press X, then press 5
3. Select the source reference object
4. Select the target reference object

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Copying Objects

Copy commands work exactly like move commands, but leave the original objects in place and create new copies at the destination.

Basic Copy — Ctrl+C

Same steps as Move, but the originals stay in place.

Copy Linear — C then 1

Copy along a line with a specified distance. You can also create multiple copies at regular spacing.

Copy Rotate — C then 2

Copy with rotation around a center point.

Copy Mirror — C then 3

Create a mirrored copy of the selected objects.

Copy to Another Plane — C then 4

Copy objects from one plane to another.

Copy to Another Object — C then 5

Copy objects relative to another object's coordinate system.

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Deleting Objects

1. Select the objects to delete
2. Press Delete

WARNING

Deleting a beam or plate will also delete any dependent objects — cut parts, bolts, and welds that are attached to it. This prevents orphaned connections in the model.

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Undo and Redo

Command	Shortcut	What it does
Undo	Ctrl+Z	Reverses the last action
Redo	Ctrl+Y	Re-applies the last undone action

Calculus keeps up to 30 undo steps in memory. The history resets when you close the browser tab.

Every action that changes the model is undoable: creating, editing, moving, copying, and deleting objects.

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Measuring

Measure Distance — F

1. Press F
2. Click the first point
3. Click the second point
4. The distance is displayed on screen

Measure Angle

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+K) and search "Measure angle"
2. Click three points (the angle vertex is the second point)
3. The angle is displayed on screen

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These measurements are temporary — they appear on screen while the command is active but don't create persistent objects. Use the Dimension tool (D) if you want to add a permanent dimension annotation to your model.

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Two-Step Shortcut Reference

Some commands use a chord — press two keys in sequence (within 1.5 seconds):

First key	Second key	Command
X	1	Move linear
X	2	Move rotate
X	3	Move mirror
X	4	Move to another plane
X	5	Move to another object
C	1	Copy linear
C	2	Copy rotate
C	3	Copy mirror
C	4	Copy to another plane
C	5	Copy to another object

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Utility Commands

Fix Profiles to Similar

If your model has profile names that are slightly inconsistent (e.g., "IPE 300" vs "IPE300"), this command normalizes all profile names to the nearest match in the catalog. Find it in the Command Palette (Ctrl+K).

Create Profile from Plate

Generates a parametric profile definition from a selected plate's polygon shape. This is useful when you've drawn a custom plate shape and want to reuse it as a beam cross-section. Find it in the Command Palette.