Copying Wireframe (in GSD) - V5 impossiblity??

[new2v5]

Working in GSD, I have a square along with 1 line perpendicular to the square at 1 of the corners. The goal is to COPY the line to the other 3 corners. In V4 this was very simple (point to point- translate/copy). Does this exist in V5? If so, how do you use it (I'm sure it won't be as easy as V4)? Methods tried for the above situation: Copy & Paste (pick a line, clipboard, picked location, paste -- just like in my workbook) = 1 line overlaying the line I picked to copy, 2 lines from the square going invisible yet still on the tree. What is that all about??? Second method tried - Rect. Pattern.
Lot of work, all my elements ending up linked together (erase one, erase whole screen), errors and the update swirl. Why is every wireframe seemingly all linked together eventually to where editing means you might as well just start over. Is there a way to explode things so that a line is just a line and not like a link in a chain?
Can anyone me help solve these V5 wireframe mysterys?? Thanks.

 

[solid7]

If you want to create geometry that is non-parametric - or, "dumb", as in V4, you need to select the "datum elements" icon.

NOTE: clicking once will get you ONE isolated element. Double clicking will make ALL elements isolated, until you turn it off.

For the normal line, you simply need to do "translate." This is very simple, and you should even be able to do multiple objects at once.

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[catiajim]

Of course, you will lose any design associativity that you might need in the future. Yes, it may be a little more work to create 4 lines, each mutually perpendicular to the sides of the square. But if you move the sides of the square (make it bigger, make it into a rectangle, change the orientation, change the plane), the 4 lines will follow the changes you made to the square. If you make these lines Datum Elements, then they will not move when you change the square. This is one of the biggest differences in thought process between V4 and V5.

 

[solid7]

This is one of the biggest differences in thought process between V4 and V5.

And also one of the most OVERRATED....

I personally prefer to work with datum elements, just due to the sheer amount of JUNK that tends to get generated.

I know that the Catia "gurus" recommend not using it as a "best practice", but I totally respect anyone who chooses not to use parametric wireframe. It does, at times, tend to also suppress creative methods. (by increasing file size)




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