I'm using Poser 11. I'm setting up a restaurant scene. I have a prop table and four prop chairs. Each is a separate object. The chairs are parented to the table.

I want to make nine more copies of this arrangement to place around the floor. The "duplicate" command allows me to copy only one item at a time, which is a lot of extra work. I created a "grouping"--this was the first time I've used that command--and put the table and chairs into it. However when I duplicate the grouping, all that is duplicated is the grouping icon, which is no help at all. I still have to duplicate each object individually.

How do I duplicate the entire grouping at one time? Thanks for your help.

File export wavefront object, all options unchecked. Import likewise. Check all tables and chairs in hierarchy selection popup. The group of tables and chairs will import back in as a single group.

Then if you wish you can separate them again by assigning new groups via the group editor, assign by material and spawn prop. Or a similar method depending on circumstances.

Your new consolidated group of chairs and table might not have a group when reimported. It will essentially be one object without a group. If you wish to assign a group simply open the group editor and create new group: assign all. Sounds confusing I know. But it's very easy in practice. You'll know if something has it's own group in the group editor if it appears all red. If it is ungrouped it will be grey.

Alternately, when you export you can check 'include existing groups in polygon groups'... if each chair and table has it's own group it will reimport all as one consolidated group object but will retain it's pre-existing named groups. Poser will append a number to each group name however*, which in certain circumstances would be undesirable. For your purposes it wouldn't be an issue I think. You can then spawn props and separate without assigning new groups.

• Poser keeps track of things this way if you have multiple duplicates of a group in a scene.

The above methods are the "old fashioned" way of doing it ;)

You need to drag the table and chairs to the grouping before you duplicate the group and drag it to where you want :)

Lol. That too :D Old habits die hard lol. Guess I'll have to start using that new feature. Glad I didn't make illustrations.

Still it's useful to know how to use the dusty old group editor ;)

Was hoping Okhi would say something to me so I could humorously say

"Okey Dokey Ohki!"

You can also save the table and the chairs back to the library as one group. click on subset and include the table and chairs on the popup window

Had no idea it'd be this complicated! Those "old school" methods are daunting; much more work than I'm doing copying individual items. I fell back on RedPhantom's method. I put a group of table and four chairs in my prop library and import it into the scene over and over until I have enough tables. I just thought there'd be a quicker way, like in other 3D programs: copy-paste-paste-paste. Ohki, I created a grouping. In the hierarchy editor I dragged a table and four chairs into the grouping. The grouping moved and scaled together. So far so good. Then I chose edit>duplicate grouping 1. A new grouping, Grouping 2, appears but it's empty. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I'm not sure what.

RedPhantom posted at 1:49AM Tue, 06 July 2021 - #4422563

You can also save the table and the chairs back to the library as one group. click on subset and include the table and chairs on the popup window

Came here to say this. Proper simple, easy way to do it.

Ken1171 has a script in the marketplace. P11 or P12. Does exactly what you want plus it does it by instancing so the memory footprint of your group is much tinier than duplicating the items or groups repeatedly. The Scatter Tool. I have the P11 one. Very useful for just this type of thing. Single table instanced in any size grouping with a single chair. There can be multiple table groupings on a patio of a table and single or group of chairs all of which are instances and attached to a grouping object. I use the P11 version and will purchase the P12 version soon come. Worth while for a number of reasons.

I use A LOT of temp folders as working storage. I'd parent the chairs to the table and copy the lot to the temp folder, then add them to the scene as needed. When done, I delete the prop in the temp folder.

primorge posted at 6:53AM Wed, 07 July 2021 - #4422562

Was hoping Okhi would say something to me so I could humorously say

"Okey Dokey Ohki!"

LMAO be my guest! :D

Okey Dokey Ohki! ;) Man what a miserable day at work today... I despair at the world awaiting all the young ones and the plight of the human condition lol.

Another way to do it is to create a null figure (load cube, enter setup room, leave setup room) and parent the table and chairs to the null figure, hide the cube. Now duplicate as many as you like.

Thanks to everyone for all the useful info. Wimvdb's trick did just what I was looking for. Never knew about that one.