Add Parametric Array feature (Linear, Rectangular, Circular, and Path)

[BarleyAndHops]

Requesting a Parametric Array feature that supports the following types:

Linear Array – Repeat elements along a straight line with control over count and spacing
Rectangular Array – Create 2D grid patterns (repeating in both X and Y directions)
Circular Array – Repeat elements around a center point with radius and count control
Path Array – Repeat elements along any user-drawn path or polyline

For both Linear and Rectangular arrays, support for intelligent start and end conditions, in 2 dimensions, would be extremely valuable. Specifically:

Define a Start element/group
Define a Repeating element/group
Option: "Use start as end (inverted/mirrored)"

This would allow clean, professional structures such as steel framing, cable trays, and equipment layouts without manually managing dozens of individual copies.
These feature(s) would be useful across many types of technical and engineering diagrams.

[draw-io-triage-bot]

👋 Thank you for opening this issue!

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Summary: The user is requesting a parametric array feature for draw.io that would allow repeating elements in linear, rectangular (grid), circular, and path-based patterns with configurable count, spacing, and start/end conditions — aimed at streamlining technical and engineering diagram workflows.

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📝 Additional Information Needed

To help us investigate this more effectively, could you please provide:

• Would you expect the array parameters to be editable after creation (i.e., changing count/spacing updates all copies dynamically), or is a one-time generation of copies sufficient?
• For the Path Array, would the elements need to maintain orientation relative to the path tangent (like text following a curve), or stay in their original orientation?
• Have you explored using draw.io's existing copy-paste with offset, or the 'Edit > Duplicate' feature combined with grid snapping, as a partial workaround for linear/rectangular patterns?

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_{🤖 This is an automated response to help with initial triage. A human maintainer will review this issue. If you've provided all the requested information, no further action is needed - we'll get back to you soon!}

[BarleyAndHops]

Q: Would you expect the array parameters to be editable after creation...?
A: Yes, the array should be fully parametric and editable after creation. Changing the count, spacing, or total length should dynamically update the entire array (including start/middle/end logic). It should behave as a single intelligent object, not explode into individual shapes.
Q: For the Path Array, would the elements need to maintain orientation relative to the path tangent...?
A: Yes, elements should maintain orientation relative to the path tangent (like following the curve), similar to how text follows a path. There should also be an option to keep original orientation if needed.
Q: Have you explored using draw.io's existing copy-paste with offset...?
A: I have. While copy-paste with offset and grid snapping can work for very simple cases, it falls short for real engineering use cases. It creates individual disconnected shapes, loses the ability to easily modify spacing or count later, and does not support intelligent start/end conditions (e.g. proper end columns on a steel bay or pipe rack as examples). A true parametric solution is desired.

[BarleyAndHops]

"Would you expect these array patterns to maintain a live link to the original element (so editing one updates all copies), or is a one-time 'stamp/duplicate' operation sufficient?" = Answer: live link, which then allows updates to auto refresh. If user desires another pattern, which they will, copy previous and adjust parameters / update. This allows unique patterns as canonical source of truth, no artifacts.
"For the Path Array, would you expect the elements to automatically rotate to follow the path tangent, or maintain their original orientation?" = Answer: Both!?!? haha. Should be a setting imo. For some parametric patterns, the pattern will be such that the path will not be linear, and therefore the pattern will be a single 'increment' that would be repeated tangentially to the path. For others, it would be desired to be a linear normal path.
"Have you considered using the existing 'Edit > Duplicate' with manual repositioning, or copy-paste with offset, as an interim workaround? While not parametric, it can speed up repetitive placement." = Answer: Yes, and as i think I mentioned in my initial request, this is a 'very' manual process, when one considers hundreds of instances, and then if there is a change... omg... but yes, right now manual does function, just by brute force.
"Are you primarily using draw.io for engineering/CAD-like drawings, and if so, are you using the desktop app, web version, or a plugin (e.g., Confluence/Jira)?" = Answer: Yes to engineering / CAD and massive projects. Focused primarily on amazing capabilities of web version.
Amazing technology :)

[davidjgraph]

Thanks for the detailed answers.

The live-parametric requirement is the blocker. An array that stays a "single intelligent object" and regenerates when you change count or spacing needs a constraint/dependency engine in the document model. draw.io's model is deliberately a static tree of shapes, undo, real-time collaboration and all the export formats (PNG/SVG/PDF/VSDX) assume concrete geometry. Retrofitting derived, self-regenerating objects would touch all of those paths and add permanent complexity for a fairly specialist use case. Combined with the start/repeat/end element conditions (end columns on a steel bay, mirrored ends, tangent-following path arrays), what's described here is the associative array feature set from CAD tools, and 2D CAD is out of scope for a general-purpose diagramming app, AutoCAD LT, QCAD, LibreCAD etc. are built around exactly this.

[alderg]

The parametric/associative part is out of scope as noted above, but for the
manual-repositioning pain there is a partial workaround with existing
features: layout containers.

If you put the repeating elements into a container with
childLayout=stackLayout, the container manages placement for you. Example
style (right-click a shape > Edit Style):

rounded=0;whiteSpace=wrap;html=1;container=1;collapsible=0;childLayout=stackLayout;horizontalStack=1;stackSpacing=40;resizeParent=1;

• stackSpacing is the pitch — changing it later repositions the whole run
  in a single edit, no matter how many elements it contains
• pasting in or deleting a copy reflows the remaining elements automatically
  (horizontalStack=0 for vertical, resizeParent=1 keeps the container
  fitted; allowGaps=1;stackUnitSize=40 gives fixed slot positions)
• start/end conditions: use different shapes as first/last children — the
  layout keeps them in order

For 2D grids, tables (Insert > Table) are a managed row/column grid, and a
live circular arrangement exists via childLayout=circleLayout (automatic
radius).

To be clear about the limits: the copies are still real shapes (count is not
a parameter), editing one copy does not update the others, and there is no
path array. So this doesn't replace the feature as requested, but a spacing
change across hundreds of elements becomes one style edit instead of a
manual pass.