Shape driven arrays

Using Draft Array to generate a Lattice2 array

Lattice2 has a number of tools to harness arrays generated by something else.

For example, let's make a Lattice2 path array using Draft PathArray tool.

0. So you have a path for an array, say it's a sketch.
1. Create a single Lattice2 placement at the origin (Single Placement: Custom -> OK).
2. Use Draft PathArray on the placement "Custom".
   It may seem like the PathArray can be directly used to populate shapes, but no. Lattice2 will think PathArray is just a shape, and refuse to populate shape onto shape. To make Lattice2 recognize the array again,
3. Apply Lattice2 Array From Shape: internal placements to PathArray.
   This creates a Lattice2 array of placements using internal placements of shapes stored in the compound.

This works at picking up Draft Arrays, and potentially other arrays (unless the other array tool bakes placements into the actual shape instead of defining transformations for compound children, such as PartDesign Patterns).

If you are dealing with a more difficult situations,

extracting arrays from complete shapes

Let's say you have a solid with a bunch of holes. You can extract the placements of these holes to do some operation on all of them, for example adding a countersink.