diff --git a/src/mesh/api.js b/src/mesh/api.js
index 36f9be91..28a342a2 100644
--- a/src/mesh/api.js
+++ b/src/mesh/api.js
@@ -310,8 +310,9 @@ const pattern = {
                 for (let i=1; i<count; i++) {
                     let clone = await model.duplicate();
                     let [x, y] = base.util.rotate(pos.x - cx, pos.y - cy, stepr * i);
+                    clone.group.centerModels().position(0,0,0);
                     clone.group.rotate(0, 0, stepr * i);
-                    clone.group.position(x + cx, y + cy, pos.z);
+                    clone.group.move(x + cx, y + cy, pos.z);
                     modnu.push(clone);
                 }
                 await api.tool.regroup(modnu);
@@ -351,7 +352,7 @@ const pattern = {
                     for (let j=0; j<y; j++) {
                         if (i === 0 && j === 0) continue;
                         let clone = await model.duplicate();
-                        clone.group.position(i * xs + pos.x, -j * ys + pos.y, pos.z);
+                        clone.group.centerModels().position(i * xs + pos.x, -j * ys + pos.y, pos.z);
                         modnu.push(clone);
                     }
                 }
@@ -402,7 +403,7 @@ const group = {
     add(group) {
         groups.addOnce(group);
         space.world.add(group.object);
-        api.selection.update();
+        util.defer(selection.update);
         space.update();
         return group;
     },
@@ -426,7 +427,7 @@ let sketch = {
     add(sk) {
         sketches.addOnce(sk);
         space.world.add(sk.object);
-        api.selection.update();
+        util.defer(selection.update);
         return sk;
     },
 
@@ -900,8 +901,13 @@ const tool = {
     },
 
     duplicate() {
-        for (let m of selection.models()) {
-            m.duplicate();
+        let { dup_shift, dup_sel } = api.prefs.map.space;
+        let models = selection.models();
+        if (dup_sel) {
+            selection.clear();
+        }
+        for (let m of models) {
+            m.duplicate({ select: dup_sel, shift: dup_shift });
         }
     },
 
@@ -931,7 +937,7 @@ const tool = {
                 return;
             }
             model.rename( $('tempedit').value.trim() );
-            selection.update();
+            util.defer(selection.update);
             api.modal.hide();
         };
         let { tempedit } = api.modal.show(`rename ${type}`, h.div({ class: "rename"}, [
@@ -953,8 +959,7 @@ const tool = {
         return Promise.all(models.map(m => m.ungroup())).then(() => {
             return mesh.api.group.new(models)
                 .centerModels()
-                .position(mid.x, mid.y, mid.z)
-                .setSelected();
+                .position(mid.x, mid.y, mid.z);;
         });
     },
 
@@ -972,7 +977,7 @@ const tool = {
                     mesh: area.toFloat32()
                 })).map( nm => nm.applyMatrix4(mcore.clone().multiply(m.mesh.matrixWorld)) );
                 if (nm.length) {
-                    mesh.api.group.new(nm, undefined, "patch").setSelected();
+                    mesh.api.group.new(nm, undefined, "patch");
                 }
             });
             promises.push(p);
@@ -994,7 +999,7 @@ const tool = {
                     file: m.file,
                     mesh: vert.toFloat32()
                 })).map( nm => nm.applyMatrix4(mcore.clone().multiply(m.mesh.matrixWorld)) );
-                mesh.api.group.new(bodies, undefined, "isolate").setSelected();
+                mesh.api.group.new(bodies, undefined, "isolate");
             });
             promises.push(p);
         }
@@ -1050,7 +1055,7 @@ const tool = {
         log('repairing mesh(es)').pin();
         tool.heal(models, { merge: true }).then(() => {
             log('repair commplete').unpin();
-            api.selection.update();
+            util.defer(selection.update);
         });
     },
 
@@ -1058,7 +1063,7 @@ const tool = {
         models = fallback(models);
         tool.heal(models, { merge: false }).then(() => {
             log('cleaning complete').unpin();
-            api.selection.update();
+            util.defer(selection.update);
         });
     },
 
@@ -1176,8 +1181,8 @@ const prefs = {
         space: {
             snap: 1,
             snapon: false,
-            center: true,
-            floor: true,
+            center: false,
+            floor: false,
             wire: false,
             grid: true,
             dark: false,
diff --git a/src/mesh/build.js b/src/mesh/build.js
index 7fbaa82b..351f8bbb 100644
--- a/src/mesh/build.js
+++ b/src/mesh/build.js
@@ -262,11 +262,11 @@ api.settings = function() {
     const set3 = h.div([
         h.label({ class: "header", _: 'normal'}),
         h.label('length'),
-        h.input({ type: "text", size: 5, value: parseFloat(normals.length),
+        h.input({ type: "text", size: 6, value: parseFloat(normals.length),
             onchange: ev => call.set_normals_length(ev.target.value)
         }),
         h.label('color'),
-        h.input({ type: "text", size: 5,
+        h.input({ type: "text", size: 6,
             value: util.toHexRGB(dark ? normals.color_dark : normals.color_lite),
             onchange: ev => call.set_normals_color(util.fromHexRGB(ev.target.value))
         }),
@@ -297,7 +297,23 @@ api.settings = function() {
         }),
     ]);
 
-    modal.show('settings', h.div({ class: "settings" }, [ set1, set2, set3, set4, set5 ] ));
+    const set6 = h.div([
+        h.label({ class: "header", _: 'duplicate'}),
+        h.label('select'),
+        h.input({ type: "checkbox",
+            onchange: ev => prefs.save( space.dup_sel = !space.dup_sel ),
+            [ space.dup_sel === true ? 'checked' : 'unchecked' ] : 1
+        }),
+        h.label('shift'),
+        h.input({ type: "checkbox",
+            onchange: ev => prefs.save( space.dup_shift = !space.dup_shift ),
+            [ space.dup_shift === true ? 'checked' : 'unchecked' ] : 1
+        }),
+    ]);
+
+    modal.show('settings', h.div({ class: "settings" }, [
+        set1, set2, set3, set4, set5, set6
+    ] ));
 }
 
 // create html elements
diff --git a/src/mesh/group.js b/src/mesh/group.js
index 686f313c..33d50d40 100644
--- a/src/mesh/group.js
+++ b/src/mesh/group.js
@@ -154,13 +154,6 @@ mesh.group = class MeshGroup extends mesh.object {
             model.select(...arguments);
         }
     }
-
-    // ok, this is confusing, but necessary for now :/
-    // todo: obsolete?
-    setSelected() {
-        // super.select();
-        return this;
-    }
 };
 
 });
diff --git a/src/mesh/model.js b/src/mesh/model.js
index bbcae39c..b02e2a73 100644
--- a/src/mesh/model.js
+++ b/src/mesh/model.js
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ mesh.model = class MeshModel extends mesh.object {
         return worker.model_duplicate({
             matrix: this.matrix,
             id: this.id,
-            opt: { mirror: opt.mirror}
+            opt: { mirror: opt.mirror }
         }).then(data => {
             if (opt.append) data = [...data, ...opt.append].toFloat32();
             if (opt.reload) return this.reload(data);
@@ -213,9 +213,14 @@ mesh.model = class MeshModel extends mesh.object {
             let group = opt.group || mesh.api.group.new();
             group.add(model);
             model.wireframe(this.wireframe());
-            model.normals(this.normals());
-            if (opt.select) group.setSelected();
-            if (opt.mirror) group.move(0, 0, group.bounds.dim.z);
+            if (opt.select) {
+                api.selection.add(model);
+            }
+            if (opt.mirror) {
+                group.move(0, 0, group.bounds.dim.z);
+            } else if (opt.shift) {
+                group.move(group.bounds.dim.x, 0, 0);
+            }
             return model;
         });
     }
diff --git a/web/mesh/index.css b/web/mesh/index.css
index 18162462..b1eacb2c 100644
--- a/web/mesh/index.css
+++ b/web/mesh/index.css
@@ -445,6 +445,7 @@ button:hover {
     font-family: monospace;
     text-align: center;
     background: #fff;
+    justify-self: end;
 }
 
 /** spinner animation **/