[Feature Request] Assembly: Pattern for imported objects

[pure-machinery]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Problem description

The most obvious problem arises with mechanical elements such as bolts. When building up the assembly it can be found to have hundreds of bolts and washers. Inserting the standard parts one by one is tedious which a pattern command will solve. The pattern command should also be pattern-aware - meaning If an imported part has a pattern feature (e.g. linear or polar) and another part is constrained to this feature in some way, once you pattern the second part it should follow the first parts pattern feature.

This is convenient because if you want to have less or more patterned features all you have to do is decrease the number of occurrences in the base part, and later refresh the assembly.

I'm sure this conversation occurred somewhere but I could not find it on GitHub or the forums.

Full version info

OS: Arch Linux (GNOME/gnome)
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.22.0dev.37063 (Git) AppImage
Build type: Release
Branch: main
Hash: 680792030fd664c94829e2c1b78b21788e8d9879
Python 3.11.9, Qt 5.15.13, Coin 4.0.2, Vtk 9.2.6, OCC 7.7.2
Locale: English/United States (en_US)
Installed mods: 
  * BillOfMaterials 0.0.8.2
  * sheetmetal 0.4.13
  * fasteners 0.5.20
  * A2plus 0.4.64a
  * fcgear 1.0.0
  * OpenTheme 2024.5.3
  * IconThemes

Subproject(s) affected?

Assembly

Anything else?

Here's an old video for PTC Creo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH-ONgCG9e0

And CATIA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etK7yv-_t8Y

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct

[maxwxyz]

@PaddleStroke FYI
As workaround a value like "insert x times" would be helpful.