Move/Copy function does not retain a parametric variable

[radiophysique]

I noticed an issue with parametrization of Move/Copy function. Steps to reproduce:

1. Create an user variable in "Change Parameters" with corresponding length of angle units;
2. Open "Move/Copy" dialog;
3. Select an object, set pivot etc.;
4. Set the created variable for distance translation or angle;
5. The variable IS recognized and accepted;
6. Click OK;
7. The part IS rotated or translated;
8. You'll see the created step in Design History;
9. Now, modify the variable in "Change Parameters";
10. ...
11. Nothing happened;
12. Edit the Move/Copy step in Design History;
13. There is NO previously indicated variable!

Can anyone confirm this behavior? If it is present, would it be possible to fix this bug?

EDIT: This only happens in "Free move" move type. The parametrization in individual "Translate" or "Rotate" move types works well.

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

This is expected behavior.  Free Move is not parametric.  If you need parametric movement, then use Translate/Rotate.  As you've discovered, these are parametric.

[radiophysique]

All right, thanks Jeff! Just curious, why is it intended to be so?

[jeff_strater]

It's not so much "intended" to be, as much as it is "really hard to implement".  Free Move includes inherent history.  The result of a general Free Move cannot be captured as a single set of parameters.  If you rotate, then translate, the translation happens along a rotated coordinate system.  So, to capture this parametrically would require a mini-history, within the Free Move feature itself  Rotate->Move->Rotate->Move, etc.  We decided that was just not worth the effort, and is also why we added translate and rotate, so that they could be parametric.  So, Free Move for flexibility (but no history), or Translate/Rotate for history (but less flexibility)