using CTRL key and subtract solid should subtract solid and keep it? but when i move the object the subtraction shows until i let off the mouse. i see this in v8 too, so not sure if its me or a bug. windows version.

http://youtu.be/Nwz4PgAoMyw

if i reverse selections the sphere comes away with a subtraction.....

ah, i see that, thanks, i thought it was something. but honestly, i dont really get that functionality. seems logical that using CTRL would just do the subtraction w/o deleting the object and it be static. whats the use of making subtraction only when the subtracted object is touching the other one? isnt that about the same as two solids intersecting? is there a way to make the "remove links" part of the operation when doing CTRL select?

here's example, i have a 1" thick 20" dia disc, i place 1/2" dia spheres around the face of disc partially into the disc, say one every 15 degrees, and i want to make dimples by subtraction but i want to keep the spheres for another operation..... is there any setting to be changed that will do this during the CTRL subtraction or do i have to use remove links? removing links does other things which may not be desirable??

but if i move the solid the subtraction moves with the solid i am moving, that makes no sense. if i adjust size of the 2nd object and the subtraction changes accordingly (because its linked) , then thats fine. what i dont understand is, why does the subtraction area not stick? in my video you can see that once i move the 2nd solid the subtraction on the 1st goes away. that doesnt make sense to me. whats the point of doing the CTRL subtraction if the 2nd solid has to remain intersecting the 1st??

i didnt move the solid that had the subtraction done to it (the 1st solid), i moved the object used to make the subtraction (the 2nd solid).

ok, even with all the explanation of what VC is doing, whats the usefulness of making a subtraction using CTRL key?

It's really useful. I normally put the subtracted piece in a separate layer, which I then can make invisible after subtraction. Later you can change easily the size if necessary, so the cut out part will immediately change because they are always linked. You can also inspect the size and you can duplicate it to use elsewhere (or later on in your case). Really handy!