Datum Plane orientation request

[saso]

this already exists and works: select the sketch (in th tree), select MapMode, then select the vertex (point) on the plane where you want the origin to be, as second reference select the datum plane as in "Tangent to Surface"...

nice, but it is actually the other way around, first one has to select the datum plane, then the vertex, to get the proper, expected behavior... i quite like this discussion, wish we would have similar ones also for the many other functionalities

[saso]

It's probably possible to also orient the sketch's axis, I let you discover that.

can be done with expressions, but it gets a bit ugly and specially if you start to turn it in more then one direction... still fun

Cube and Cube001 are sort of the main objects of this demo model. Control cubes are just to better show the the main origin and plane position, to test:
- inside the Sketch move the endpoints of the line
- change DatumPlane position x, y or z
- change angle of the Local_CS

[saso]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVdJjLCQVIA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzhOIb1VJ-E
http://catiadoc.free.fr/online/dysug_C2/dysugbt0900.htm
https://www.cadcam-group.eu/catia-v5-po ... ing-sketch

[RatonLaveur]

Hello saso,

Thank you for the links. Besides the undeniable interesting nature of the content, I count close to 30 minutes of videos and two full sketching tutorials. Perhaps you might be so kind as to sum-up your take on this documentation for other users?

Overall my take on it is:
- this documentation shows that every aspect of our discussion up to now is addressing the right issues regarding spatial positioning of sketch based features using datums such as planes, lines and LCS.
- it also provides a clear definition of what a properly and improperly referenced sketch looks and behaves like
- it confirms that we have all the tools already at hand in FreeCAD at the moment (barring the original discussion of making them more intuitive and visual).
- All sketches in FreeCAD are technically already positioned unless I'm mistaken. The distinction is training of the user.

[RatonLaveur]

Hello gents,

Just to say, that after working more and more with LCS, I find them so much better at everything attachment wise...probably why zolko is making such a killing with Assembly 4.

So my current workflow to create a proper datum plane, is to first produce the LCS, and then use that for attaching the plane.
Which in my opinion reinforces possibly the need to combine the two operations somewhat when attaching a plane.

If I follow this workflow, my sketches are always properly oriented and centered from the start. So much better...