reference plane visualization

mark_biasotti

I'm not sure how everyone else feels but the ref planes in OS are not distinct enough to discern and their "politeness" is too polite. Especially when creating new ref planes I can hardly make out where the plane is and being created. Doing ref planes without borders is noble, but it's going to be tough to do and make them useful.

Mark

joe_dunne

You do know you can change the size of planes? this helps a little. I do agree we need to work on better ways to clearly visualize the planes. Any ideas are welcome

joe_dunne

here is the place you can change size

scott_harris

Another quick tip... You can toggle hide/show all the planes by using the "p" key.

/Scott

mark_biasotti

Andy,
If ref planes (especially the default ref planes) have no border, they are impossible to visualize and reference to when looking at them on-end. For example, in 99% of my early base sketches, I will start a sketch on the front plane, draw my sketch geometry then start to create dimensions to the Right plane and Top plane. But because they (front and Top ref planes) are invisible when in that orientation there is not way to do that - and they are not select-able for dimensioning from the tree.
I can't emphasize enought how important and basic a function it is to dimension to the default ref planes while sketch.

Ed_Danzer

I agree the plane visualization is very poor. I have to be able to not only measure to planes but also constrain sketch elements to the plane.
I have submitted these as improvements.

gal_raz

If we can just group all planes in the feature tree and assign colors to planes

lougallo

Plane visualization is being addresses for sure shortly. As far as changing their color, that is currently not user-facing. What is the problem you would solve with customized plane color?

caradon

gol10dr said:

...What is the problem you would solve with customized plane color?

Maybe to "tag" specific planes for specific bodies/parts?
This is the reason why I set sketch colors in SolidWorks too for top-down design. Super handy to see the layout sketches that belong to a specific part/assy. That's why I would value colored planes greatly.

Dries

lougallo

I see it for sketch colors for sure. Since planes are more global reference geometry, I am curious which situations would be solved with plane colors that colored sketches, let's say, would not solve otherwise?

gal_raz

@DriesV‌ , Changing sketch color? I try to avoid it because the default color give indication for define and so. @gol10dr‌ , I wish to have a plane color with a match at the features tree. It will help indicate the right plane at the graphic windows and to chose it from the feature tree when my plane is hiding behind other planes

caradon

@Gal In SW you can change the sketch color as it is displayed in the graphics window while inactive (not being edited). It is done through Edit > Appearance > Sketch/Curve Color.
This way the "defined state" colors while editing are still valid.

It's simply a visual cue to help organize layout sketches.





Dries