How to find sketch plane for an existing sketch

[davidpbest]

I have a 3D sketch and I'd like to figure out which sketch plane was used to create the sketch.  I see no way of figuring this out.  Even when I "Redefine Sketch Plane" it doesn't show me the existing sketch plane.  Does anyone here know how to get Fusion to display the sketch plane for an existing sketch?  Turning on the grid doesn't help.

[davebYYPCU]

Not for a 3d sketch.  Usually easy enough for 2d as all the sketch articles will be aligned to at least one face or plane, but 3d sketch articles would not be.aligned in a similar way.

Might help…

[davidpbest]

Well, the sketch was created as a 2D sketch of a spline for a sweep path, then later the end points of the spline were "moved" to specific other locations.  So technically it's not a 3D sketch, and clearly has an original sketch plane, but there doesn't seem to be a way to identify which plane was used.  Sure would be nice to have a "show sketch plane" capability for a sketch.

[davebYYPCU]

Sure,

but why does it matter now?

[davidpbest]

I have my reasons.  Let's see if someone else wants to make a helpful suggestion.

[SaeedHamza]

Agreed, it would be nice to have such option, although if you're familiar with API, you can easily create one that gets the referenced plane and highlight it by selecting it (even if visibility is truned off it will be turned on).

[davidpbest]

I'm well aware that I can create and label a plane to sketch on.  In this case I'm dealing with a complex model created by someone else who wasn't diligent at best practices workflows. 

[SaeedHamza]

That's not what I'm suggesting, what I'm talking about is to create a new tool in fusion that you can use like the extrusion, patch, etc. A tool that works like this : you select a sketch entity, then activate the tool, and the plane that was originally used to create the sketch is turned on and selected.

[davidpbest]

If this facility is does not exist, then I'd like to just hear that.  Further speculation and commentary is unnecessary for my needs. 

[davidpbest]

Thanks.  That's above my pay grade and beyond my interest.  I'll bring this up on the insiders forum.  😀

[SaeedHamza]

Yes, it's an idea worth implementing.

However, you're seeking a simple yes or no answer, while the essence of collaboration and knowledge sharing is to provide all relevant information that could be helpful. By doing so, we can collectively work towards finding the best solution.

[laughingcreek]

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@davidpbest wrote:

If this facility is does not exist, then I'd like to just hear that. ...

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it does not exist.

[g-andresen]

Hi,

I have the mSt sketchtools addin for this, which is unfortunately no longer available.

günther

[TrippyLighting]

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@davidpbest wrote:

I'm well aware that I can create and label a plane to sketch on.  In this case I'm dealing with a complex model created by someone else who wasn't diligent at best practices workflows. 

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Yep, I face this often enough with models from other users on the forum.

A user in another thread also raised this issue recently and I re-posted this on the Fusion Slack channel.

With Fusion's increasing ability to create complexity, we need better tools to manage that complexity. This should be an easy one.

For example when selecting a sketch in the browser or in the timeline it would be nice to have a visual indication in the timeline or browser (or both) what face, or what construction plane the sketch was constructed on.

[davebYYPCU]

I have my reasons.

Is hardly going to interest Autodesk to assist

Try adding a dimension in this sketch - if they don’t exist.  The dimension text should announce the sketch plane orientation.

Best I can come up with, but likely asking the gurus in the API forum, would provide some fruit.

Should you identify this mysterious plane, what would you be doing with that info?

Might help….

[davidpbest]

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@davebYYPCU wrote:

I have my reasons.

Is hardly going to interest Autodesk to assist

I don't post here to get Autodesk's attention - I do that through my insider relationship.  In fact, I'm always reluctant to post here because users often chime in with snide remarks, extraneous rants & questions, or assumptions that the OP is an idiot or a newbie, or post something totally cryptic. 

No one here seems. to believe there is a way to discover the original sketch plane for a sketch without using the API.  That's what I expected, but I am glad to see that some see value in this capability. 

If you pick up a complex model from someone else that is full of errors, understanding what was used for a sketch plane can often be very helpful in getting your head around the workflow logic used by the original developer.  Fusion clearly knows what it was at one time when it displays "Sketch plane lost - using cached data." 

In addition, if you want to duplicate an existing sketch for trial/error testing of alternative sketch geometry, knowing what plane was used to create the original is helpful for copy/paste between old and new.  Of course that could be solved with a "duplicate sketch" capability, but failing that, being able to discover the sketch plane would be and easy and helpful addition. 

I consider this topic closed and have conveyed by feature request to the insider forum.  Thanks for your commentary.

[g-andresen]

Hi,

For information only:
I have referred several times to the mSt Sketchtools shown above (# 13)
There has been no response so far.

Günther

[davidpbest]

I noted your suggestion earlier, tried several times to search for that add-on, that I always end up at a website that says it's not available.  Attached are screen shots related to this.

[davebYYPCU]

Despite your comment 

Adding a dimension ???

[davidpbest · Accepted solution]

Adding a dimension is only helpful if the sketch elements are on the original sketch plane.  If some of the elements (like spline points) have been moved off the original sketch plane (which is my situation), then the added dimension may or may not be on the sketch plane originally used to create the 2D sketch.