Allow Axis & Plane Selection on Rectangular / Circular pattern

[danmachen]

Allow the user to directly select the origin planes and axes when creating a circular or rectangular pattern, rather than having to use an edge within the sketch (that could in time become redundant). 

You can project this geometry in the sketch and then select it, but why not just let the user select directly the origins. These can never be deleted!

[p_parker]

Yes. Cant believe you cant do this !

[Anonymous]

I really want this function!

In the mirror function you can already choose the origin planes:

Why you cant choose the origin axes in the pattern functions?

[Yijiang.Cai]

Many thanks for posting the idea to us, and tracked as [INVGEN-72210]

[James_Willo]

Hi Dan, in regards to the circular pattern, what would you like to happen if an axis is chosen that is NOT perpendicular to the sketch plane? 

1. Take the intersection of sketch plane and axis.
2. Use the axis to pattern the sketch in 3D space and then project it normal to the sketch plane. 
3. Use the axis to pattern the sketch in 3D space and then project it in the direction of the axis to the sketch plane. 
4. Axis is not selectable.
5. Something else?

[danmachen]

Great question!
I think a) taking the intersection and projecting that as geometry on the sketch plane. 

When the sketch plane already is perpendicular to one of the origins this would be straight forward. Say for a circular pattern, Project the intersection of axis and 2D sketch and ideally allow the user to modify that projected point if needed. That might be something like deleting the link to the reference plane and adding dimensions.
In the case that the sketch plane is not orthogonal to one of the datum axes, I think the sketch geometry should remain using 2D sketches rather than 3D sketches. Again, project the point of intersection, and allow the user to modify it. 

This feels similar to the workflow the user currently has to follow at the moment by projecting geometry on the sketch plane so any updates would feel quite familiar.