[Workplanes]

Katie,

Thanks for your prompt reply.

Unfortunately the end of a cylinder does not have three points which form a right angle. If you first choose one side and second choose the opposite side to establish the i axis of the working plane, there is no point of the end of the cylinder perpendicular to the first point which lets you indicate a j axis. If there were a point at the center of the cylinder end you could select the centerline, the left side and the top.

Now you could first place a 3-D locus point on the end of the cylinder center. In order to do this you need a working plane on the cylinder end so you can place the 3-D locus point. Opps, How do you get the working plane first without the locus point. Catch 22.

Regarding the side of a cylinder, you can select two ends of a line which lies on the side of the cylinder to establish the i axis. But where can you click to establish the j axis. There are no points on a cylinder perpendicular to a line in a cylinder. Stumped again.

Any ideas?

Also, are there rules to how working planes move when you change views?

[Workplanes]

1. Can anyone suggest how to align workplanes on the end of a cylinder (extruded circle) or on the side of a cylinder?

2. When I switch views sometimes the workplane is automatically reoriented to the plane of the new view, sometimes a dialog asks if I want to reposition the workplane, and sometimes it doesn't ask or move it. What are the rules which govern this behavior? I hope it's not random.