Since 2008 the Symmetric Mate has been getting its way.  I (as a cadjockey) resent that and wish for a resurgence of 2007 functionality.  Yep.  It has taken me 4 years to realize that I'm irritated.

If I pre-select a plane and a pair of features (e.g. faces) I expect the plane to end up as a symmetry reference and the faces to show up in the list of Mate Selections in the Property Manager for the Symmetric Mate.  Regardless of the sequence of selection.

What shows up in the selection lists in the PM is right about 1/3 of the time.  More frequently my symmetry plane is a mate selection and one of my pre-selected faces is a "symmetry plane".

When pre-selecting, the sequence of selection is critical.  To experience joy, I must select my pair of features first and the symmetry plane last.  Otherwise the selection lists in the Property Manager will be incorrectly populated.  Visit SR S-036750 to learn more about this workaround.

Having learned from the pre tangled selection list population experience, I've pretty much stopped pre-selecting when mating symmetrically. Thank you for your sympathy.

When starting with the launch of the Symmetric Mate Property Manager (instead of pre-selecting features and then launching the mate dialog), I expect the plane of symmetry to be the first thing to select, but no.  Not since SW08.  Ever since that release, we're encouraged to select the "mate" features first, then the symmetry plane.  It is a small nit to pick, but that is backwards functionality!  The help system help is a bit lacking on this topic.

My expectations for the pre-selected mode of the Symmetric Mate were and remain:

1. The symmetry plane is the first thing to select for a symmetric mate.  Then CTRL-select the features after the plane of symmetry has been established.
   
2. If a plane and a pair of features is selected that the plane would be the symmetric reference regardless of the order of pre-selection.
   
3. If all selections are of the same nature (e.g. all planes or all faces) then the sequence of pre-selection will be the sequence of insertion into the selection lists (ala SW07).
   

Do you also find yourself clearing the selections and starting over quite frequently with the Symmetric Mate tool?

Please rant lustily about this.  Our fiends in Product Development are hanging on this tread waiting for direction.  I misspelled "friends".  Darn.