I have noticed that converted entities in sketches now have the endpoints constrained.  Try this…

1. Open a new sketch
2. Draw a rectangle.
3. Close the sketch.
4. Create a new sketch on  a plane that is parallel to the first sketch's plane.
5. Convert only one of the lines of  the rectangle to the current sketch.
6. Try dragging the one of the line's endpoints.
7. Notice that nothing happens, and a message appears, saying "Cannot drag. The selected item is fixed".
8. Show sketch relations.
9. Notice that there are no relations to the end points...  no fixed relation as indicated by the message, and no coincident relation.

How frustrating is that?

When this was done in 2012 and earlier, the endpoint of the line could be dragged - which was very useful in many cases.  Consider the case when a converted entity needs to have a different endpoint than the sketch entity from which it was copied (e.g. a layout / framework / backbone sketch that is used by many downstream features).  I use layout sketches all the time (not the layout sketch tool, just a plain old 2D sketch).  I build the sketches in my features off of that layout sketch, so it often has sketch segments that go further than what I need, or in some cases it doesn't go far enough.  I can't always tell how long until I get further down in the feature development, so I often have to trim or extend the converted entities.

Now, in 2013, when sketch entities are converted from another sketch, the ends are automatically constrained to the original sketch entities.  This new functionality is useful for many cases, but there are still many times when we don't want the ends automatically constrained.  If the sketch end point automatically showed the coincident relations, then this option wouldn't be necessary.  I've tried using the "Detach segment on drag" option, but that detaches both ends.  I usually only want one end, or at least one end at a time.  Maybe one end extends / trims in one direction, and the other end extends or trims in the opposite direction.  In cases as described, the user now must take additional steps to extend or trim the converted sketch entity to the desired end point.  In my layout sketches, I must temporarily add additional sketch segments to trim / extend the converted entities, extend the converted entities to the temporary sketch segments, then delete the temporary sketch segments just so I can drag or constrain the end points the way I want.

To satisfy both cases, I would prefer to have a user option in the "Convert Entitities" manager,  as shown below, to automatically  add the end constraints. 

If the option is checked, then the constraints would automatically be added.  If the option is not checked, then converted entities would not have the end points constrained unless another converted sketch entity was intersected it, or the two ends were coincident.  I think this solution provides the best flexibility, and the most power to the users.   When I don't want to fuss with constraining the ends then I can check the box, and when I want to control the end constraints myself, I'll un-check the box.

What do you think? 

1. Do you like this new functionality? 
2. Would you prefer to have the flexibility to choose? 
3. Or would you prefer to go back to the old way?