Dimensions in perspective view , creating in e.g. XY plane?

Hi,
V4
I sometimes can see exactly where I need to place my dimension in perspective view, bit it lies flat in XY plane and readable in perspective if I rotate and look down on top of it, as opposed to being visible as if in my Front or Left view.

Secondly I am creating a dimension in Front view but when I finish it it goes pale, its way off behind my transparent60 PictureFrame plan having latched onto something in the background. How can I make sure it is drawn in my XY plane upon which the bulk of my objects sit ?

Also drawing lines, they go of at 45 deg or whatever, how can I draw in perspective and have them go the way my brain expects as I move the mouse, …now I know the PC doesnt think like me, how does it know to go along an axis as opposed to wanting the line to out across the grid ,.but you know what I mean, certainly anyone new to 3D would !

I click a start point then want to draw vertically (Z direction) for example…

what if I do want to go 45 deg ?

Something I should perhaps know this far into my usage, but I just revert to ortho views, it would just speed things up sometimes !

Simple tips like hitting tab to constrain a move and stop it juping somewhere you are not aware of until you review the move afterwards in perspective !..an absolute godsend of a tip I received. Worth its weight in gold !

Steve

What object snaps do you have checked? Is Object Snap Project turned on? Are you using SmartTrack? Can you make a movie of what you are doing? We can’t really tell.

Ok, I will need time for that, also sussing how to upload the jing movie, I recall someone saying how its done.

basically though I am asking is there a way of constraining a draw direction to X or Y or Z when in perspective view ?

I am in perspective view, I start a line and it looks like I am going upwards as required (Y direction) but then afterwards I rotate view and its deceived me , its gone off at an unexpected angle latching onto something else further away maybe.

…and is there a way of just drawing on Cplane when in ortho, though I have asked that Cplane constraint question tonight in a different thread now.

Steve

You can use Elevator Mode (search Help). Without some kind of construction geometry, you will always be drawing on the construction plane. By default, the Perspective view construction plane is the same as the Top view - World Top.

You can always set the cplane (CPlane command) to Front. or Right or whatever suits the dimension you are making, in the Perspective viewport.

-Pascal