You can now temporarily lock the modeling direction with the Shift key when hovering over a snapping point on a line or on a point. When you release the Shift key, the direction locking is released. The modeling direction locking in Tekla Structures works similarly to inference locking in SketchUp.

1. Run a command that requires you to pick points.

   For example, start creating a beam.

2. To lock the direction for the first point to be picked, ensure that the Snap to nearest points (points on line) snap switch is active.

3. Hover over a snap position on a line, such as part edge line, part reference line, or grid line.

4. Hold down the Shift key to lock the modeling direction.

   As long as you hold down Shift, the direction is locked, and any point that can be snapped is projected to the locked line.

   You can snap either to a line or a point:

   • if you snap to a line (for example, using the Snap to nearest points (points on line) snap switch), the direction locking extends the line to the intersection of the first locked line.

   • if you snap to a point (for example, using Snap to end points or Snap to mid points snap switch), the point is projected perpendicular to the locked line.

     

     A perpendicular symbol is displayed when the snapped point is projected perpendicularly to the locked line.

5. Pick the first point.

6. To lock the direction for the second point to be picked, ensure that a snap switch that enables snapping either to lines (such as Snap to nearest points (points on line)) or to points (such as Snap to end points or Snap to mid points) is active.

7. When the snap symbol is visible, hold down the Shift key to lock the direction.

8. Pick the second point by snapping either to a point or a line, similarly as when picking the first point.

9. Continue to pick more points, if needed.

Note that the direction locking works only in modeling mode, not in drawings. Direction locking does not work with numeric snapping.