Can this be done? If not perhaps feature request?

[SLAYER]

I have been reading all through the new features of LW8 and have inquired about the lack of new modeler features. There was talk of a new thread on these features coming, but I have not seen it yet.

I understand that for any major new features, it is probably too late. However I would like to see a couple of things that I do not think would be too hard to imlement.
If these can already be done, pardon my ignorance.

OK, Coming from a CAD background (mostly Solidworks), I find that I really miss these features:

1. Being able to rotate my view automatically normal to my selection. In otherwords, If I had some points selected or polys, I could hit a view command and automatically go to a view normal to my selection. By "normal to" I mean calculating the selection to determine the most straight on viewpoint.

2. Being able to switch back to a previus view. In CAD this is most often called "zoom previous". Sometimes you can spend awhile zooming in, rotating, panning, whatever to get just exactly the view that you want, but when you leave it, you have to do it all over again. With CAD you can name this view to easily recall as well.

[riki]

With no1, do you mean something like 'Fit Selected' ?

[SLAYER]

Not really.
Lets take the most simple example:

Say that you have a cube. For whatever reason, that cube was not drawn with the sides or edges parallell to any axis. Kind of just floating as an isometric view. In fact in the perspective window it is in a perspective view.

Now say you selected one side. Be it the one poly or the four points making the poly.

Now when you do the command view "normal to" the perspective view would automatically rotate and zoom to make it so you are looking directly straight on.

If this poly or points were not truly flat, modeler would average and calculate where the most straight on view would be.

It is really quite handy in a CAD package and used constantly.

[riki]

Sounds good. The only thing remotely like it, is C-Plane, but that spins the object.

[omeone]

Can confirm, it is extremely handy, would be especially handy for me at the moment doing cityscapes based on real data. None of the city planners back in 1703 had the foresight or courtesy to build every house facing exactly north/south or east/west. Inconsiderate lugs.

[riki]

I'm sure you've this, but in any case here's the link for C-Plane http://www.flay.com/GetDetail.cfm?ID=1535