You can use the Merge Coplanar Sketches command on the shortcut menu to control whether a sketch is combined with another coplanar sketch in a synchronous part or assembly.

Although this command is available in synchronous part, sheet metal, and assembly documents, the merge property is most useful when working with assembly sketches, and it also plays a role when converting traditional parts and assemblies into synchronous documents.

When you set the Merge Coplanar Sketches option for a sketch, the following rules and conditions apply:

• New sketch elements that are drawn coplanar to the sketch in free space are added to the existing sketch. To create the new coplanar sketch elements as a separate sketch, you can select the existing sketch and clear the Merge with Coplanar Sketches command before you draw the new, coplanar sketch elements.

• The sketch will combine with another sketch if the two sketches become coplanar during a move operation.

• In part and sheet metal documents, sketch regions are automatically enabled for a combinable sketch. When sketch regions are enabled, you can use the Select tool to construct features using the sketch. You can clear the Enable Sketch Regions command on the shortcut menu to disable sketch regions.

• In part and sheet metal documents, sketch consumption is automatically enabled for the combinable sketch. When sketch consumption is enabled, sketch elements are consumed when you construct features from the sketch. You can clear the Migrate Geometry and Dimensions command on the shortcut menu to disable sketch consumption.

Unique symbols are used in PathFinder to indicate whether a sketch is a combinable sketch, noncombinable sketch, or the active sketch.