Projecting to sketch every time you need to reference existing geometry in a new sketch seems like an inefficient work flow for such a common task (a click to project, another to select reference geometry, another to maintain alignment, and another to execute). While this gets the job done, it has me thinking I must be doing something incorrectly.
Here is an AutoHotKey script that will automate the process. Select a face and this script when activated will start a new sketch on that face, project to sketch everything as reference figures, enable maintain association and close the dialog. Bear in mind I believe best practice is to sketch on planes when inserting parts in to an assembly but that could be confined to just the faces to be used for assembly constraints.
Also can be set to project a sketch figure instead of a reference figure.
I have these programmed directly in to keyboard macro keys as can be seen in my profile picture so that is an option if you have those.
There is also a script for extrude cut through all (very useful in conjunction with project sketch figure) and extrude boss midplane if you look in the resources section of this forum.
+a:: ;set hotkey to Shift A.
This can be set to a key combination of your choice, Shift is +, Ctrl is ^, Alt is !
Send, {1} ;Project to Sketch,
my keyboard shortcut for PTS in Alibre is 1
Send, {Tab} ;tab to output options
Send, {Down} ;change setting from sketch figure to reference figure, remove this line to leave as a sketch figure
Send, {Tab} ;tab to Maintain Association
Send, {Space} ;change setting to Maintain Association
Send, {Enter} ;apply changes and close dialog
return
