PartDesign Pocket

Introduction
'Create a pocket with the selected sketch' - This tool takes a selected sketch as its input, and produces with it a pocket. A pocket being essentially an extrusion of a sketch that subtracts from the geometry it protrudes into. For example, if a sketch were made simply of one circle on one face of a cube, then the pocket formed by that sketch would manifest as a hole 'drilled' into the cube:

Options
When creating a pocket, the 'pocket parameters' dialogue offers four different ways of specifying the length (depth) to which the pocket will be extruded

Dimension
Enter a numeric value for the depth of the pocket. The default direction for extrusion is into the support. Extrusions occur normal to the defining sketch plane.

Negative dimensions are not possible.

To first
The pocket will extrude up to the first face of the support in the extrusion direction. In other words, it will cut through all material until it reaches an empty space.

Through all
The pocket will cut through all material in the extrusion direction. With the option Symmetric to plane the pad will cut through all material in both directions.

Up to face
The pocket will extrude up to a face in the support that can be chosen by clicking on it.

Limitations

 * Use the type Dimension or Through All wherever possible because the other types sometimes give trouble when they are being patterned
 * Otherwise, the pocket feature has the same limitations as the pad feature.

Useful links
An example with the practice on the forum.