Local Coordinates ?
From:
blowlamp
13 Nov 2013 (14 of 30)
6273.14
Is it something similar to this Kevin?
http://screencast.com/t/Pz7vK9P0Emk
Clicking the right mouse button on the rotation handle (edit frame turns green) causes that particular software to enter the kind of mode I think you're describing.
Martin.