Page 74 - Mastering SolidWorks

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42 CHAPTER 2 NavigatiNg the SolidWorkS iNterface

Looking at Folders
The FeatureManager allows a couple of different types of folders. One type enables you to group
features together, which is especially useful when you have long feature trees and you want to
put all the fillets together into one folder. It is also useful in assemblies when you want to group
certain types of parts together, such as fasteners.
Another type of folder is the special-use folders at the top of the FeatureManager for things
such as solid bodies, surface bodies, sensors, and Favorites. You can add features to the Favorites
folders by right-clicking the feature and selecting Add to Favorites.
These special-use folders are not all turned on by default. To turn them on or off (or allow
them to be turned on only if they have content), go to Tools ➢ Options ➢ FeatureManager, where
you will find a list of tree items, including these special-use folders. Figure 2.18 shows a
FeatureManager with several kinds of folders in use.
Figure 2.18
featuremanager folders
of various types in use

Using the PropertyManager
The PropertyManager is where you set most of the feature parameters and where you edit the
properties of selected items such as sketch elements. You can manually switch to the
PropertyManager using the tabs on the top of the Display pane or allow it to pop up automati-
cally when your input is needed.
One of the benefits of putting all the data entry into the PropertyManager is that it saves lots
of space on the screen. On the other hand, you will often need to make a selection from the
FeatureManager at the same time the PropertyManager pops up and takes its place. You can
disable this automatic pop-up behavior by choosing Tools ➢ Options ➢ System Options ➢
General and selecting the Auto-show PropertyManager setting.
My favorite option for dealing with the PropertyManager is to detach it from the
FeatureManager so I can see the two side by side instead of one or the other. To detach the