Change Your Tree: See the Mates First!

Sometimes when working with an assembly, I am more interested in seeing the component mates than the component features. While I know I can expand a component in the FeatureManager tree and then expand the mates folder beneath it, I find the tree gets cluttered quickly with all of the component features.

 

 

At times like these, I take control of my FeatureManager and invert the default behavior so that the features are in the folder–not the mates–when I expand components in the tree.

 

 

To accomplish this, simply right-click the top icon of your assembly’s FeatureManger, choose “Tree Display” from the pop-up menu, then choose “View Features and Mates” from the pop-over menu. Now, when you expand a component, the mates show up nicely, while the features can still be accessed by digging onto the Features folder.

 

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John Setzer is the Training Coordinator at Graphics Systems, a SolidWorks Value Added Reseller with locations across Wisconsin and Illinois. He is a regular contributor to the Graphics Systems’ blog: SolidNotes.com, your source for SolidWorks, Simulation, Data Management, & Product Communication Tips & Tricks.