SOLIDWORKS 2016 Split the FeatureManager with ease

With the new User Interface in SOLIDWORKS 2016, there have been several subtle changes that makes life a little easier.  One example is a larger divider bar to split the FeatureManager between the Design Tree and Configuration tabs.  While this may seem like a small change, it can save you some grief as previous versions required precise motor control skills with a mouse to grab the 3-pixel tall bar.

Very narrow splitter bar at the top of the FeatureManager in SOLIDWORKS 2015/Previous Releases

In SOLIDWORKS 2016 the bar is 14 pixels high and is a lot easier to select as shown in the figure below:

SOLIDWORKS 2016 now has a thicker bar for easier selection

In the split Manager Pane, you can display any combination of: FeatureManager design tree; PropertyManager; ConfigurationManager; or Third party applications.

SOLIDWORKS split manager

TIP: to quickly remove the split and return to a single pane just double-click on the divider bar

More SOLIDWORKS 2016 Tips

To learn more about what’s new in SOLIDWORKS 2016 software you can review other SOLIDWORKS 2016 update posts here. You might also consider attending a SOLIDWORKS Advanced Update course where you can learn how to obtain new SOLIDWORKS skills. Learn more about our Update Training.