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Notice that the Hide/Show Components and Change Transparency icons are nearly indistinguishable. On the interface, the transparency icon is ghosted somewhat. Remember that tool tips can be a very effective way to remember what various icons in the interface signify until you have learned them thoroughly.

Introducing the assembly tools

The tools on the Assembly toolbar are not all available by default, and if you are new to SolidWorks, or are experienced with the software but only use assemblies superficially, you may not be familiar with all of the available tools. The names of the tools are listed in Table 2.1, as displayed in Tools⇒Customize for the Assembly toolbar.

Notice that the small New Part icon is different from the large icon; the small version looks very much like the Smart Fasteners icon. All of these tools are covered in depth throughout this book. You can use the index to find where each topic is covered in detail. Chapter 7 is devoted exclusively to using the Assembly tools.

Using the Heads-Up View toolbar

The Heads-Up View toolbar appears along the middle of the top edge of the graphics window. Figure 2.3 shows the default arrangement of the Heads-Up View toolbar, and it is shown in relation to the rest of the interface in Figure 2.1. This toolbar is not configurable for each document type. It is either on or off, and the icons on it remain the same for parts, assemblies, and drawings.

FIGURE 2.3

The Heads-Up View toolbar

You can customize the Heads-Up View toolbar by using the Toolbars dialog box (Tools⇒Customize⇒Toolbars). Customization includes turning the Heads-Up View toolbar on or off and adding or removing buttons. If you have multiple document windows or multiple viewports showing, the Heads-Up View toolbar only appears in the active window or viewport. This toolbar often overlaps with other interface elements when several windows are tiled or if the active window is not maximized. If it is pulled out of the FeatureManager, it can run into the PropertyManager, as well as the Confirmation Corner or the Task Pane.

Using the Shortcut “S” toolbar

The Shortcut toolbar is also known as the “S” toolbar because by default, you access it by pressing the S key. You can customize this toolbar for each document type and another toolbar for sketches, so it can have different content for sketches, parts, assemblies, and drawings. To customize the “S” toolbar, right-click it when it is active and click Customize from the right mouse button (RMB) menu, as shown in Figure 2.4.

FIGURE 2.4

Right-click the Shortcut “S” toolbar to customize it

Many people claim to have customized the “S” toolbar to such an extent that they have been able to remove the CommandManager and all other toolbars from their interface. This may be true if you use a limited number of sketch entities, sketch relations, and feature types, or if you make extensive use of flyouts on the “S” toolbar. However, if you work with a wide range of tools (say, surfacing, sheet metal, and plastic parts), you may need some additional toolbar space. It is completely possible to have access to most of the software's functions with the “S” toolbar and either the Menu Bar toolbar or the CommandManager. The CommandManager gives you the most flexibility, but it also requires the most space.

Working in the assembly FeatureManager

The FeatureManager in assemblies has some special working modes (see Figure 2.5). It does many of the same things that the part FeatureManager does, but because it manages parts rather than features, you can expect some differences.

You will also encounter some special icons in the assembly FeatureManager. Here is a list of some of these icons; they will all be explained in more detail throughout this book.

FIGURE 2.5

The FeatureManager for a simple model

• Lightweight and Hidden Lightweight. Lightweight