Three Enterprise PDM settings for you to fall in love with

Usually default settings are what the average user wants to use. I think there are three that SOLIDWORKS really missed the boat on. Consider changing these three options under the view menu from within the Enterprise vault. You’ll be glad you did.

• “Set focus to active configuration”
  With this option on, Enterprise will always display the datacard with the configuration tab open when selecting a SOLIDWORKS part or assembly. It seems a majority of companies want to store their meta data in at the part [@] level instead. With this

  option off

  , the @ tab datacard will be the one displayed by default.
• “Show bitmap for SOLIDWORKS files.”
  Not many things in life are cooler than the eDrawings preview for SOLIDWORKS files from within the Enterprise interface. Downside – using eDrawings, it takes a second or two for the preview to load. With this

  option on

  , the preview will show a bitmap of the file instead. -Making stepping through files much faster! If you do want to see the file in eDrawings, click the bitmap and the file will be loaded in eDrawings. Spin, view markups and measure to your heart’s content.
• “Show full UI in SOLIDWORKS preview.”
  With this

  option on

  , Enterprise will display an eDrawing toolbar in an eDrawings preview. It takes up a bit of real estate, but the way real estate prices have been dropping, this option on is a “no brainer”.