Searching within the feature tree

Did you ever have to deal with a SolidWorks model so complex you couldn’t really locate the feature you were looking for? And did that situation occur time and time again?

Last year I worked on the design of knee implants and the instruments for placing them. Boy, those implants comprised many many features. The number of reference planes was also immense.

Model of a complete knee replacement
Model of a complete knee replacement

It turns out that SolidWorks actually has you covered. You can search the feature tree (the column on the left of the screen with all your part/assembly features). They call it filtering.

Feature tree filter
Feature tree filter

That horizontal bar turns out to be a search/filter bar! So that’s why that funnel icon and that empty space are there!

Types of filters

You can filter the feature tree by searching for:

  • Feature names
  • Folder names
  • Reference geometry names
  • Sketch names
  • Mate names (and types if you keep the generated mate names)
  • Values of custom properties

Very useful indeed. When you assign custom properties in your document template, you may use it to filter for:

  • File status in your document management system
  • The material of a part
  • The creator of a document
How to read the results

When the search term bears no results, only the main part or assembly name is shown. Otherwise, the results will show up under there.

If you’re wondering why a particular result does appear, you can hover above that result and a hovering text will appear. SolidWorks will then tell you if it found your search query in for example the file name or in a custom property.

Filtering assembly files

When you apply the filter to an assembly, the icon slightly changes and you get a few more options by clicking the tiny arrow.

Filtering the assembly tree
Filtering the assembly tree

The “Filter Graphics View” option is quite a powerful function. If enabled, all parts that do not match your query will disappear from the graphics area.

The “Filter Hidden/Suppressed Components” option is more straightforward. It will just hide hidden and suppressed components from the assembly tree. I wish your colleagues good luck in finding those missing parts though, as few people have knowledge of this option.

Removing the filter

You can remove your search text simply by clicking the X at the right of the search bar. Strangely enough my search text also disappears when I switch between documents, but this only happens with parts.

The two extra options in assembly files will remain enabled/disabled until you manually change them.

Enabling the filter bar

In your SolidWorks installation, the filter bar might be disabled by default. You can enable it in the options menu under System Options – FeatureManager > Enable FeatureManager tree filter.

You can however only modify the setting if you don’t have any documents open. Otherwise it will be grayed out like in the image below.

Enabling the feature tree filter
Enabling the feature tree filter
Final words

I stumbled upon this feature by accident after years of just ignoring it. That’s what happens when you learn to use a program without dedicated training; you know how to click a specific set of buttons and your mind basically ignores the rest.

That is why I decided to consciously learn more about all of the tools that I use. When I get an annoying pop-up a little too often, I try to disable its appearance or I learn why it appears so I can prevent the next occurrence.

This is also the reason that I see so many people struggle with new software. They decided to not learn all there is to know about the tool that they use for many hours on end. Every pop-up is annoying, even when they are preventable or if they can be disabled with a simple checkbox.

How do you master your tools?