It may not be immediately noticeable, but sometimes the little things can add up over time, especially when functionality is repeatedly used throughout a project.  Here are just a few of the new enhancements devoted to saving you time and making what you need to get done just a little bit easier.

Mates in the Context Toolbar -

Pre-selection of components now brings up a context toolbar with Standard Mates selections for applying a mate.  CTRL+ select multiple components in the graphics area to bring up mate choices in a context toolbar. 

Better yet, based on your selection, SolidWorks will default to a mate selection based on the entities pre-selected.  For example, select two circular edges and the mate context toolbar will default to a Concentric Mate (note there’s now a new option associated with Concentric Mates too).

Configurations in the Context Toolbar -

Select a component in the graphics area or in the FeatureManager tree to activate a drop-down in a context toolbar to quickly change a configuration.  Multiple components that share a common configuration name can also be changed at the same time just by CTRL+ selecting them and using the same drop-down.

Tooltips -

Need to edit a pattern feature, but not sure which one in the FeatureManager tree is the right one?  Now, just hover over a pattern feature to show a tooltip with useful information about that pattern specifically, cutting down on the guesswork and allowing you to quickly make the edits you need.

These are just a few of the time savers included in SolidWorks 2014.  Be sure to read through the What's New to discover more and let us know what you think.

-Scott