Searching for Commands in Solidworks

Finding a specific command can be difficult, especially after resetting your options.  If you find yourself hunting through the command manager, toolbars, and drop down menus looking for a command, this article is for you.  

Configuring the Search Bar to Search for Commands

The SOLIDWORKS search bar can be configured to search for commands.  If you don't know where the search bar is, check the upper right hand corner of your SOLIDWORKS installation.  

By default, the toolbar is set to search SOLIDWORKS Help.

We want to change this to instead search for commands.  Click the down arrow just to the right of the magnifying glass.  A drop down menu will appear with an option called "Commands".

Select "Commands".  Now the search bar should say "Search Commands".

Searching for Commands

Let's test it out.  As we type in "surface", a number of commands appear that we can choose from.  The greyed out commands cannot be selected, as SOLIDWORKS is unable to perform them when the model is in this state.

Clicking on one of the available commands will launch the command.  

Locating Commands in the Interface from the Search Bar

If we instead click the eye icon to the right of the command, SOLIDWORKS will take control of the mouse and show us where the command is in our command manager, toolbar, or drop down menus.  Just be sure to let go of the mouse after clicking the eye to allow SOLIDWORKS to take over.  If you continue to move the mouse after clicking the eye this functionality will not work.

Adding Commands to the Interface from the Search Bar

So at this point we found the command we were looking for, but what if we want to add it to an area of the interface where we can easily access it without searching?  Simply click and drag the command from the search bar into a command manager or toolbar.  Now that command can be easily accessed at any time.  

If you have additional questions after reading this article, please reach out to our technical support department by calling US: 877.266.4469 CAN: 866.587.6803.