Is there a way to default the Appearances, Scenes, Decals tab to CLOSED instead of open? Every time I do anything, that damn tab pops out and severly limits my workspace. It's simple to just push it back closed, but it is very annoying. I want it to stay closed until I pull it open. I can't find it anywhere in the options menu to change that. Thanks.
Do you mean the Task Pane?
http://help.solidworks.com/2014/English/solidworks/sldworks/r_task_pane.htm
http://help.solidworks.com/2014/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/c_user_interface_overview.htm?id=31737d65c7694275adc478cedb62637f#Pg0
Clicking the thumbtack icon at the top RH corner of the pane, so that the thumbtack lays horizontal, should keep the pane closed.
If not you have some other problem going on.