diff --git a/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/DragDropGrid.tsx b/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/DragDropGrid.tsx
index 845d0d450..44f96cfad 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/DragDropGrid.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/DragDropGrid.tsx
@@ -29,6 +29,98 @@ interface DragDropGridProps<T extends DragDropItem> {
   zoomLevel?: number;
 }
 
+type DropSide = 'left' | 'right' | null;
+
+interface DropHint {
+  hoveredId: string | null;
+  dropSide: DropSide;
+}
+
+function resolveDropHint(
+  activeId: string | null,
+  itemRefs: React.MutableRefObject<Map<string, HTMLDivElement>>,
+  cursorX: number,
+  cursorY: number,
+): DropHint {
+  if (!activeId) {
+    return { hoveredId: null, dropSide: null };
+  }
+
+  const rows = new Map<number, Array<{ id: string; rect: DOMRect }>>();
+
+  itemRefs.current.forEach((element, itemId) => {
+    if (!element || itemId === activeId) return;
+
+    const rect = element.getBoundingClientRect();
+    const rowCenter = rect.top + rect.height / 2;
+
+    let row = rows.get(rowCenter);
+    if (!row) {
+      row = [];
+      rows.set(rowCenter, row);
+    }
+    row.push({ id: itemId, rect });
+  });
+
+  let hoveredId: string | null = null;
+  let dropSide: DropSide = null;
+
+  let closestRowY = 0;
+  let closestRowDistance = Infinity;
+
+  rows.forEach((_items, rowY) => {
+    const distance = Math.abs(cursorY - rowY);
+    if (distance < closestRowDistance) {
+      closestRowDistance = distance;
+      closestRowY = rowY;
+    }
+  });
+
+  const closestRow = rows.get(closestRowY);
+  if (!closestRow || closestRow.length === 0) {
+    return { hoveredId: null, dropSide: null };
+  }
+
+  let closestDistance = Infinity;
+  closestRow.forEach(({ id, rect }) => {
+    const distanceToLeft = Math.abs(cursorX - rect.left);
+    const distanceToRight = Math.abs(cursorX - rect.right);
+
+    if (distanceToLeft < closestDistance) {
+      closestDistance = distanceToLeft;
+      hoveredId = id;
+      dropSide = 'left';
+    }
+    if (distanceToRight < closestDistance) {
+      closestDistance = distanceToRight;
+      hoveredId = id;
+      dropSide = 'right';
+    }
+  });
+
+  return { hoveredId, dropSide };
+}
+
+function resolveTargetIndex<T extends DragDropItem>(
+  hoveredId: string | null,
+  dropSide: DropSide,
+  items: T[],
+  fallbackIndex: number | null,
+): number | null {
+  if (hoveredId) {
+    const hoveredIndex = items.findIndex(item => item.id === hoveredId);
+    if (hoveredIndex !== -1) {
+      return hoveredIndex + (dropSide === 'right' ? 1 : 0);
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (fallbackIndex !== null && fallbackIndex !== undefined) {
+    return fallbackIndex + (dropSide === 'right' ? 1 : 0);
+  }
+
+  return null;
+}
+
 // Lightweight wrapper that handles dnd-kit hooks for each visible item
 interface DraggableItemProps<T extends DragDropItem> {
   item: T;
@@ -126,7 +218,7 @@ const DragDropGrid = <T extends DragDropItem>({
   const [activeId, setActiveId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [dragPreview, setDragPreview] = useState<{ src: string; rotation: number } | null>(null);
   const [hoveredItemId, setHoveredItemId] = useState<string | null>(null);
-  const [dropSide, setDropSide] = useState<'left' | 'right' | null>(null);
+  const [dropSide, setDropSide] = useState<DropSide>(null);
 
   // Configure sensors for dnd-kit with activation constraint
   // Require 10px movement before drag starts to allow clicks for selection
@@ -156,74 +248,9 @@ const DragDropGrid = <T extends DragDropItem>({
 
       if (rafId === null) {
         rafId = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-          // Step 1: Group items by rows and find closest row to cursor
-          const rows = new Map<number, Array<{ id: string; element: HTMLDivElement; rect: DOMRect }>>();
-
-          itemRefs.current.forEach((element, itemId) => {
-            // Skip the item being dragged
-            if (itemId === activeId) return;
-
-            const rect = element.getBoundingClientRect();
-            const rowCenter = rect.top + rect.height / 2;
-
-            // Group items by their vertical center position (items in same row will have similar centers)
-            let foundRow = false;
-            rows.forEach((items, rowY) => {
-              if (Math.abs(rowY - rowCenter) < rect.height / 4) {
-                items.push({ id: itemId, element, rect });
-                foundRow = true;
-              }
-            });
-
-            if (!foundRow) {
-              rows.set(rowCenter, [{ id: itemId, element, rect }]);
-            }
-          });
-
-          // Step 2: Find the closest row to cursor Y position
-          let closestRowY = 0;
-          let closestRowDistance = Infinity;
-          Array.from(rows.keys()).forEach((rowY) => {
-            const distance = Math.abs(cursorY - rowY);
-            if (distance < closestRowDistance) {
-              closestRowDistance = distance;
-              closestRowY = rowY;
-            }
-          });
-
-          const closestRow = rows.get(closestRowY);
-          if (!closestRow || closestRow.length === 0) {
-            setHoveredItemId(null);
-            setDropSide(null);
-            rafId = null;
-            return;
-          }
-
-          // Step 3: Within the closest row, find the closest edge to cursor X position
-          let closestItemId: string | null = null;
-          let closestDistance = Infinity;
-          let closestSide: 'left' | 'right' = 'left';
-
-          closestRow.forEach(({ id, rect }) => {
-            // Calculate distance to left and right edges
-            const distanceToLeft = Math.abs(cursorX - rect.left);
-            const distanceToRight = Math.abs(cursorX - rect.right);
-
-            // Find the closest edge
-            if (distanceToLeft < closestDistance) {
-              closestDistance = distanceToLeft;
-              closestItemId = id;
-              closestSide = 'left';
-            }
-            if (distanceToRight < closestDistance) {
-              closestDistance = distanceToRight;
-              closestItemId = id;
-              closestSide = 'right';
-            }
-          });
-
-          setHoveredItemId(closestItemId);
-          setDropSide(closestSide);
+          const hint = resolveDropHint(activeId, itemRefs, cursorX, cursorY);
+          setHoveredItemId(hint.hoveredId);
+          setDropSide(hint.dropSide);
           rafId = null;
         });
       }
@@ -442,21 +469,13 @@ const DragDropGrid = <T extends DragDropItem>({
 
     const sourcePageNumber = activeData.pageNumber;
 
-    let targetIndex: number | null = null;
-
-    if (hoveredItemId) {
-      const hoveredIndex = visibleItems.findIndex(item => item.id === hoveredItemId);
-      if (hoveredIndex !== -1) {
-        targetIndex = hoveredIndex + (finalDropSide === 'right' ? 1 : 0);
-      }
-    }
-
-    if (targetIndex === null && over) {
-      const overData = over.data.current;
-      if (overData) {
-        targetIndex = overData.index + (finalDropSide === 'right' ? 1 : 0);
-      }
-    }
+    const overData = over?.data.current;
+    const targetIndex = resolveTargetIndex(
+      hoveredItemId,
+      finalDropSide,
+      visibleItems,
+      overData ? overData.index : null
+    );
 
     if (targetIndex === null) return;
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/PageEditor.tsx b/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/PageEditor.tsx
index 682fd077e..62b7be891 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/PageEditor.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/PageEditor.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import { usePageDocument } from './hooks/usePageDocument';
 import { usePageEditorState } from './hooks/usePageEditorState';
 import { parseSelection } from "../../utils/bulkselection/parseSelection";
 import { usePageEditorRightRailButtons } from "./pageEditorRightRailButtons";
+import { useFileColorMap } from "./hooks/useFileColorMap";
 
 export interface PageEditorProps {
   onFunctionsReady?: (functions: PageEditorFunctions) => void;
@@ -981,30 +982,7 @@ const PageEditor = ({
   const displayedPages = displayDocument?.pages || [];
 
   // Track color assignments by insertion order (files keep their color)
-  const fileColorAssignments = useRef(new Map<FileId, number>());
-
-  // Create a stable mapping of fileId to color index (preserves colors on reorder)
-  const fileColorIndexMap = useMemo(() => {
-    const assignments = fileColorAssignments.current;
-
-    // Remove colors for files that no longer exist
-    const activeIds = new Set(orderedFileIds);
-    for (const fileId of Array.from(assignments.keys())) {
-      if (!activeIds.has(fileId)) {
-        assignments.delete(fileId);
-      }
-    }
-
-    // Assign colors to new files based on insertion order
-    orderedFileIds.forEach(fileId => {
-      if (!assignments.has(fileId)) {
-        assignments.set(fileId, assignments.size);
-      }
-    });
-
-    // Clean up removed files (only remove files that are completely gone, not just deselected)
-    return assignments;
-  }, [orderedFileIds.join(',')]); // Only recalculate when the set of files changes, not the order
+  const fileColorIndexMap = useFileColorMap(orderedFileIds);
 
   return (
     <Box
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/hooks/useFileColorMap.ts b/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/hooks/useFileColorMap.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..93a78cc16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/hooks/useFileColorMap.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
+import { FileId } from '../../../types/file';
+
+/**
+ * Maintains stable color assignments for a collection of file IDs.
+ * Colors are assigned by insertion order and preserved across reorders.
+ */
+export function useFileColorMap(fileIds: FileId[]): Map<FileId, number> {
+  const assignmentsRef = useRef(new Map<FileId, number>());
+
+  const serializedIds = useMemo(() => fileIds.join(','), [fileIds]);
+
+  return useMemo(() => {
+    const assignments = assignmentsRef.current;
+    const activeIds = new Set(fileIds);
+
+    // Remove colors for files that no longer exist
+    for (const id of Array.from(assignments.keys())) {
+      if (!activeIds.has(id)) {
+        assignments.delete(id);
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Assign colors to any new files
+    fileIds.forEach((id) => {
+      if (!assignments.has(id)) {
+        assignments.set(id, assignments.size);
+      }
+    });
+
+    return assignments;
+  }, [serializedIds, fileIds]);
+}
+
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/hooks/usePageEditorDropdownState.ts b/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/hooks/usePageEditorDropdownState.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1b7284a80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/pageEditor/hooks/usePageEditorDropdownState.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import { useMemo } from 'react';
+import { usePageEditor } from '../../../contexts/PageEditorContext';
+import { useFileState } from '../../../contexts/FileContext';
+import { FileId } from '../../../types/file';
+import { useFileColorMap } from './useFileColorMap';
+
+export interface PageEditorDropdownFile {
+  fileId: FileId;
+  name: string;
+  versionNumber?: number;
+  isSelected: boolean;
+}
+
+export interface PageEditorDropdownState {
+  files: PageEditorDropdownFile[];
+  selectedCount: number;
+  totalCount: number;
+  onToggleSelection: (fileId: FileId) => void;
+  onReorder: (fromIndex: number, toIndex: number) => void;
+  fileColorMap: Map<FileId, number>;
+}
+
+const isPdf = (name?: string | null) =>
+  typeof name === 'string' && name.toLowerCase().endsWith('.pdf');
+
+export function usePageEditorDropdownState(): PageEditorDropdownState {
+  const { state, selectors } = useFileState();
+  const {
+    toggleFileSelection,
+    reorderFiles,
+    fileOrder,
+  } = usePageEditor();
+
+  const pageEditorFiles = useMemo(() => {
+    return fileOrder
+      .map<PageEditorDropdownFile | null>((fileId) => {
+        const stub = selectors.getStirlingFileStub(fileId);
+        if (!isPdf(stub?.name)) return null;
+
+        return {
+          fileId,
+          name: stub?.name || '',
+          versionNumber: stub?.versionNumber,
+          isSelected: state.ui.selectedFileIds.includes(fileId),
+        };
+      })
+      .filter((file): file is PageEditorDropdownFile => file !== null);
+  }, [fileOrder, selectors, state.ui.selectedFileIds]);
+
+  const fileColorMap = useFileColorMap(pageEditorFiles.map((file) => file.fileId));
+
+  const selectedCount = useMemo(
+    () => pageEditorFiles.filter((file) => file.isSelected).length,
+    [pageEditorFiles]
+  );
+
+  return useMemo<PageEditorDropdownState>(() => ({
+    files: pageEditorFiles,
+    selectedCount,
+    totalCount: pageEditorFiles.length,
+    onToggleSelection: toggleFileSelection,
+    onReorder: reorderFiles,
+    fileColorMap,
+  }), [pageEditorFiles, selectedCount, toggleFileSelection, reorderFiles, fileColorMap]);
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/shared/TopControls.tsx b/frontend/src/components/shared/TopControls.tsx
index d01a402c8..112a34852 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/shared/TopControls.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/shared/TopControls.tsx
@@ -8,29 +8,9 @@ import PictureAsPdfIcon from "@mui/icons-material/PictureAsPdf";
 import { LocalIcon } from "./LocalIcon";
 import { WorkbenchType, isValidWorkbench } from '../../types/workbench';
 import { PageEditorFileDropdown } from './PageEditorFileDropdown';
-import { usePageEditor } from '../../contexts/PageEditorContext';
-import { useFileState } from '../../contexts/FileContext';
-import { useToolWorkflow } from '../../contexts/ToolWorkflowContext';
-import { FileId } from '../../types/file';
 import type { CustomWorkbenchViewInstance } from '../../contexts/ToolWorkflowContext';
 import { FileDropdownMenu } from './FileDropdownMenu';
-
-// Local interface for PageEditor file display
-interface PageEditorFile {
-  fileId: FileId;
-  name: string;
-  versionNumber?: number;
-  isSelected: boolean;
-}
-
-interface PageEditorState {
-  files: PageEditorFile[];
-  selectedCount: number;
-  totalCount: number;
-  onToggleSelection: (fileId: FileId) => void;
-  onReorder: (fromIndex: number, toIndex: number) => void;
-  fileColorMap: Map<string, number>;
-}
+import { usePageEditorDropdownState, PageEditorDropdownState } from '../pageEditor/hooks/usePageEditorDropdownState';
 
 const viewOptionStyle: React.CSSProperties = {
   display: 'inline-flex',
@@ -48,7 +28,7 @@ const createViewOptions = (
   activeFiles: Array<{ fileId: string; name: string; versionNumber?: number }>,
   currentFileIndex: number,
   onFileSelect?: (index: number) => void,
-  pageEditorState?: PageEditorState,
+  pageEditorState?: PageEditorDropdownState,
   customViews?: CustomWorkbenchViewInstance[]
 ) => {
   // Viewer dropdown logic
@@ -169,115 +149,7 @@ const TopControls = ({
   const { isRainbowMode } = useRainbowThemeContext();
   const [switchingTo, setSwitchingTo] = useState<WorkbenchType | null>(null);
 
-  // Get FileContext state and PageEditor coordination functions
-  const { state, selectors } = useFileState();
-  const pageEditorContext = usePageEditor();
-  const {
-    toggleFileSelection,
-    reorderFiles: pageEditorReorderFiles,
-    fileOrder: pageEditorFileOrder,
-  } = pageEditorContext;
-
-  // Derive page editor files from PageEditorContext.fileOrder (page editor workspace order)
-  // Filter to only show PDF files (PageEditor only supports PDFs)
-  // Use stable string keys to prevent infinite loops
-  // Cache file objects to prevent infinite re-renders from new object references
-  const fileOrderKey = pageEditorFileOrder.join(',');
-  const selectedIdsKey = [...state.ui.selectedFileIds].sort().join(',');
-  const filesSignature = selectors.getFilesSignature();
-
-  const fileObjectsRef = React.useRef(new Map<FileId, PageEditorFile>());
-
-  const pageEditorFiles = useMemo<PageEditorFile[]>(() => {
-    const cache = fileObjectsRef.current;
-    const newFiles: PageEditorFile[] = [];
-
-    // Use PageEditorContext.fileOrder instead of state.files.ids
-    pageEditorFileOrder.forEach(fileId => {
-      const stub = selectors.getStirlingFileStub(fileId);
-      const isSelected = state.ui.selectedFileIds.includes(fileId);
-      const isPdf = stub?.name?.toLowerCase().endsWith('.pdf') ?? false;
-
-      if (!isPdf) return; // Skip non-PDFs
-
-      const cached = cache.get(fileId);
-
-      // Check if data actually changed (compare by fileId, not position)
-      if (cached &&
-          cached.fileId === fileId &&
-          cached.name === (stub?.name || '') &&
-          cached.versionNumber === stub?.versionNumber &&
-          cached.isSelected === isSelected) {
-        // Reuse existing object reference
-        newFiles.push(cached);
-      } else {
-        // Create new object only if data changed
-        const newFile: PageEditorFile = {
-          fileId,
-          name: stub?.name || '',
-          versionNumber: stub?.versionNumber,
-          isSelected,
-        };
-        cache.set(fileId, newFile);
-        newFiles.push(newFile);
-      }
-    });
-
-    // Clean up removed files from cache
-    const activeIds = new Set(newFiles.map(f => f.fileId));
-    for (const cachedId of cache.keys()) {
-      if (!activeIds.has(cachedId)) {
-        cache.delete(cachedId);
-      }
-    }
-
-    return newFiles;
-    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-  }, [fileOrderKey, selectedIdsKey, filesSignature, pageEditorFileOrder, state.ui.selectedFileIds, selectors]);
-
-  // Convert to counts
-  const selectedCount = pageEditorFiles?.filter(f => f.isSelected).length || 0;
-  const totalCount = pageEditorFiles?.length || 0;
-
-  // Create stable file IDs string for dependency (only changes when file set changes)
-  const fileIdsString = (pageEditorFiles || []).map(f => f.fileId).sort().join(',');
-
-  // Track color assignments by insertion order (files keep their color)
-  const fileColorAssignments = React.useRef(new Map<string, number>());
-
-  // Create stable file color mapping (preserves colors on reorder)
-  const fileColorMap = useMemo(() => {
-    const map = new Map<string, number>();
-    if (!pageEditorFiles || pageEditorFiles.length === 0) return map;
-
-    const allFileIds = (pageEditorFiles || []).map(f => f.fileId as string);
-
-    // Assign colors to new files based on insertion order
-    allFileIds.forEach(fileId => {
-      if (!fileColorAssignments.current.has(fileId)) {
-        fileColorAssignments.current.set(fileId, fileColorAssignments.current.size);
-      }
-    });
-
-    // Clean up removed files
-    const activeSet = new Set(allFileIds);
-    for (const fileId of fileColorAssignments.current.keys()) {
-      if (!activeSet.has(fileId)) {
-        fileColorAssignments.current.delete(fileId);
-      }
-    }
-
-    return fileColorAssignments.current;
-  }, [fileIdsString]);
-
-  // Get pageEditorFunctions from ToolWorkflowContext
-  const { pageEditorFunctions } = useToolWorkflow();
-
-  // Memoize the reorder handler
-  const handleReorder = useCallback((fromIndex: number, toIndex: number) => {
-    // Single source of truth: PageEditorContext handles file->page reorder propagation
-    pageEditorReorderFiles(fromIndex, toIndex);
-  }, [pageEditorReorderFiles]);
+  const pageEditorState = usePageEditorDropdownState();
 
   const handleViewChange = useCallback((view: string) => {
     if (!isValidWorkbench(view)) {
@@ -301,16 +173,6 @@ const TopControls = ({
     });
   }, [setCurrentView]);
 
-  // Memoize pageEditorState object to prevent recreating on every render
-  const pageEditorState = useMemo<PageEditorState>(() => ({
-    files: pageEditorFiles,
-    selectedCount,
-    totalCount,
-    onToggleSelection: toggleFileSelection,
-    onReorder: handleReorder,
-    fileColorMap,
-  }), [pageEditorFiles, selectedCount, totalCount, toggleFileSelection, handleReorder, fileColorMap]);
-
   // Memoize view options to prevent SegmentedControl re-renders
   const viewOptions = useMemo(() => createViewOptions(
     currentView,
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/tooltips/useSplitSettingsTips.ts b/frontend/src/components/tooltips/useSplitSettingsTips.ts
index bfc80a7d9..7f6aae8b0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/tooltips/useSplitSettingsTips.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/tooltips/useSplitSettingsTips.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@ import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { TooltipContent } from '../../types/tips';
 import { SPLIT_METHODS, type SplitMethod } from '../../constants/splitConstants';
 
-export const useSplitSettingsTips = (method: SplitMethod | ''): TooltipContent | null => {
+/**
+ * Hook that returns tooltip content for ALL split methods
+ * Can be called once and then looked up by method
+ */
+export const useSplitSettingsTips = (): Record<SplitMethod, TooltipContent> => {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
 
-  if (!method) return null;
-
   const tooltipMap: Record<SplitMethod, TooltipContent> = {
     [SPLIT_METHODS.BY_PAGES]: {
       header: {
@@ -130,5 +132,5 @@ export const useSplitSettingsTips = (method: SplitMethod | ''): TooltipContent |
     }
   };
 
-  return tooltipMap[method];
+  return tooltipMap;
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/src/tools/Split.tsx b/frontend/src/tools/Split.tsx
index 4eaf38e7b..a4f70e7cd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/tools/Split.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/tools/Split.tsx
@@ -21,12 +21,17 @@ const Split = (props: BaseToolProps) => {
   );
 
   const methodTips = useSplitMethodTips();
-  const settingsTips = useSplitSettingsTips(base.params.parameters.method);
+  const allSettingsTips = useSplitSettingsTips();
+
+  // Get tooltip content for the currently selected method
+  const settingsTips = base.params.parameters.method
+    ? allSettingsTips[base.params.parameters.method]
+    : null;
 
   // Get tooltip content for a specific method
-  const getMethodTooltip = (_option: MethodOption) => {
-    // TODO: Fix hook call in non-React function
-    return [];
+  const getMethodTooltip = (option: MethodOption) => {
+    const tooltipContent = allSettingsTips[option.value];
+    return tooltipContent?.tips || [];
   };
 
   // Get the method name for the settings step title